While much of the blockchain games industry is enduring a season of drought, there’s no lack of momentum for the TON network. Indeed, with 285 games currently listed on TON, the blockchain – originally founded by Telegram – is thriving. 

Recently, it announced it’s setting up a $40 million venture fund – TON Ventures – which will be helmed by ex-director of TON Accelerator Ian Wittkopp, and ex-gaming lead at TON Foundation Inal Kardan. Managed by a DAO, the venture has a mandate to invest in projects building on TON. 

Among the first projects announced to receive funding from TON Ventures is Animoca Brands subsidiary Gamee. The amount raised was not disclosed. As one of the original companies launching its mobile games on Telegram back in 2016, Gamee launched its meme-based WAT Protocol earlier in 2024.

Originally a simple point mining experience, it’s since built out more functionality, including the Watbird Racer, as well as the ability for holders of the GMEE token and various NFTs including Pudgy Penguins and Mocaverse to soft-stake them to also build up their Wat points, which will be converted into an allocation of the WAT token when it launches later in 2024.

Boosted by new funding, Gamee will expand its TON integration including tokens and NFTs, both part of Gamee’s mini app, in order to enhance user engagement. To-date Gamee claims over 4 million players have connected their TON wallets to the WatBird app.

Gamee co-founder Bozena Rezab commented, “We are thrilled to deepen our relationship with The Open Network (TON). We plan to enrich the gaming experience we have built for Telegram with new viral and community-focused mechanics centered around the meme character WatBird. This is another milestone in welcoming our community of 90 million Telegram gamers into the TON ecosystem.”

Find out more about Rezab’s vision of games on TON/Telegram in our recent interview.

With much of the blockchain game sector lacking in momentum, many studios are now looking to Telegram and its integrated TON blockchain for salvation.

If nothing else, with a quoted userbase of 950 million users, Telegram currently offers the best opportunity for rapidly scaling simple games and launching tokens; just witness the user numbers thrown around by projects such as Hamster Kombat and Catizen.

But does this playbook work for more serious blockchain game companies?

In last week’s podcast, I spoke to Mighty Bear Games’ CEO Simon Davis, which is launching its Goat Gaming PVP wagering platform on Telegram. In this week’s podcast, I continue on the theme, talking to Gamee chairman Bozena Rezeb about the company’s WAT Protocol.

One of the reasons I wanted to talk to Rezab was that Gamee was one of the original companies launching games on Telegram back in 2016. A smaller platform without blockchain, Telegram didn’t offer the same potential back then so Gamee moved on, launching its blockchain-based Arc8 app.

The new version of Telegram has seen it return to the platform, however, launching its meme-based WAT Protocol earlier in 2024.

Originally a simple point mining experience, it’s since built out more functionality, including the Watbird Racer, as well as the ability for holders of the GMEE token and various NFTs including Pudgy Penguins and Mocaverse to soft-stake them to also build up their Wat points. Of course, these will be converted into an allocation of the WAT token when it launches later in 2024.

What was particularly interesting to learn was how the new Telegram has allowed Gamee to scale. Previously, it had around 300,000 daily active users playing its mini-games. Now, however, it’s seen 55 million users of which around 4 million have interacted with the Wat Protocol using their TON wallet.

So even if the majority of activity is driven by bots, Telegram still offers the most dynamic channel in terms of onboarding games to blockchain, Rezab argues.

Check out the full interview including timestamps on YouTube.

And find out more yourself at the WAT Protocol.