DappRadar: Blockchain gaming activity tripled in January

What’s new? Blockchain gaming activity surged threefold in January, more than the same period last year, according to a report from blockchain analytics platform DappRadar.

Report

The sector saw more than 7 million unique active wallets (UAW) registered every day, up 386% year-on-year. DappRadar analyst Sara Gherghelas attributed the growth to advances in L-2 solutions, the development of the token economy, and partnerships with AAA game studios (a class of high-budget PC games) such as Off The Grid by Gunzilla Games.

What else is known? Several gaming blockchain networks expanded significantly in January. OpBNB became the most efficient gaming blockchain, with Matchain coming in second place. Meanwhile, Polygon experienced a 100% increase in gaming activity compared to the previous month.

Gherghelas noted that while some emerging blockchain ecosystems do not meet traditional AAA gaming standards, they still show technical advances and creative approaches that shape the future of the sector.

Beyond gaming, artificial intelligence (AI) is also gaining momentum in the broader Web3 ecosystem. Several gaming projects have begun integrating AI-based tools, demonstrating a broader shift in the industry. This mirrors developments in other blockchain sectors, including the recent entry of stablecoin issuer Tether into the AI application market.

On February 4, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino announced that the company is developing an AI-powered translator, voice assistant, and bitcoin wallet assistant.

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What other factors have been analyzed? Despite the surge in gaming activity, investment in blockchain gaming declined in 2024. The sector raised $1,8 billion in funding for blockchain games and metaverse projects, down 38% from last year. Gherghelas explained that this decline is in line with broader economic trends and a shift towards deploying previously raised capital into active projects.

However, she emphasized that key funding rounds point to continued confidence in Web3’s gaming infrastructure and innovation. Across the entire decentralized application (DApp) ecosystem, daily UAW reached 26,7 million, with DeFi slightly outpacing gaming activity by just 1%.