Cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes has found that scammers are using malware that targets the Bitcoin (BTC) wallet addresses of Fortnite gamers, according to a post published October 2. Fortnite is currently one of the most popular video games in the world, with reports suggesting that 125 million people are active players. Malwarebytes has investigated the game’s online ecosystem and found that “con artists” are sneaking malicious data theft code into downloads that apparently promise “free” season six Fortnite Android versions, among other “bogus cheats, wallhacks and aimbots.” So-called “free V-Bucks” – an in-game currency that can be used to purchase additional …

For small indie game developers, the advent of Apple’s App Store and Google Play has proven to be both a blessing and a curse. While one-man bands were able to upstage some of the world’s largest game publishers initially – Flappy Bird, anyone? – established studios have started to catch up, with competition in the marketplace rife and high commission fees eating into already tight profit margins. However, a decentralized “crypto arcade playground” is hoping to help smaller creators survive and succeed by enabling them to target gamers through blockchain – giving them a chance to market and monetize their …

On Sept. 19, the Play2Live streaming platform for gamers and esports fans has officially announced the launch of the open beta testing of their blockchain streaming platform to the general public. The new blockchain platform aims to let participants benefit from monetization schemes — involving streamers, viewers and esports tournament organizers. As Play2Live told Cointelegraph earlier, “Everybody can be part of the peer-to-peer interaction, and everybody, even the viewer, is able to earn money.” Gathering gamers and influencers As the company reported to Cointelegraph, on Aug. 15, the access to the testing phase was first granted to media representatives and …

Former Twitch exec Matthew DiPietro has joined crypto startup Kin Ecosystem Foundation as chief marketing officer (CMO), PR Newswire reports September 18. After serving eight years as senior vice president at the popular live streaming platform Twitch, DiPietro will now be responsible for developing marketing and brand strategies for Kin, the cryptocurrency launched by Kik Interactive, as specified on the expert’s LinkedIn profile. According to PR Newswire, DiPietro drove brand development for Twitch, as well as led all marketing projects, including the launch of community convention TwitchCon that is devoted to Twitch and the culture of video game streaming. Having …

What are crypto collectibles? A crypto collectible is a digital asset. Unlike common tokens, which are identical and easily exchanged, crypto collectibles are non-fungible tokens. This is because their unique attributes mean that no two are the same, hence they are usually irreplaceable. There are a plethora of things that can be collected — from cats to celebrities, and from politicians to planets. In gaming environments, they can be swapped between players, and on other platforms, it’s possible to buy someone’s collectible without their permission — adding a competitive edge. Can money be made from digital collectibles? If you have …

A new, decentralized global platform is aiming to help streamers keep more of their earnings — and create a blockchain-driven ecosystem where they will find it easier to receive donations from their loyal viewers. According to DeStream, the esports market is growing, and as a result, audiences on popular streaming services such as Twitch, YouTube and Mixer are increasing by an average of 10 percent a quarter. This has coincided with a rise in the sums of money being donated to streamers by appreciative fans. A company presentation cites figures from SuperData Research which show donations to professional gamers neared …

The blockchain game developer 0xGames has announced the continuation of its popular blockchain-based 0xUniverse game. 0xUniverse: Battleships — or 0xBattleships, for short — was developed together with HeroCraft. This company has 16 years of experience in developing and publishing the games for iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices, as well as PC and social networks. Based in Russia, HeroCraft has worldwide distribution in 15 languages. New game features 0xUniverse is the game that is powered by the Ethereum blockchain. In its first part, released at the end of June 2018, players are encouraged to be a space explorer, colonizing planets …

A blockchain-based platform where crypto enthusiasts can own digital collectibles inspired by public figures is planning to open up its ecosystem to developers — in the hope that new games and competitions will be added to its burgeoning marketplace. MyCryptons launched in May 2018. The company has been developing its social media presence, and more than 2,000 tweets have been sent from its official Twitter account over recent months. These posts have often reflected topical events in the news, primarily the tumultuous state of politics in the United States. On its website, enthusiasts are given the chance to buy Cryptons. …

Valve Corporation has removed a game from its video game marketplace Steam that allegedly hijacked users’ computers to mine cryptocurrency, Motherboard reported July 30. The Steam game store has delisted Abstractism, an indie game accused of deceptive practices and cryptojacking, and has banned its developer from the platform. Steam took action following complaints from a number of users saying that the game setup file seemed to include a Trojan virus and malware disguised as steam.exe processes and launcher. Further investigation conducted by different players found that the programs were crypto miners that infected users’ computers to mine Monero. Game developer …

The marketplace GamerToken has announced its partnership with Tempo Storm, a large American esports team and media company. This partnership follows the joining of the founder of Tempo Storm, Andrey “reynad” Yanyuk, to their advisory board in June. As one of the major esports media companies in the world, Tempo Storm expanded from its initial Hearthstone team and now encompasses Fortnite, Heroes of the Storm, World of Warcraft and more titles. This will be the platform’s first esports partner, and Yanyuk believes that it might have a big impact on the entire esports scene. “With GamerToken, the esports genre is …

Canadian messaging application Kik has launched its first beta product called Kinit, which is related to the company’s Kin token, TechCrunch reported July 18. The release follows Kik’s successful initial coin offering (ICO) which raised $100 million. The ICO for the Kin token concluded in September 2017, having raised almost $100 million from more than 10,000 participants in 117 countries. Initially, the company expected to secure $125 million. Kinit is a wallet app designed for active user experience, in which users able to earn Kin by completing quizzes surveys, and watching interactive videos. Users can exchange Kin for gift cards …

On July 4, 2018, Blockchain Cuties, a new collectible crypto game on the Ethereum blockchain, released its first ever crypto wallet, according to the company’s press release. The Blockchain Cuties game was launched on April 24, 2018. The game allows players to make profit in the in-game marketplace. Сharacters, or so-called ‘cuties’ are traded or transferred among players just like a regular cryptocurrency, using Ethereum smart contracts. Cuties have their unique artifacts and abilities. Blockchain Cuties was made in a cost-efficient way, using compact encoding of gameplay data to hedge the risk of an Ethereum network overload and to decrease …