PlaysOut said it will bring thousands of Web3 mini-games to Telegram as part of a strategic partnership with TON Play, a gaming platform that enables Web3 mini-games on Telegram.
The goal is to launch a beta of the platform in December and then a full launch in the first quarter of 2025.
PlaysOut also partnered with STON.fi, a cross-chain decentralized exchange (DEX) with its own security protocol on the TON blockchain. And London-based PlaysOut also recently announced its integration announcement with Tencent.
These collaborations aim to enhance user engagement and interaction within the TON ecosystem by introducing a comprehensive library of games to Telegram, which has more than 900 million users on its blockchain-friendly messaging service.
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Additionally, PlaysOut seeks to promote user transactions transitioning from Web2 to Web3, leveraging the unique strengths of all involved parties.
Through its partnership with TON Play, PlaysOut will integrate its advanced SDK and extensive library of mini-games 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 tech
The company has full-stack mini-gaming container technology. This includes a suite of components optimized for game development and operation. It encompasses 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.
Beyond the mini-game container technology, PlaysOut offers a suite of tools for integrating multi-terminal SDKs, IDE-integrated development tools, cloud service operation management platforms, and advertising platforms.
And it has Web3 integration technology. PlaysOut seamlessly incorporates 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 drive user acquisition, improve data capabilities, and boost traffic engagement, 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 it has become the fifth largest and second fastest-growing messaging app, making it a leading platform for the crypto community.
Each non-U.S. user receives an abstracted crypto wallet upon registration, positioning the TON ecosystem as a key player in driving large-scale Web3 adoption.
“We are thrilled to join forces with PlaysOut to elevate 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 enhance 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, providing innovative and rewarding experiences that resonate with our global community.”
Tencent and WeChat
PlaysOut will facilitate the integration of thousands of games, primarily from Chinese developers who have already published on WeChats mini-games platform, directly into Telegram via TON Play. The success of WeChat’s game integration, which greatly boosted both user engagement and monetization, highlights the potential of adopting similar strategies.
Partnering with Tencent, PlaysOut aims to replicate 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 enhance user engagement on a seamlessly integrated platform. The focus will be on expanding Telegram’s capabilities to retain users and increase app usage by linking 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 features, it serves as a prime example of how leveraging games can drive user engagement and create new revenue streams on a highly integrated platform.
The partnership between PlaysOut, TON Play, and STON.fi aims to integrate games into the Telegram platform, providing a seamless user experience with built-in tools that enable an effortless transition into the Web3 space.
STON.fi’s decentralized exchange (DEX) services into the PlaysOut application, enhancing financial transactions for gamers within the TON ecosystem. STON.fi addresses crucial DeFi challenges, including interoperability, security, risk management, and transaction costs.
“Our partnership with PlaysOut is a pivotal 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 execute asset transactions directly within the app, including instant exchange of TON and stablecoins for a variety of native tokens at competitive rates.
Masser said, “By integrating our decentralized exchange services into PlaysOut’s Web3 games on Telegram, we’re not just enhancing the gaming experience—we’re simplifying the entire transaction process. This collaboration will make it easier than ever for users to manage and exchange digital assets seamlessly, driving greater engagement and adoption across the platform.”
This integration offers a user-friendly solution that simplifies the management of digital assets, providing users with ease and full control. It will streamline financial transactions, enhance 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 enhance user awareness and adoption, ensuring the reliability and security of their services across games and user interactions within the Telegram ecosystem.
PlaysOut’s strategy in entering the telegram ecosystem will be to offer a library of high-performing games to the TON Play ecosystem, supporting the development of Web2 games and transitioning them to Web3-based standalone games based on performance metrics.
This collaboration will enhance user data insights, improving understanding of player preferences and game recommendations across Telegram’s traffic. Special in-game rewards, platform rewards, and characters will be unlocked through participation in events and challenges, fostering a sense of community and engagement.
“Our integrations into the Telegram environment are set to revolutionize the global mini-game landscape by facilitating the transition from Web2 to Web3 and driving adoption across various 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, creating an engaging and enjoyable experience for users.”
Acquiring users is just the beginning; retaining them requires a steady stream of fresh content, particularly in the fast-paced Web3 attention economy. With its vast user base, low development costs, and frictionless environment, Telegram/TON is poised to become a crucial funnel for Web3 games looking to onboard new users, Osseiran said.
Osseiran added that while comparisons to early WeChat mini-apps are inevitable, Telegram’s unique features and the establishment of TON make it a standout platform for transitioning Web2 users into 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 $70 million valuation.
PlaysOut is currently in discussions with over 50 casual game developers in the Chinese market and has reached preliminary agreements with several, including some who have signed exclusive deals.
Notable collaborating developers include: 4399, which is 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, and others.
