It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time to look back and consider what we learned during 2025 and how to make the most of that knowledge in 2026.
In this article we catch up with Sky Mavis co-founder Jeff Zirlin.
What was the most significant trend for blockchain games in 2025?
Jeff Zirlin: Creative destruction. Hundreds of games were funded in the wake of Axie’s success. Fewer than five will matter.
The last two years have been an evolutionary cull. Painful, necessary, and clarifying. The space is consolidating around a small set of survivors with real product market fit.
How did Sky Mavis adapt to these changes?
We concentrated our gaming efforts on the few teams we believe can onboard net new players. Depth over breadth. Fewer bets, higher conviction.
How do you think this will change in 2026?
Fableborne and Cambria show that strong games stand out when most of the field falls away. The ecosystem needs a handful that genuinely work before it can support many that do.
What was your favourite blockchain game in 2025?
Moku: Grand Arena. It’s an invention. They effectively created a new sport, then wrapped it in a sports management simulation. There is no real comparison point.
What’s your New Year’s resolution, and what resolution would you enforce on the industry?
Relentless focus on growth and onboarding new participants. That means abandoning comfortable habits and being willing to try ideas that feel reckless at first.
Read all our End of Year features via the EOY 2025 tag.
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