PlaysOut said it will bring thousands of Web3 minigames to Telegram as part of a strategic partnership with TON Play, a gaming platform that powers Web3 minigames on Telegram.
The goal is to launch a beta version of the platform in December, followed by a full launch in the first quarter of 2025.
PlaysOut has also partnered with STON.fi, a cross-chain decentralized exchange (DEX) with its own security protocol on the TON blockchain. And London-based PlaysOut recently announced its integration with Tencent as well.
These partnerships aim to increase user engagement and interaction within the TON ecosystem by introducing an extensive library of games to Telegram, which has over 900 million users on its blockchain-friendly messaging service.
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In addition, PlaysOut aims to facilitate the transition of user transactions from Web2 to Web3, leveraging the unique strengths of all parties involved.
Through its partnership with TON Play, PlaysOut will integrate its advanced SDK and extensive library of minigames into Telegram’s TON Play environment. This will bring thousands of mini casual games to the platform, enhancing the overall gaming experience on Telegram’s PlayDeck.
PlaysOut technology
The company has full-stack mini-gaming container technology. This includes a set of components optimized for game development and operation. It includes JavaScript frameworks, JavaScript Virtual Machines (JSVM), sandbox mechanisms, resource management controls, support for mainstream game engines, and compatibility with Native implementations and OpenGL, among others.
In addition to the minigame container technology, PlaysOut provides a range of tools for integrating multi-terminal SDKs, IDE-integrated development tools, cloud service operations management platforms, and advertising platforms.
And it has Web3 integration technology. PlaysOut seamlessly integrates its technology with Web3, enabling features such as Web3 wallet login, payment systems, contract deployment, staking, NFT support, voting, decentralized governance, and more.
Big plans
The initiative aims to boost user acquisition, enhance data capabilities and increase traffic engagement, thereby strengthening the appeal and user base of TON Play's gaming ecosystem.
With 900 million monthly active users, Telegram stands out as one of the largest distribution channels for Web3-adjacent users. Telegram touts its security and privacy protections and has become the fifth largest and second fastest growing messaging app, making it a leading platform for the crypto community.
Every user outside the US will receive an abstract crypto wallet upon registration, making the TON ecosystem an important player in driving large-scale Web3 adoption.
“We are excited to join forces with PlaysOut to enhance the gaming experience within the TON ecosystem,” said Daria Novikova, product evangelist at TON Play, in a statement. “This integration allows us to offer a more diverse range of games and improve our technical infrastructure, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience for our users. By leveraging PlaysOut’s expertise, we aim to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the Web3 gaming space, delivering innovative and rewarding experiences that resonate with our global community.”
Tencent and WeChat
PlaysOut will facilitate the integration of thousands of games, mainly from Chinese developers that have already published on the WeChat mini-games platform, directly into Telegram via TON Play. The success of WeChat’s game integration, which has greatly increased both user engagement and monetization, highlights the potential of adopting similar strategies.
In collaboration with Tencent, PlaysOut aims to repeat this success by integrating thousands of developer games from WeChat's mini-game environment into Telegram via TON Play.
This approach is designed to open up new monetization opportunities and increase user engagement on a seamlessly integrated platform. The focus will be on expanding Telegram’s ability to retain users and grow app usage by connecting them to additional services, including wallet features and decentralized exchange options such as STON.fi.
While WeChat remains primarily a social app with lifestyle services and gaming as secondary functions, it is a good example of how leveraging games can increase user engagement and create new revenue streams on a highly integrated platform.
The collaboration between PlaysOut, TON Play and STON.fi aims to integrate games into the Telegram platform, creating a seamless user experience with built-in tools that enable a smooth transition to the Web3 space.
STON.fi’s decentralized exchange (DEX) services in the PlaysOut application, improving financial transactions for gamers within the TON ecosystem. STON.fi addresses critical DeFi challenges including interoperability, security, risk management, and transaction fees.
“Our partnership with PlaysOut is a crucial step in expanding the reach and functionality of the TON ecosystem,” said Martin Masser, Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO) of STON.fi.
By integrating STON.fi's services into PlaysOut's Web3 games on Telegram, users will be able to manage and conduct asset transactions directly within the app, including direct exchange of TON and stablecoins for various native tokens at competitive rates.
Masser said: “By integrating our decentralized exchange services into PlaysOut’s Web3 games on Telegram, we are not only improving the gaming experience, we are also simplifying the entire transaction process. This partnership makes it easier than ever for users to seamlessly manage and exchange digital assets, leading to greater engagement and adoption on the platform.”
This integration provides a user-friendly solution that simplifies the management of digital assets, giving users convenience and complete control. It will streamline financial transactions, improve the overall user experience and drive greater engagement by making it easier to buy, sell and trade digital assets within the platform, Masser said.
PlaysOut will continue to develop and maintain its SDK and application, ensuring seamless integration into TON Play with the support of STON.fi services to facilitate the transition of games from a Web2 to Web3 environment. TON Play and STON.fi will provide essential technical support to improve user awareness and adoption, and ensure the reliability and security of their services in games and user interactions within the Telegram ecosystem.
PlaysOut's strategy for entering the Telegram ecosystem is to provide a library of high-performing games to the TON Play ecosystem, support the development of Web2 games and convert them into Web3-based standalone games based on performance measurements.
This partnership will enhance user data insights, improving the understanding of player preferences and game recommendations across Telegram’s traffic. Special in-game rewards, platform rewards, and characters will be unlocked by participating in events and challenges, fostering a sense of community and engagement.
“Our integrations into the Telegram environment will revolutionize the global mini-game landscape by easing the transition from Web2 to Web3 and driving adoption across multiple game titles,” said Jassem Osseiran, founder of PlaysOut, in a statement. “By addressing key pain points for developers and studios, our collaboration simplifies the process and creates an engaging and enjoyable experience for users.”
Acquiring users is just the beginning; keeping them requires a steady stream of fresh content, especially in the fast-paced Web3 attention economy. With its massive user base, low development costs, and frictionless environment, Telegram/TON is poised to become a crucial funnel for Web3 games looking to bring in new users, Osseiran said.
Osseiran added that while comparisons to early WeChat mini-apps are inevitable, Telegram's unique features and the creation of TON make it a notable platform for transitioning Web2 users to Web3. As developer tools and support continue to evolve, games will seamlessly adapt to a Telegram-native approach, allowing users to interact with built-in features without even realizing they've entered the Web3 space.
PlaysOut investors include Kenetic Capital, Chainer Consultants, Kestrel, VentureSouq DA Collective, Yugana Labs, Meituxiuxiu (Wensheng çaí), 4399 games, Sentor Investments, Moziak Capital and individuals including Mable Jiang. The company has raised $5 million at a valuation of $70 million.
PlaysOut is currently in talks with over 50 casual game developers in the Chinese market and has reached preliminary agreements with several of them, with some of them even signing exclusive deals.
Notable collaborating developers include: 4399, China's leading web game platform with over a million casual games in its library. Other developers include 37 Interactive Entertainment and Xiamen-G-bits Network.