Uniswap Labs is poised to make history by potentially securing the crypto industry’s first Emmy Award for its newly acquired online game, Crypto: The Game (CTG). This innovative game has captured the attention of degen gamers and is in the running for an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Emerging Media Program category.
Game Mechanics and Popularity
Crypto: The Game is modeled after a TV reality show, where ten “tribes” of 80 players compete in daily “immunity challenges,” including arcade games and digital scavenger hunts. Players pay 0.1 Ether to participate, with the last survivor winning the pot of entry fees, minus a 10% operational fee. Losing tribes vote out members, and players can gain personal immunity by tweeting about their participation. The final survivor is determined by previously eliminated players’ votes.
Each season spans ten days, operating in real time on a 24-hour cycle on the Base blockchain. Fans can follow the action on platforms like X and Farcaster and through a dedicated podcast.
Since its launch in January, CTG has quickly gained popularity. The first season’s winner took home approximately $150,000, while the second season’s prize rose to $274,000 as the price of ETH increased. The second season’s entry NFTs sold out in just 15 minutes. Players can also trade their NFTs, transferring their game positions to new buyers.
Acquisition by Uniswap Labs
On June 11, just before the Emmy nomination ballot lineup was announced, Uniswap Labs acquired CTG for an undisclosed mix of cash, crypto, and equity. The game’s lead developer, Dylan Abruscato, along with his team, joined Uniswap to oversee the upcoming third season and develop other interactive crypto experiences.
Abruscato revealed to Fortune that CTG players include members of the crypto X community, influencers, market participants, and about 10%-15% of people new to crypto, or “normies.”
Also Read: Circle Brings Advanced Web3 Features to Solana Blockchain
Emmy Award Consideration
CTG faces stiff competition for the Emmy nomination from other virtual reality experiences, Verizon’s Catch My iPhone game, the Billboard Music Awards, and projects from notable personalities such as horror film director Eli Roth, composer Jean-Michel Jarre, celebrity Lucy Liu, and Claymation characters Wallace & Gromit. Voting by members of a “peer group” runs through June 25.
In a related development, Solana expanded its market presence by launching Bond, a customer loyalty marketing service, on June 12.
