Illuvium a blockchain gaming universe, secures $12 million funding ahead of Q2 2024 game launch, hinting at a significant token airdrop.

Illuvium Labs Secures $12 Million Funding Ahead of Q2 Game Launch

Illuvium Labs, the gaming studio behind the highly anticipated blockchain gaming universe Illuvium, announced this week that it has secured $12 million in Series A funding as it prepares to launch its interconnected game titles in Q2 2024, Decrypt reported.

The new capital injection was co-led by King River Capital, Arrington Capital, Animoca Brands, and The Spartan Group, with investors including Arca, Polygon Ventures, 32-Bit Ventures, and Yield Guild Games.

The Illuvium gaming universe consists of three main game experiences: monster-battler Illuvium Arena, open-world action/adventure, Illuvium Overworld, and base-building game Illuvium Zero. They are based on interoperable assets from the Ethereum ecosystem, including the scaling network Immutable X.

In addition to revealing plans to launch the games in the second quarter of this year, an official press release teases an upcoming token airdrop. "There are whispers of a significant airdrop planned for the game's community," according to the press release, which is "rumored to be worth more than $25 million."

Illuvium's ILV token is worth more than $150, nearly reaching $160 earlier this month—the highest price point recorded since 2022.

'Nyan Heroes' Teams Up with G2 Esports to Forge Path in Esports Realm

Meanwhile, Nyan Heroes, a Solana-based hero shooter game that released a pre-alpha demo on the Epic Games Store on Tuesday, announced a partnership with G2 Esports on Wednesday to stake its claim in the esports arena and connect with fans.

9 Lives Interactive, the studio behind Nyan Heroes, told Decrypt's GG that G2 Esports will help promote the game on social media and that its players and influencers will play and stream it on their respective channels. Furthermore, the studio intends to hold show matches between well-known esports team organizations to promote the game.

The pre-alpha game, which features cat-inspired characters and unique gameplay mechanics, was among the top ten most-requested games on Epic Games Store wishlists before Tuesday's demo launch, with over 450,000 signups from prospective players.

The Epic Games Store pre-alpha test is open until April 9 and is linked to a play-to-airdrop campaign that will eventually award players with the NYAN token on Solana.

"Partnering with a legendary esports powerhouse like G2 Esports is a testament to our commitment to making a mark in the esports industry. We're committed to supporting competitive play across all levels, from professional circuits to community grassroots, underscoring our belief in Nyan Heroes' potential to become an esports phenomenon reminiscent of the early days of the Overwatch League,” Max Fu, Creative Director and CEO of 9 Lives Interactive said in a statement.

G2 Esports is a popular esports team that competes in games such as "Dota 2," "Valorant," "Rocket League," and "Counter-Strike 2." The company also employs several influencers and content creators. G2 has previously released its own fan membership club, NFTs, on Solana and competed in a tournament themed around the upcoming crypto game "Sparkball."

"For G2 Esports, we're always looking for exciting partners who are looking to shake things up, and 9 Lives Interactive is focused on creating new play experiences with game development as the first priority. We're excited to be part of what they're building with Nyan Heroes as they continue to innovate around competitive game types,” Donald Boyce, Head of Business Development at G2 Esports, stated in the release.

Photo: Illuvium/YouTube Screenshot