On-Chain "Hunger Games": A Brief Analysis of Uniswap's Newly Acquired Crypto: The Game
TechFlow Selected TechFlow Selected
On-Chain "Hunger Games": A Brief Analysis of Uniswap's Newly Acquired Crypto: The Game
Uniswap's first direct move into the gaming sector.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsText: Azuma, Odaily Planet Daily
On the evening of June 10, Beijing time, Uniswap Labs officially announced the acquisition of Crypto: The Game (CTG), an interactive blockchain-based survival game built on Base. The deal amount was not disclosed. CTG's three co-founders—Dylan Abruscato, Tyler Cagle, and Bryan Lee—will all join Uniswap to jointly advance the development of Season 3 of CTG.
In essence, CTG is a blockchain-based "real-player battle royale" game—think of it as a Web3 version of *The Hunger Games* or *Squid Game*.
To participate in CTG, players must purchase a limited-entry ticket in NFT form. Season 1 had 410 participants, Season 2 expanded to 800, and Season 3’s cap remains undecided. Each entry NFT was initially priced at 0.1 ETH and can be freely traded afterward—meaning players can indirectly obtain participation rights through secondary markets, including those eliminated players seeking a comeback.
Once the game begins, players holding entry NFTs are randomly assigned into 10 different tribes, and the battle royale commences.
During gameplay—which lasts up to 10 days to ensure timely conclusion—all players compete daily in tribe-based “immunity challenges.” These challenges vary widely, such as arcade games or treasure hunts. The tribe with the highest score each day earns a “safe night” (all members survive), while other tribes must internally vote to eliminate one player.
Regarding voting criteria, one actual participant told UnChained: “When deciding whom to vote out, we consider multiple factors—whether a player’s X account looks like a bot, how active they are in group chats, or even whether their chosen NFT avatar is likable. In my tribe, someone holding a Moonbird NFT got voted out immediately.”
Upon elimination, a player’s NFT ticket transforms—from participant to juror status—allowing them to vote on the final winner during the last day of the game. The ultimate victor takes home the entire prize pool.
Over the past few months, CTG has successfully run two seasons. Season 1 featured 410 players and a prize pool of 41 ETH, ultimately won by an anonymous player named MFL. Season 2 included 800 players and a prize pool of 80 ETH, claimed by Player No. 733.
Reflecting on his victory, MFL told Decrypt that he believed most other players were smarter than him. Having formed no private alliances, he initially expected an early exit and thus approached the game with a mindset of “enjoying the experience”—creating memes for others or writing poems expressing his thoughts on the competition.
Yet in reality, MFL never received a single elimination vote and ultimately won the grand prize. CTG co-founder Dylan Abruscato commented that MFL’s behavior had won favor among other players, proving this approach to be a successful strategy.
Overall, CTG’s appeal lies in its seamless blend of competitive gameplay and human psychology. Crucially, CTG also broadcasts daily live updates via official podcasts, effectively engaging outside audiences, amplifying social media discussions, and building momentum around the game.
Back to Uniswap: As the undisputed leader in DeFi, Uniswap has previously expanded beyond pure DeFi—for instance, acquiring the NFT aggregation marketplace Genie and launching its own mobile wallet. However, directly entering the gaming space marks its first major move of this kind (though there have been indirect collaborations before).
Commenting on the acquisition, Uniswap stated: “This has been a very busy year for Uniswap. We launched UniswapX, submitted v4, rolled out the Uniswap Wallet, expanded support to more chains—and we have even more plans ahead. Uniswap’s goal has always been simple: build products that deliver the best possible on-chain experience. That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome CTG into the fold.”
As for whether Uniswap’s involvement will alter CTG’s game mechanics, the team reassured fans: don’t worry, the core rules won’t change. There will be some new designs, though details remain under wraps. But rest assured—Season 3 will be the best one yet.
Join TechFlow official community to stay tuned
Telegram:https://t.me/TechFlowDaily
X (Twitter):https://x.com/TechFlowPost
X (Twitter) EN:https://x.com/BlockFlow_News
Odaily
