South Korean game developer Delabs is setting its sights on a new frontier by pivoting its portfolio to focus on midcore games through the messaging platform Telegram and the TON blockchain. Delabs, a venture that grew out of 4:33 Creative Labs, has outlined this strategic shift in a recent statement on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

CEO Joonmo Kwon explained the company's motivation and background experience that drive this bold move, citing the success he witnessed when South Korea’s Kakaotalk messaging app became a major game distribution platform.

Delabs Cover Banner on X (Twitter)

About Delabs?

4:33 Creative Labs, Delabs’ origin company, previously thrived as one of the top developers on Kakao Games, launching three titles that reached the top of the revenue charts. According to Kwon, the studio’s focus on mid-to-hardcore games on Kakao’s platform, in contrast to other developers who leaned towards casual games, played a key role in its success. Building on this experience, Delabs now aims to replicate a similar trajectory with Telegram, a platform known for its large user base and increasing adoption within the web3 community.

Kwon emphasized his belief that Telegram's current focus on hypercasual and casual games is set to evolve. Delabs plans to lead this transformation by introducing midcore games on the platform, supported by the TON blockchain. The company’s first release in this direction will be a mobile sports title, Boxing Star, a game that achieved initial success under the 4:33 Creative Labs banner. Kwon suggests that established intellectual property (IP) like Boxing Star will provide a competitive edge as it transitions to the Telegram-based ecosystem.

TON Blockchain

Migration from Polygon to Arbitrum

The pivot to Telegram and TON comes as Delabs undergoes broader operational changes. Earlier this year, the studio announced it would migrate its game portfolio from the Polygon blockchain to Arbitrum, pausing ongoing projects like Space Frontier and Metabolts to better align with this strategy. While the shelving of these titles has prompted questions from the community, especially since Space Frontier was reportedly near completion, Delabs has assured stakeholders that it is moving forward with sufficient financial backing.

Recent investments from the TON Foundation and private investor Noah Kim are intended to support the company's transition and bring new games to market. To address concerns around this strategic shift, Delabs confirmed that its Adventure Pass NFTs will retain utility within its new Telegram games. Furthermore, existing Metabolts NFTs are set for a revamp, with added functions and reassurances that the planned token allocation will remain intact.

Delabs Web3 Racing Game

Final Thoughts

The decision by Delabs to focus on Telegram is part of a broader trend where messaging platforms, traditionally used for communication, are increasingly becoming game distribution channels, particularly for web3-based games. For Delabs, the transition signifies a strategic alignment with a growing sector in the blockchain space, as the company aims to distinguish itself through midcore games that appeal to audiences seeking more engaging experiences than traditional casual titles offer.

Delabs’ pivot reflects its confidence in the potential for web3 games on Telegram to evolve beyond the “current meta” of lightweight gaming. With the backing of investors and the TON Foundation, Delabs is positioning itself as a notable addition to the Telegram gaming space, introducing a wave of midcore titles that leverage both established IPs and the evolving capabilities of the TON blockchain.

Source: blockchaingamer.biz