As part of crypto trading platform Bitget’s broader strategy to engage traders looking for early deals, its pre-market platform offers early access to tokens before their official listing. Now the exchange has announced the pre-market listing of web3 game network Gamee’s WAT token ahead of the TGE on 23rd September.

Developed by Animoca Brands-owned mobile game studio Gamee, the Wat project is a social reward program designed to enable community members to earn WatPoints via completing daily tasks in the Telegram-based WatBird app, something since expanded to mini-game WatBird Racer. 

In addition, users can earn points by staking GMEE tokens and various NFTs including Mocaverse and Pudgy Penguins on Ethereum.

In terms of distribution, at the official token launch 12.5% of the total supply of WAT – estimated to be worth around $6 million – will be airdropped. A total of 1,500 stakers of GMEE and other participants across 5 million accounts will be eligible. 

Each wallet is set to receive around $1.2 worth of tokens, with top users airdropped tokens to a value of around $10.

Claiming to have around 1 million daily active users, the Wat Protocol has quickly gained traction since launching on Telegram. Recently, Gamee announced it’s received backing from Pantera Capital, as well as TON Ventures $40 million fund.

We recently spoke to Gamee chairman Bozena Rezab about the initiative.

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.

Although Animoca Brands’ hypercasual gaming ecosystem Gamee was running games on social app Telegram prior to its move into web3, the gaming network has recently seen a significant uptick in activity.

Partly this has come about due to Gamee being forced to migrate its GMEE token to Ethereum following a $15 million hack on Polygon at the start of 2024.

The main reason, however, has been the explosive growth in activity on Telegram’s now-integrated TON blockchain, which allows all Telegram users to easily create their own non-custodial wallets. Combined with the TON token entering the crypto top 10 in terms of market cap, as well as the success of other meme gaming projects such as Notcoin and Hamster Kombat, Telegram now provides a great opportunity for Gamee to extend its blockchain gaming presence.

And that’s something it’s fulfilling with its Wat Project, which has already attracted over 2 million TON wallets.

It works by allowing users to earn WatPoints for staking GMEE tokens on Ethereum, ‘mining’ on Telegram, and playing Gamee’s casual series of Arc8 mini-games.

Unveiling the next step – Episode 4 – Gamee is now expanding the reward system to include NFT holders of prominent collections Mocaverse, Space Doodles, Grapes, San FranTokyo, Pudgy Penguins, and its own Arc8 Beasts.

In even better news for NFT holders that connect their wallet, the WatPoints they earn will increase the more users that sign up. 

“With 80 million people across the ecosystem — GMEE token holders, Telegram players, and Arc8 players — we figured it’s about time we connected them and rewarded everybody all at once!”, commented Gamee in the official announcement.

Visit the Wat Protocol website for more details.