Off The Grid, developed by Gunzilla Games, emerged victorious at the 2024 GAM3 Awards, snagging the prestigious Game of the Year award in a ceremony held in Manila. The third-person battle royale game, which is free-to-play and Web3-enabled, also clinched several other awards, including Best Shooter Game, Best Multiplayer Game, and Best Action Game. This triumph signifies a major milestone in the realm of blockchain gaming.
In a collaboration with Yield Guild Games (YGG), the GAM3 Awards shone a spotlight on excellence across 21 categories, showcasing the advancements made in the Web3 gaming sector over the past year. The event boasted a generous prize pool of $5 million, comprising grants, products, services, marketing, and blockchain support from esteemed partners like AWS, XAI, Thirdweb, Aethir, and Community Gaming.
A panel of over 70 jurors from prominent gaming and blockchain organizations, including representatives from CryptoSlate, Amazon, Google, Ubisoft, and more, participated in the selection process. Community engagement was also a key factor, with over one million votes from 143,000 unique voters influencing the final decisions in several categories.
Off The Grid’s triumph underscores the growing integration of blockchain technology in gaming. Set in a cyberpunk future on Teardrop Island, the game incorporates blockchain elements through the GUNZ blockchain utilizing an Avalanche subnet, fostering a player-driven economy with tradable in-game assets.
Following its early access release, Off The Grid experienced rapid growth, surpassing popular titles like Fortnite and Rocket League to claim the top spot on Epic Games’ free-to-play PC games list. In just five days, the game saw a surge in popularity, attracting over one million wallets per day and accumulating 53 million transactions.
Aside from Off The Grid, other standout winners at the GAM3 Awards included Parallel, which secured accolades for Best Strategy Game, Best Card Game, and Best Esports Game. Additionally, Pixels and Pirate Nation each walked away with two awards, showcasing the diversity and innovation within the Web3 gaming landscape.
The event, attended by over 300 individuals, featured gameplay premieres and exclusive trailers from upcoming titles such as Golden Tides, Unfettered, Elumia, and more. With a peak viewership of 48,000 concurrent viewers and over 450,000 views in the first 24 hours, the ceremony was a resounding success.
The success of Off The Grid and the GAM3 Awards underscores the growing acceptance and integration of blockchain technology in mainstream gaming. Analysts predict that Off The Grid could potentially spark a new crypto gaming bull run, akin to the impact Axie Infinity had in previous cycles.
Looking ahead, the GAM3 Awards are slated to return next November for their fourth consecutive edition, continuing to recognize excellence in the realm of Web3 gaming.