The crypto and NFT gaming space is busier than ever lately, what with prominent games starting to release, token airdrops piling up, and a seemingly constant array of other things happening at all times. It’s a lot to take in!

Luckily, Decrypt’s GG is all over it. And if you need a quick way to get caught up on the latest moves around crypto video games, we’re happy to present This Week in Crypto Games.

Our weekend roundup serves up the biggest news from the past week, along with a few other tidbits you might have missed. We also showcase a few of our original stories from the week.

Biggest news

Bitcoin in GTA 6 rumors: Rumors that the widely anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 will utilize cryptocurrency started to bubble up more than a year after first appearing. On Wednesday, a pseudonymous Crypto Twitter influencer called Gordon shared to his nearly 500,000 followers that “GTA 6 will enable cryptocurrency payments,” and that “so far only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT [are] confirmed.”

When Twitter users asked the influencer for his sourcing, he’d jokingly reply that his “uncle works there,” or say that previous reports on the matter were “old” at this point. In truth, no cryptocurrencies have been confirmed for Grand Theft Auto 6. We dug into what has and hasn't been said on the GTA-meets-crypto front.

Moonray airdrop push: Sci-fi arena combat game Moonray has launched its play-to-airdrop campaign, with successful participants eligible to receive the project’s native token once it launches. Players are required to place in the top half of five games to progress through the campaign. Users can also increase their chances of winning by participating in weekly social challenges.

This comes amid the game’s Epic Games Store debut, putting the game in front of a user base of 75 million monthly active players. This appears to be an emerging trend that crypto games launching on the store will launch a play-to-airdrop campaign alongside it, after BloodLoop and Nyan Heroes recently did the same.

Telegram upgrade: On Tuesday, Telegram announced that it has launched a “mini app bar” feature for its mobile apps, enabling multitasking by letting users rapidly switch between multiple open mini apps. This applies to all types of apps built for the platform, including the Telegram Wallet bot and numerous games.

Popular messaging app Telegram is in the midst of a crypto gaming phenomenon, spurred by tap-to-earn games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat that have pulled in millions upon millions of players to their “mini apps.” The feature lets users collapse Telegram mini apps into a handy bar at the bottom of the screen, so users can bounce between chats, apps, and games. And it should make it easier for tap-to-earn players to hop between various games.

ICYMI

• Nintendo confirmed it will not be using generative AI in its upcoming titles.
• Notcoin and analytics firm Helika launched an accelerator program for Telegram games and those building on The Open Network (TON).
• Milady NFT holders gathered in a Minecraft world to celebrate their second annual ball.
• Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov said that Hamster Kombat now has 236 million players, and called it the world's "fastest growing digital service."

• Monster-catching MMORPG Spellborne went live last week, and players can earn airdrop points by playing.
• Ubisoft’s Champions Tactics entered closed beta. It's the gaming giant's first original crypto game, built on Oasys.
• Notcoin’s fresh start revealed itself a little more, with more teases regarding the collab with Lost Dogs Co.
• Telegram game PixelTap just added a new combatant inspired by Solana meme coin Mew.

GG spotlight

Here are a few of our original stories from this past week that we think are well worth a weekend read: