April 2025 delivered a mixed picture for the blockchain gaming sector. According to DappRadar’s monthly report, developed in collaboration with the Blockchain Game Alliance, blockchain games saw a significant drop in user activity while the overall market began to reflect broader shifts in web3 priorities. Daily Unique Active Wallets (dUAW) in blockchain gaming declined to 4.8 million, marking a 10 percent decrease from March and the lowest figure recorded in 2025 so far. This decline coincided with a redistribution of user attention across the web3 landscape, particularly toward artificial intelligence applications and real-world asset platforms.

April 2025 Blockchain Gaming Report

State of Web3 Gaming April 

Gaming’s share of the dapp industry dropped to 21 percent in April, now matching DeFi, which regained popularity through renewed interest in memecoins. At the same time, AI-based applications continued to gain momentum, now accounting for 16 percent of market share. While the decline in user activity might suggest a slowdown, the underlying developments across the gaming ecosystem point to a sector undergoing strategic recalibration rather than contraction. Developers are focusing less on short-term speculation and more on creating sustainable experiences that emphasize gameplay quality, digital ownership, and long-term engagement.

Chain-Level Insights and Ecosystem Dynamics

The distribution of user activity across chains revealed persistent trends. World of Dypians maintained its influence, driving 52 percent of gaming activity on opBNB and 76 percent on Nebula (SKALE). Off The Grid accounted for 100 percent of activity on GUNZ, while Age of Dino similarly dominated Xterio. These examples underscore the continued presence of single-title dominance on many gaming chains. In contrast, platforms like Ronin showed signs of evolving beyond their flagship titles. Axie Infinity represented only 33 percent of Ronin’s activity in April, indicating a shift toward a more diversified gaming environment.

April 2025 Blockchain Gaming Report

Leading Games in April 2025

Several high-profile games continued to lead engagement metrics in April. Off The Grid, a cyberpunk-themed battle royale by Gunzilla Games, moved a step closer to full release by launching its GUNZ mainnet on Avalanche. This blockchain now underpins the game’s economy and supports in-game infrastructure, offering compatibility with major gaming consoles such as PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Axie Infinity continued its seasonal content rollout, with Axie Classic Season 9 and Origins Season 13 driving player interest. Meanwhile, development efforts are shifting toward an upcoming MMORPG, codenamed Atia’s Legacy.

Other active titles included Seraph, which launched its third season with new dungeons, gameplay items, and a system linking in-game success to token rewards. Star Atlas introduced new player-versus-player modes and experimental mining mechanics, while The Sandbox continued its fifth Alpha Season with new user-generated content and licensed experiences. Cambria postponed its second season but remains active within the Blast and Ronin ecosystems. Gods Unchained began its migration from Immutable X to zkEVM, a move expected to expand its smart contract functionality and interoperability by late May.

April 2025 Blockchain Gaming Report

Industry Partnerships and Strategic Moves

April also saw traditional gaming companies deepen their involvement in web3. Sega launched KAI: Battle of Three Kingdoms, integrating NFTs into an existing intellectual property. Meanwhile, Square Enix announced it would wind down Symbiogenesis by July 2025, citing limited engagement and weak market response. Ubisoft revealed its partnership with Immutable to launch Might & Magic: Fates, scheduled for release by the end of the year. Netmarble, through its web3 division Marblex, confirmed plans to bring seven blockchain games to market using Immutable’s zkEVM infrastructure. These moves suggest that while not all traditional publishers are succeeding, partnerships with web3-native teams remain a key factor in successful integrations.

Ronin also transitioned into a permissionless development environment, attracting new titles such as Avarik Saga and Realms of Alurya. This strategic shift came with mixed outcomes, as the migration of Ragnarok Monster World to another chain sparked concerns about contractual compliance. On the infrastructure side, Arbitrum continued to support custom gaming chains through its Orbit program. Studio Chain, launched in partnership with Karrat, aims to provide a dedicated home for My Pet Hooligan, a game that has seen significant asset trading volume and user engagement.

April 2025 Blockchain Gaming Report

Investment Activity and Infrastructure Funding

Funding in blockchain gaming dropped significantly in April, with only $21 million raised across the sector, representing a 69 percent decrease from March. The downturn reflects broader macroeconomic uncertainty and a more cautious investment climate. However, capital that did enter the market was primarily directed toward infrastructure. Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, managing a $200 million ecosystem fund, confirmed the deployment of its first $10 million to projects including Wildcard, Proof of Play, and XAI Network.

Rather than focusing on early-stage startups, these investments target established developers and service providers, signaling a preference for experienced teams with clear execution capacity. So far in 2025, approximately two-thirds of all sector funding has supported infrastructure development. This trend indicates that investor confidence is shifting toward foundational technologies and long-term ecosystem building, rather than short-lived speculative models.

April 2025 Blockchain Gaming Report

Anticipated Developments in May 2025

Several important game launches and updates are scheduled for May. Nexon’s MapleStory N is expected to launch on May 15 via Avalanche’s Henesys subnet. The title recorded over one million wallet sign-ups during its beta phase and processed more than 31 million transactions. Its integration of item ownership and new reward mechanisms could attract broader player bases from traditional gaming. Treeverse will continue its first season with quests and leaderboard rewards, while Gigaverse introduces new features aimed at improving player retention, including a referral system and a dungeon energy mechanic.

Illuvium is preparing public access to Illuvium: Zero and may update its overworld beta. Meanwhile, rumors suggest that Yuga Labs could announce new activity within the Otherside or Legends of the Mara universes. Additional titles expected to enter early access or testing phases include Realms of Alurya, The Lost Glitches, Engines of Fury, and Pirate Nation.

MapleStory Universe Launches Henesys L1 on Avalanche

Conclusion

April 2025 marked a turning point for blockchain gaming. While user activity declined and investment figures dropped, the broader outlook reveals a sector transitioning from early hype cycles to more structured and sustainable development. The launch of new gaming infrastructure, entry of traditional publishers, and strategic deployment of capital all point to a maturing industry. Rather than chasing token-driven short-term engagement, developers and investors alike appear focused on creating lasting value through gameplay, interoperability, and player retention.

As blockchain gaming continues to evolve within the larger web3 ecosystem, its long-term potential remains intact. The activity observed in April reflects a recalibration phase, not a withdrawal. With foundational systems now in place and new content on the horizon, the months ahead may offer renewed momentum shaped by user experience rather than speculation.