Blockchain gaming is heating up on networks like Avalanche (AVAX) and Base (Coinbase’s Layer 2). Both chains host some high-quality game studios and platforms launching tokens that gamers and crypto investors alike are watching. In this independent deep-dive, we’ll explore the best projects – from AAA game studios to gaming-focused networks – including how established they are, what games they offer, who’s backing them, and how their tokens work (utility and tokenomics).

B3 – Coinbase Alumni’s Gaming Network (Base Layer-3)

![][image1]

B3 is an “Open Gaming” ecosystem built on Base (Coinbase’s Ethereum L2). Think of B3 as a dedicated Layer-3 chain just for games, created by ex-Coinbase/Base team members​. It launched in August 2024 and already boasts an arcade (the “BSMNT” platform) with dozens of on-chain mini-games. Impressively, B3 claims to have 6+ million players and 80+ games on its network so far​, with more standalone “gamechains” (custom game blockchains) from top studios launching soon​. In short, B3 is like a gaming-dedicated blockchain playground, backed by serious crypto pedigree.

Backers & Partnerships

![][image2]

B3’s development company (NPC Labs) raised $21M in 2024 from big names like Makers Fund, Hashed, Mirana Ventures, and Coinbase Ventures​. Being built by Coinbase alumni gives it credibility, and it’s attracting Web3 game studios – for example, Parallel Studios (known for the NFT card game Parallel) is bringing a new 3D shooter, Project Tau Ceti, to B3​. B3 works closely with Base and even got its token listed on major exchanges like upon launch​.

Games & Platform

Instead of publishing one game, B3 provides infrastructure for many. Its BSMNT gaming hub (accessible at bsmnt.fun) offers a variety of mini-games and an interoperable avatar system. The idea is any developer can easily launch or scale a game on B3’s network with near-zero gas fees and seamless user experience (no complex wallet hoops). This open approach has drawn in both indie devs and larger studios. It’s less about one flagship game and more about growing a whole ecosystem of games.

Token Utility

B3’s native token $B3 just launched and is the backbone of this ecosystem​. Here’s what it’s used for:

• Staking & Rewards: Players can stake $B3 to get exposure to new gamechains and earn rewards from the network’s growth​. Developers and early adopters have been earning “points” that will convert into tokens as an incentive​.

• Game Funding & Access: Uniquely, holders can fund games they believe in through B3 (like crowdfunding) and potentially share in success​. Staking $B3 may also grant early access to new game releases and features on the platform​.

• Governance: $B3 will enable community governance, letting players vote on ecosystem direction and proposals – a bit like influencing an arcade’s future lineup.

• Developer Incentives: Game developers can apply for grants funded by $B3 and earn referral bonuses when players they onboard spend in the ecosystem. This helps attract quality games to the platform.

Tokenomics

$B3 is an ERC-20 on Base with a hefty supply of 100 billion tokens​. It’s meant to be a long-term “infrastructure” token rather than a scarce asset. Distribution details are still emerging (early participants earned points to swap for tokens), but the model is to use token emissions to bootstrap growth (reward players/devs) and then rely on fees from games to sustain the economy​. As games launch their own sub-tokens or chains on B3, $B3 staking and spending forms a flywheel: players spend $B3 in games → games succeed and generate more activity → that adds value back to $B3​. It’s an ambitious design to tie many games into one token economy.

B3 is basically Coinbase’s team betting on Web3 gaming. It provides the infrastructure so game devs can focus on making fun games while crypto stuff (scaling, wallets, etc.) runs under the hood. For investors, $B3 is like investing in a whole arcade’s success instead of a single game – but of course, it also means the token’s value depends on many games prospering. With serious funding and partnerships already (plus Base/ Coinbase promoting it), B3 has a strong chance to become the go-to network for blockchain games on Base.

Gunzilla Games – Off The Grid (Avalanche)

Two cybernetically-enhanced operators from Gunzilla’s Off The Grid – a glimpse of the high-octane world this AAA shooter brings to Avalanche.

Gunzilla Games is an independent AAA game studio (founded 2020) that’s launched a cutting-edge shooter called Off The Grid (OTG). They built their own Avalanche subnet called GUNZ to power this game’s economy​. Off The Grid is a battle royale 2.0 with a twist: it emphasizes story-driven missions and player-driven asset ownership. The game has been developed for 5 years by industry veterans (ex-Ubisoft, EA, Blizzard, etc.) and even has Hollywood talent involved – for instance, filmmaker Neill Blomkamp (of District 9 fame) joined as Chief Visionary Officer to craft the world and narrative. This is a big-budget shooter aiming to bridge traditional gamers into Web3 gently.

![][image3]

Established Cred

Gunzilla is no startup in a garage – they have studios in Frankfurt, LA, and Kyiv, with devs who worked on hits like Far Cry, Battlefield, and Unreal. They recently made headlines by acquiring Game Informer, a legendary gaming magazine, to bolster their community and marketing reach (talk about thinking outside the box!). In short, the studio has strong credentials and ambition to match.

![][image4]

Backers & Partnerships

For the blockchain side, Gunzilla partnered with Avalanche’s Ava Labs to launch their custom chain. Ava Labs’ CEO even praised Gunzilla’s vision to bring “top-tier quality gamers demand” to Web3. The project got a massive boost by launching its token through Binance Launchpool in early 2025 – a rare honor for a gaming token (the first Web3 game token on Binance in a while)​. This means Binance users were able to stake and earn $GUN tokens, creating huge exposure (over 1.7 million participants according to Gunzilla’s team). With Avalanche’s tech, Binance’s reach, and a AAA game ready to play (available on PC, and even on PlayStation 5 via Epic Games Store), Gunzilla has a robust support network. Major gaming VCs (Republic, Griffin Gaming, etc.) have reportedly invested in the studio, though the token itself is primarily community-distributed via Binance.

Game & Token Utility

The $GUN token is central to Off The Grid and the GUNZ platform:

• In-Game Currency: In Off The Grid, $GUN is used to buy and sell weapons, cyberlimbs, skins, and other in-game items on the marketplace. If you want that cool armor or a new gun, you’ll be transacting in $GUN. It’s akin to Fortnite’s V-Bucks, but on-chain and tradeable.

• Premium Features: The game is free-to-play and you don’t even need crypto to start (you can play without a wallet). However, hardcore players can subscribe to OTG Pro (about $12/month) which unlocks the blockchain marketplace and other perks​. Earning and spending $GUN becomes relevant once you go premium and engage in the play-to-own economy. Even free players slowly earn some $GUN through gameplay as rewards – introducing them to crypto gradually.

• Access to GUNZ Platform: Gunzilla is positioning GUNZ (their Avalanche subnet) as a platform for other game studios too, not just their own game. $GUN token will likely be used to access features of this broader platform. According to the team, $GUN grants access to the GUNZ SDK and tools for devs, and may cover fees like “Hex decoding” for item crafting or other ecosystem-specific actions. In essence, $GUN isn’t only for OTG, but for a whole gaming ecosystem Gunzilla wants to grow on Avalanche.

• Governance & Future: While not live yet, the roadmap hints at community governance using $GUN – perhaps letting players vote on game updates or new games to onboard to GUNZ. Given they’ve built a full-fledged Layer-1 (subnet) for gaming, it makes sense to eventually have decentralized governance, and $GUN holders would be the ones calling shots.

Tokenomics

Gunzilla’s token has a 10 billion $GUN total supply, with about 604 million released at launch via Binance (roughly 6% circulating)​. The initial circulating market cap was around $60+ million at a price near $0.09. Being on Binance Launchpool, a lot of $GUN was distributed to a wide set of crypto users, which helps decentralization. On Avalanche, $GUN is also used as the gas fee token on the GUNZ chain (so players don’t need AVAX)​. Notably, Gunzilla built everything in testnet long before launching token or mainnet – with over 14.5 million test wallets and 487 million test transactions run to balance the economy​. This gave them confidence in their tokenomics. The model is “play-to-own”: Gunzilla doesn’t sell loot boxes directly; instead, players earn items and can trade them for $GUN, and Gunzilla takes marketplace fees in $GUN. This recirculates the token. There’s also talk of future staking or rewards for holding $GUN, but details are pending. Right now, the focus is on fueling the game’s item economy and attracting a massive player base, rather than complicated DeFi tricks.

Off The Grid could be one of the first true AAA shooters in Web3. It doesn’t force crypto on players – you can enjoy the game purely as a shooter – yet it has an opt-in crypto economy running underneath. This “hybrid” model, combined with Fortnite-level production values, could onboard many gamers to blockchain without them even realizing it. From an investment perspective, $GUN has real utility in a live game (a rarity in crypto gaming). The fact that the game is on Epic Store (since Steam bans blockchain games) means it’s aiming for mainstream. If Gunzilla’s ambitious player numbers materialize (they anticipate half a million daily players at full release), demand for in-game items and $GUN could be significant. Plus, Gunzilla’s broader vision to host other games on GUNZ means $GUN might power an entire gaming platform on Avalanche, not just one title​. It’s a high-caliber bet in the Web3 gaming space.

Shrapnel – AAA Extraction Shooter (Avalanche)

Shrapnel is another AAA shooter built on Avalanche, often mentioned in the same breath as Off The Grid, but with a different flavor. It’s an upcoming first-person extraction shooter (think Escape from Tarkov style), where players compete in dangerous zones to grab loot and extract before getting eliminated. The twist is that Shrapnel fully embraces modding and user-created content – players can create maps, items, and even sell those as NFTs. It’s developed by Neon Machine, a veteran studio whose team members helped build franchises like Halo, Call of Duty, and Bioshock​. The game’s lore is sci-fi (set in 2044 after an asteroid catastrophe), and it boasts Unreal Engine 5 graphics for a gritty, realistic experience.

![][image5]

Establishment & Backers

Shrapnel’s pedigree is top-notch. The dev team has “100’s of games shipped” on major platforms. The project was incubated by Neon along with support from HBO (yes, the TV network – they helped produce a cinematic trailer) and multiple gaming investors. It was one of the earlier announced Avalanche subnet games, often showcased by Ava Labs as a flagship example of what’s possible. They have a dedicated following from the FPS and NFT community – its early access NFTs sold out, and the project won awards at the PC Gamer E3 show for innovation. Financially, Shrapnel raised funding from investors like Polychain, Griffin Gaming, and Dragonfly (based on public info), giving it a war chest to build a truly AAA product.

![][image6]

Token Utility – $SHRAP

Shrapnel’s ecosystem revolves around the $SHRAP token:

• Currency of the Shrapnel Subnet: $SHRAP is the medium of exchange in Shrapnel’s world. It’s an ERC-20 on Avalanche used for buying and selling in-game assets (weapons, skins, gear) in the marketplace. Avalanche’s subnet tech allows these transactions to be fast and cheap. Players can earn $SHRAP by winning competitions or as rewards for extracting valuable loot.

• Marketplace and Creator Economy: One of Shrapnel’s coolest aspects is its modding tools – players can mint their custom maps or vanity items as NFTs. Whenever those are sold or traded, $SHRAP is used and creators earn a cut. This means $SHRAP fuels a creator economy where players are also developers. The token encourages community content creation by giving creators real earnings.

• Governance and Voting: Shrapnel has a foundation called Radon that oversees the ecosystem’s growth​. $SHRAP holders will be able to vote via Radon on important game decisions, mod approval, balancing changes, and so forth. Imagine players having a say in map rotations or weapon balancing – truly community-driven for those who hold tokens.

• Staking & Rewards: While not live yet, the team has hinted at staking mechanisms. For example, operators of important game infrastructure (like community servers or tournaments) might stake $SHRAP and be rewarded for good performance. Also, holding $SHRAP might qualify you for early access events or exclusive NFT drops (a common practice to reward token loyalty).

Tokenomics

Shrapnel generated 3 billion $SHRAP tokens on April 29, 2023. These reside on Avalanche’s C-Chain but will flow into the Shrapnel subnet for in-game use. The distribution is aimed at long-term sustainability: a large portion is reserved for player rewards and ecosystem incentives, ensuring the game can attract and retain users by rewarding gameplay. Another chunk went to investors and the team (vested over multiple years). Interestingly, Shrapnel’s token price saw a crazy spike early (likely due to low initial float) to an all-time high that was astronomically high, but it has since settled to a modest few fractions of a penny​. This means as an investor, you’re coming in at ground floor valuations – essentially valuing the project at only ~$15M market cap now, which is tiny for a game of this scope. On the flip side, the token supply is large and inflation will occur as players earn tokens when the game launches. The team is counting on the game’s popularity to drive demand for $SHRAP (for crafting, marketplace fees, etc.) to counteract new emissions. One advantage: by building on their own subnet, Shrapnel can direct all gas fees to be paid in $SHRAP (instead of AVAX), creating an ongoing sink for the token as activity grows.

Shrapnel is often dubbed “the Web3 game to watch” by crypto gamers. It’s pushing the envelope with user-generated content, high realism, and a true ownership model for loot. For a crypto-curious gamer, it promises the fun of a hardcore FPS with the added thrill that the gear you extract has real-world value (and you truly own it). From an investment standpoint, $SHRAP ties into a rich ecosystem – if Shrapnel becomes the next Escape from Tarkov or Call of Duty: Warzone, the demand for its token and NFTs could skyrocket. Plus, Avalanche’s tech gives it the needed speed (sub-second finality) for smooth gameplay. It’s a high-potential upcoming project (expected full launch in 2025) with the backing of a serious team, making it a rare gem in a sea of indie blockchain games.

Heroes of Mavia – Base’s Base-Building Battle Game (Base)

Heroes of Mavia celebrates 1,000,000 downloads on iOS & Android – showing real mainstream traction for this Base-powered strategy game.

Heroes of Mavia is a mobile real-time strategy (RTS) game, often compared to Clash of Clans, that recently migrated to Base. Developed by Skrice Studios and backed by Binance Labs and Crypto.com Capital​, Mavia lets players build bases, form armies, and battle each other for resources (the resource is Ruby, an in-game currency). It’s one of the first web2-quality mobile games to integrate crypto from the ground up. Notably, Mavia is already live and popular: it launched globally on January 31, 2024 and hit over 1 million downloads across App Store and Google Play within a month​. At one point it even charted in the Top 20 strategy games on mobile app stores – which is huge for a blockchain game.

![][image7]

Studio & Partnerships

Skrice Studios is based in Vietnam and boasts a team of veteran game developers. By securing funding from Binance Labs early, they had resources to polish the game to mainstream standards. The decision to build on Base was announced in 2024, aiming to leverage Base’s low fees and the Coinbase ecosystem​. This means Mavia shifted its blockchain backend from Ethereum L1 to Base L2, ensuring players can do on-chain actions (like trading land NFTs or governance voting) much faster and cheaper. For Base, Mavia is a crown jewel – a proven game with hundreds of thousands of active players, exactly the kind of adoption Coinbase wants on its network. There’s also a community DAO in place, showing the team’s commitment to decentralization.

Token(s) and Utility

Mavia actually uses a two-token model:

• $MAVIA (Governance/DAO token): $MAVIA is the investment-worthy token for the project – it’s the one listed on exchanges (recently around $0.25) and was airdropped to early supporters​. Holding $MAVIA gives you ownership and governance rights. The team launched a Mavia DAO where token holders can propose and vote on game changes​. For example, if the community wants to adjust game balance or how rewards are distributed, they can push a proposal through the DAO. Only 1 $MAVIA is required to submit proposals (lowering the barrier for players to get involved). This token essentially represents a stake in the Mavia ecosystem’s success. In the future, it may also entitle holders to a share of revenue (if the community decides so) or special NFT drops.

• Ruby (In-game token): Ruby is the play-to-earn reward currency that players fight over in-game. It’s not sold to investors and is earned by winning battles, completing objectives, etc. Ruby can be spent on in-game upgrades, buying new troops, or trading for NFTs like base decorations. It has an unlimited supply (similar to how gold in Clash of Clans is infinite) but is balanced by sinks in gameplay. Ruby’s value is meant to be mostly within the game economy. While not the focus for outside investors, Ruby is important for players – and if the game design is good, Ruby should maintain value among the playerbase which indirectly supports $MAVIA’s value (a healthy game economy tends to make the governance token more valuable, as seen in games like Axie Infinity with SLP/AXS).

Tokenomics

Focusing on $MAVIA tokenomics – $MAVIA had an initial supply of 300 million tokens. A portion was distributed via airdrop and community rewards (50k+ wallets got it in the airdrop), and the rest allocated to team, investors, and a community pool for staking rewards. The team introduced staking for Mavia Land NFTs: players who own a base (land) NFT can stake $MAVIA to boost their in-game earnings, which both locks up tokens and incentivizes playing. The Base integration doesn’t change the token supply, but it does mean all $MAVIA transactions and DAO votes are now on Base’s chain. As of early 2025, Mavia has a daily active user count of ~300k players – very high for a blockchain game. The demand for $MAVIA comes from those players wanting a say in governance and possibly future game features (e.g., voting on new troop types). With Binance Labs’ backing, you can bet the token will have support and liquidity. It’s already trading on major exchanges and saw a price surge of 4x in early 2024 amid game hype​.

Heroes of Mavia proves that a fun, addictive mobile game can incorporate crypto in a way that doesn’t scare off normal players. Most players might not even know it’s “web3” – they just know they can win Ruby and optionally engage with NFTs or governance if they want. By moving to Base, Mavia is poised to become Base’s flagship game, tapping into Coinbase’s user base (imagine Coinbase promoting a mobile game to its millions of users – that’s a big funnel). For an investor or crypto gamer, $MAVIA represents a slice of a rapidly growing game economy. The fact that the game already has traction de-risks it a lot compared to unreleased projects. If Mavia continues to grow (new features, esports, etc.), the DAO token could appreciate from both speculation and actual revenue-sharing if they ever implement it. Overall, Mavia is a high-quality, live game blending the best of mobile strategy with blockchain perks.

Parallel – Sci-Fi TCG and Universe (Base / Ethereum)

Parallel is a well-known science-fiction trading card game (TCG) that originally launched on Ethereum and is now expanding onto Base via B3. Imagine Magic: The Gathering meets Hearthstone, set in a futuristic galaxy where different factions (Parallels) compete. Parallel grabbed attention in 2021-2022 for its stunning card art and NFT sales – some of its cards sold for thousands of dollars to collectors. It has an upcoming playable card game and even a 3D MMO in the works. The ecosystem is governed by the Echelon Prime Foundation, and its token is $PRIME.

![][image8]

Established & Backers

Parallel is backed by major investors like Paradigm and has raised tens of millions in funding. It’s not just a game but a whole media IP – they’ve talked about comics, a potential TV series, etc. The team at Parallel Studios has veterans from Blizzard and other big devs. Notably, Parallel chose to partner with B3 (Base’s gaming L3) to launch a new game mode, indicating confidence in Base’s infrastructure. They have a massive community following (their Discord is huge with TCG enthusiasts and NFT collectors). $PRIME has been live since 2022, making it one of the earlier “gaming tokens” that had significant market cap.

Token Utility – $PRIME

$PRIME is central to Parallel’s economy:

• Gameplay Rewards & Fees: When the Parallel card game launches, players will be able to earn $PRIME by winning matches and tournaments. It’s similar to how poker players might earn chips – here you earn a crypto token. Additionally, certain in-game actions (like entering tournaments or crafting new cards) might require $PRIME fees, which could be burned or pooled as rewards.

• Card Upgrades & NFT Utility: Parallel cards are NFTs that can be bought/sold. Some cards can be upgraded or “infused” using $PRIME, which might improve their abilities or unlock special variants. This gives utility to the token for collectors who want to enhance their decks.

• Governance: Through the Echelon Foundation, $PRIME holders can vote on proposals, such as balancing changes or how to allocate community treasury funds. As Parallel spans multiple games (card game, MMO shooter, etc.), $PRIME acts as a unifying governance token across the IP.

• Staking and Ecosystem: There’s a staking program called Prime Stakes, where holders can stake $PRIME in “banks” associated with each faction (Parallel) to earn exclusive NFT airdrops and influence that faction’s development. This innovative system encourages long-term holding of $PRIME and deeper engagement with the lore – fans essentially declare loyalty to a faction by staking.

Tokenomics

$PRIME has a total supply of 500 million. Early on, it reached a very high fully diluted valuation because of intense speculation and limited supply in circulation. As of 2025, the circulating market cap is around $190 million​, reflecting both the project’s strong following and the broad distribution over time. The allocation was roughly: 20% to the team, 20% to investors, and the rest to ecosystem (play-to-earn rewards, community, and staking). Emissions of $PRIME are tied to gameplay – as more players come in and complete objectives, more tokens get released. To offset this, the game design includes token sinks (upgrades, entry fees, etc.). One interesting aspect: Parallel actively integrates with other platforms. For example, they allowed players to buy $PRIME directly with credit cards via a recent initiative​, to make it easy for non-crypto folks to participate. On Base, the $PRIME token is recognized as part of the Base ecosystem​, meaning bridges and DEXs support it across Ethereum, Polygon, and now Base. This multi-chain presence can help liquidity and accessibility.

Parallel is a universe in the making. It’s high-potential because it’s not relying on one game – they are building a franchise. $PRIME holders essentially have a stake in an entire sci-fi franchise that could spawn multiple successful games (the card game, the shooter, maybe others). For a crypto-curious gamer, Parallel offers both collectible art/NFT appeal and competitive gameplay. If you missed out on games like Gods Unchained or Hearthstone, Parallel is an opportunity to get in early to a card game where your cards can actually become more valuable over time (thanks to limited editions and play-to-earn). Investment-wise, $PRIME has been relatively stable for a gaming token and is considered one of the “blue chips” of GameFi. The entry of Parallel into the Base network via B3 could bring a wave of Ethereum gamers onto Base, and that cross-pollination is promising for the token’s adoption. Moreover, with 2025 expected to finally see the full game release, a successful launch could drive a lot of demand for $PRIME as players rush to acquire it for staking and playing. It’s a slower burn compared to instant gratification games, but one with a very strong foundation and community.

Virtual Protocol – AI Gaming Agents (Base)

Virtual Protocol (“Virtuals”) stands out from others on this list – it’s less of a traditional game and more of an AI-driven gaming platform on Base. The idea is futuristic: independent AI agents (imagine NPC characters or game bots powered by AI) that people can co-own, trade, and utilize in games. Virtual Protocol creates these AI agents and an on-chain economy around them. Users can, for example, buy a stake in an AI fighter and have it battle, or use AI NPCs to populate virtual worlds. It’s like a blend of GameFi and AI crypto trend. The platform took off in late 2024, and its token $VIRTUAL skyrocketed, reaching a market cap over $300M​ – making it one of the largest Base-native tokens.

![][image9]

Team & Backing

The project is fairly new, born out of the 2024 AI hype, but it has quickly gained traction. It’s supported by Base’s ecosystem (you can find $VIRTUAL info on Coinbase and Basescan easily). The team (known as “Virtuals” or Highlights Labs) remains somewhat enigmatic, focusing more on product than hype. They built a working beta app by late 2024 where users can already create and interact with AI agents on Base​. The concept attracted a lot of crypto users as it sits at the intersection of two hot trends: Web3 gaming and AI. While not a traditional studio with a gaming pedigree, Virtual Protocol’s innovative approach got it listed on major exchanges, showing confidence in its potential.

Token Utility – $VIRTUAL

The $VIRTUAL token fuels everything in this ecosystem​:

• Gas and Interaction Fees: To interact with the AI agents, users pay gas in $VIRTUAL. Essentially, $VIRTUAL is the native gas token on this Base L2 appchain. For example, if you have a pet AI creature you chat or play with, each interaction’s small cost is in $VIRTUAL. This creates constant demand as long as people use the AI agents.

• Liquidity & Agent Ownership: Whenever a new AI agent is created, Virtual Protocol mints a billion sub-tokens for that agent and sets up a liquidity pool with $VIRTUAL. Users can swap $VIRTUAL to buy those agent-specific tokens, which represent partial ownership of the AI agent. In plain terms, if you believe a particular AI character (say an AI streamer or a game bot) will become popular and generate revenue, you’d use $VIRTUAL to buy a share of it. This design means $VIRTUAL is the base currency that all these AI “meme tokens” trade against. As more agents (and their fan communities) come online, demand for $VIRTUAL grows since it’s the gateway to invest in them.

• Governance & Voting: Holding $VIRTUAL gives you voting rights in decisions about the protocol. It could be choosing which new AI agents to introduce, adjusting parameters of the platform, or how to distribute revenue. Also, for each specific AI agent, those who hold its tokens might vote on that agent’s behaviors or story, and $VIRTUAL might be involved in meta-governance across the whole platform.

• Revenue Sharing: The AI agents can earn income via “inference fees” – e.g., if users chat with an AI waifu character, each message costs a bit of $VIRTUAL as mentioned. A share of those fees could go to the agent’s token holders (like dividends) and to the Virtual Protocol treasury. This incentivizes people to hold agent tokens. And since those fees are paid in $VIRTUAL, it creates a direct value capture: the more popular an agent, the more $VIRTUAL flows through and potentially gets shared/burned.

Tokenomics

$VIRTUAL has a total supply of 1 billion (matching typical large-scale protocols). As of early 2025, about 65% is circulating. The distribution was fair-launched – it gained attention organically, so there’s not a heavy VC overhang. A significant portion is allocated to community incentives (maybe future liquidity mining or rewards for agent creators). A unique aspect: each new AI agent introduces an additional 1 billion agent-specific tokens, but those don’t inflate $VIRTUAL – instead, they actually lock up $VIRTUAL in liquidity pools. This mechanism makes $VIRTUAL somewhat deflationary; as more agents come, more $VIRTUAL gets paired in pools and effectively taken out of circulation (unless people pull liquidity). The Virtual Protocol’s design is complex but clever: it ensures that if it grows (with thousands of AI agents), $VIRTUAL demand could scale exponentially, while supply remains fixed. Of course, there’s risk – if the AI agent fad dies, the token loses purpose. But right now, it’s among the top Base projects by market dominance (at one point making up over 60% of Base’s gaming market cap).

Virtual Protocol is cutting-edge and experimental – it combines AI, gaming, and DeFi in a way we haven’t seen before. For a gamer, the idea of owning a piece of an NPC or game character that other players interact with is pretty wild and cool. Imagine owning a villain in a game – every time that boss is defeated by players, you earn a bit. That’s the kind of future Virtual Protocol is hinting at. For an investor, $VIRTUAL is intriguing because it’s essentially a bet on AI x Gaming adoption on Base. It already showed strong performance, and if the team keeps launching new AI agents that capture people’s imaginations (there have been AI girlfriends, AI dungeon masters, etc.), this could create an entire new category of play-and-earn. It’s more speculative than the traditional games listed above, but definitely of similar caliber in terms of ambition and infrastructure. And since it lives on Base, it benefits from Coinbase’s ecosystem support, meaning it’s relatively easy for even non-crypto folks to get onboarded (Coinbase wallet and fiat on-ramps work with Base). Keep an eye on Virtual Protocol if you’re into the next frontier of interactive gaming and AI economies​.

Final Thoughts

Avalanche and Base are quickly becoming hotspots for Web3 gaming innovation. Avalanche’s subnets provide custom blockchains for AAA studios like Gunzilla and Neon, ensuring gamers get console-quality experiences with crypto under the hood. Meanwhile, Base’s ecosystem (boosted by Coinbase) is attracting projects like B3 and Mavia that aim to bring millions of players on-chain with minimal friction. The common thread among all these projects is a focus on real gaming value: fun gameplay, strong development teams, and tokens that do more than just exist – they power economies, reward players, and grant governance.

If you’re a crypto-curious gamer, these projects offer a glimpse at the future where in-game achievements can translate to real-world value. And for investors, they represent a more tangible, utility-driven side of crypto, tied to growing user communities rather than just speculation. Of course, as with any investment, do your own research on token metrics and release schedules (many gaming tokens have long vesting periods and in-game inflation to consider). But the upside is that if any of these games become the next Fortnite or Clash Royale of the blockchain world, early token holders could see significant returns.

This article is not financial advice. Always do your own research (DYOR), including token emissions, vesting schedules, and real usage. You can start at blog.millionero.com for deep dives and updates.

When you're ready to jump in, you can trade spot and perpetual futures for these tokens on Millionero. Your all-in-one crypto exchange for Europe.