The Next Technological Frontier
With the advent of blockchain, virtual reality (VR), visualization technology that leverages 3D, and the Internet of Things (IoT), we have now arrived in the era of Web3 and the Metaverse. Although far from utilized or even known by the vast majority on the planet, the Metaverse is growing in popularity every day. Not quite mainstream yet, one aspect of the Metaverse is — and that’s gaming.
Joining the legacy game studios in the Metaverse world are innumerable startups, realizing it is here that they can make a name for themselves while earning some good bank in the process.
The Metaverse Insider will now begin a series of posts highlighting the startups that have some exciting things going on. So exciting, in fact, that they are shaping gaming in the Metaverse as we speak and creating the next technological frontier:
1. Super League Gaming
Though this is not a startup anymore due to its IPO in 2019, it was once and is a great example of where a lot of the startups in the space are heading if the future of the Metaverse is as many experts say it will be. Super League Gaming (Nasdaq: SLGG) builds and operates networks of games, monetization tools and content channels across open-world gaming platforms that empower developers, energize players, and entertain fans.
The company’s solutions provide incomparable access to an audience consisting of players in the largest global Metaverse environments, fans of hundreds of thousands of gaming influencers, and viewers of gameplay content across major social media and digital video platforms.
Fuelled by proprietary and patented technology systems, the company’s platform includes access to vibrant in-game communities, a leading metaverse advertising platform, a network of highly viewed channels and original shows on Instagram, TikTok, Snap, YouTube, and Twitch, cloud-based live stream production tools, and an award-winning esports invitational tournament series. Super League’s properties deliver powerful opportunities for brands and advertisers to achieve impactful insights and marketing outcomes with gamers of all ages.
Based in Santa Monica, California, Super League Gaming was founded in 2014 by David Steigelfest and had raised a total of $51.7 million in funding over nine rounds before its IPO in 2019.
2. Star Atlas
Star Atlas was founded in 2020 by Michael Wagner and Pablo Quiroga and is a grand strategy game of space exploration, territorial conquest, political domination played in a metaverse the size of a galaxy with a unique gaming experience harnessing the power of a triple-A game and blockchain mechanics.
Based in San Francisco, California, Star Atlas has raised a total of $10 million in funding over three rounds.
3. Esports One
Esports One is a Santa Monica, California-based Web3 company that is bringing the Metaverse to esports and gaming.
Its mission is to create authentic experiences for fans and gamers through an esports metaverse that promotes community, accessibility, and entertainment, ultimately changing the way fans watch and engage with their favourite team, brands, and creators through fantasy esports powered by blockchain technology.
Founded in 2017 by Gene Keselman, Matthew Gunnin and Sharon Winter, Esports One has raised a total of $7.3 million in funding over three rounds.
4. Edge Gaming
Edge Gaming is introducing a new way for gamers to play games. Harnessing the power of gaming content creators, Esports organizations and their communities, the platform enables any content creator to easily and rapidly build custom game scenarios in multiple formats, apply their personal touch and play them with their communities. Using Edge, gamers can play highlight moments of their favoUrite idols, create their own playable highlights, compete in special community scenarios and various challenges and play their favourite game in endless new ways.
Edge Gaming’s technology streamlines the entire process of building highly engaging game scenarios and customizing them with unique content from the creator’s world, as well as empowering NPCs with advanced tactical behaviour, modelled after pro gamers.
It aims to shape a new universe of playable gaming content — based on “snackable” mini-scenarios that are immensely engaging, freshly updated, fuelled by diverse storylines and challenges, and powered by content creators. The startup believes that this experience can become a dominant driver of new revenue for game publishers, creators and gamers.
Having raised a total of $12 million in funding over two rounds, the Israeli startup based in the city of Ramat Gan was founded in 2021 by Asaf Gazit and Omri Gazit.
5. Catheon Gaming
Catheon Gaming is a leading Play-to-Earn and blockchain gaming studio and the partner of choice for the most successful and highest quality traditional games.
Founded in 2021 by William Wu, Catheon Gaming provides an end-to-end solution to take traditional games into the blockchain in the shortest time period possible, covering blockchain conversion, NFT’s creation/sales, marketing and community building, fundraising, and token creation/ listing.
