KEY POINTS
Anichess, the non-fungible token (NFT) -based chess game by Animoca Brands, Chess.com, and five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, recently concluded a funding round, securing nearly $2 million for further development and enhancements.
The $1.8 million funding round, led by Sfermion and Amber Group, with participation from Fenbushi Capital, Aspen Digital, and others, aims to support game development, marketing efforts, and team expansion.
This recent funding adds to the $1.5 million raised in 2023, bringing the total investment to $3.3 million.
Since its launch earlier this year, Anichess has attracted over 1 million registered players and maintains a daily active user base of 150,000.
Recent developments include the introduction of player-versus-environment (PvE) daily chess puzzles in January 2024 and the rollout of Season 1 leaderboard in March, ranking players based on points earned through gameplay.
Looking ahead, Anichess plans to launch its online player-versus-player (PvP) game mode in the second quarter of 2024.
Anichess exemplifies the fusion of traditional gameplay with web3 technologies, aiming to offer users a more immersive and contemporary experience, with a focus on attracting younger generations.
Similar trends of traditional games embracing NFTs and digital platforms are evident, such as the collaboration between World of Women and WS Game to release a special Monopoly edition integrating NFTs in October 2023.Similarly, the comeback of Tamagotchi occurred last June with the unveiling of Tamagotchi Uni, a new device connecting to the metaverse.
