Welcome to the May edition of BlockchainGamer.biz’s regular Mavens group. If you’d also like to join the discussion, please contact [email protected]
We asked: How do you think the Epic Games App Store ruling will impact mobile web3 gaming?
Parker Heath – Gaming Lead at Ava Labs
With Apple’s 27% ‘steering fee’ getting nuked, iOS games can now push players to a web checkout, pay Apple zero $, and keep every dollar (minus Stripe and gas). For web3 titles, that lifts the last major brake on mobile NFT mints and token top‑ups.
On‑chain economies can finally live inside an iPhone.
Quinn Kwon – Head of web3 strategy, Delabs Games
The Epic Games App Store ruling represents a watershed moment for all mobile game developers, with particularly exciting implications for those of us working in web3 gaming.
For web3 studios like Delabs Games, the impact is huge. Apple’s rules made us choose between splitting our apps, risking compliance, or dropping token features. This ruling, centered on payment freedom, could finally let us link external wallets and handle crypto directly, clearing the biggest roadblock to true web3 gameplay. If the ruling stands, it could finally bring clarity. Developers might be able to direct users to connect external wallets or process token transactions without violating App Store policies. The immediate benefit would be reduced friction in user journeys, potentially eliminating the need to bounce between apps or websites to complete basic transactions.
Beyond simplified monetization, this could enable entirely new gameplay mechanics in mobile web3 games, where tokens provide meaningful in-game utility through battle pass progression, reward multipliers, energy refills, or access tiers. These mechanics would become more accessible to mainstream mobile gamers, not just crypto enthusiasts.
The ruling sends a powerful signal to the entire mobile ecosystem about the future of payment processing. With Apple compelled to open its platform, competitors will likely follow, creating an open market where all games, including web3 titles compete on gameplay, not gatekeeping. Players gain richer experiences and more control over purchases, while developers earn the freedom to build the next wave of games without artificial roadblocks.
Mitja Goroshevsky – GOSH co-founder, Acki Nacki co-author
The Epic Games ruling is undoubtedly positive for web3 gaming, removing a major technical barrier to mainstream adoption. However, Apple’s signaled intent to appeal suggests the battle is far from over. Even as these platform restrictions begin to fall, we must acknowledge the deeper challenges facing blockchain gaming.
The resistance from traditional gaming communities remains significant, with some developers like Balatro’s creator so opposed to blockchain that they’ve explicitly prohibited any future integration. This highlights a crucial reality: our industry needs to address legitimate concerns about speculative models and past missteps. While the ruling against Apple’s 30% fee is important infrastructure progress, the real work lies in building games that overcome skepticism through quality, transparency, and player-first design. The path to mainstream adoption requires not just better platform policies, but better blockchain games.
Robby Yung – CEO, Animoca Brands
I think this ruling will have a massive impact on mobile web3 gaming. The biggest hindrance to the adoption of web3 gaming in general, in my view, has been the limited distribution options amongst traditional gaming outlets; and even when they are available, they have often come with conditions which dilute the impact of the full web3 features. Apple’s App Store is a case in point, as developers have long been required to limit their payment options to Apple’s, despite one of the fundamental features of web3 games being the ability to have native utility token payment options built in.
This ruling, while limited to off-app payment methods, will still have a huge impact, and we have already seen results in the first implementation by one of our studios in our Crazy Defense Heroes tower defense franchise.
Chris Heatherly – CEO, Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
The ruling fundamentally changes the playing field.
Apple (and by extension Google) can no longer block payments on the blockchain. The mobile industry thinks this will largely benefit Xsolla and other alternative payment platforms, but those can also be very expensive.
Xsolla itself charges a 5% fee but credit cards can add up to another 4%, with some payment methods costing up to 15% or in some cases substantially more (not counting tax). As such, these payment methods are lousy for micropayments. Meanwhile transactions on Base are less than 1 cent.
It makes little sense to onboard to an antiquated and expensive payment system when you can lean into cheap, fast, global payments on the blockchain. And as more users get wallets (which we all will have) and they accumulate more USDC and other stables, games will want to accept them as payment and they aren’t going to want payment platforms to change them 5% for the privilege to do so.
Not to mention, the same blockchain enables new business models, limited edition items like NFTs, secondary markets for trading, and new community marketing mechanics.
It’s not all clear for blockchain as both Google and Apple have policies to various degrees regulating the use of blockchain mechanics in games. But with the regulatory push back and third party app stores on the way, it will get harder and harder for the platforms to restrict its use. And webGL and webGPU will make mobile web so good that it will put pressure on the app stores to open up.
I believe it’s time for a hard pivot in the way we think about “web3” games. F2P is a $110 billion business and we need to be encouraging all of that to come onchain. Even without web3 game mechanics – with no changes to current games – developers can keep substantially more of their money simply by using wallets, stables, and blockchain payments – all of which can be integrated in a very intuitive, under-the-hood, web2-like UX.
These games have significant cashflow and I believe there are models where we can enable developers to make money on their money with DeFi, which they cannot do easily offchain. And of course there is a broad pallet of web3 mechanics that developers can use to enable trading, share revenue with players, and promote their games in new ways as they grow more comfortable and advanced.
The key will be a shift from the degen/casino orientation of present web3 traders, and the speculative token myopia of VCs, to a focus on the basics of making it easy, low risk, and comfortable to come onchain. Only web3 can screw up web3 gaming at this point!
Alexander Goldybin – Founder and chairman, iLogos
The decision gives developers more technical options, but not more users. That’s the real issue. Most players won’t seek out third-party stores or deal with unfamiliar interfaces just to play one game.
The App Store still has the trust, visibility, and audience reach. Until that changes, this ruling won’t shift much for mobile web3 games.
Distribution alone won’t fix what’s holding this segment back. The real question is whether web3 games can attract players without relying on speculation or token rewards. So far, most haven’t.
Leo Li – Chief growth officer, CARV
Less centralization is a pillar of the web3 ethos. So, in this regard, we’re pleased to see the courts step in and remove some of the economic barriers for next-gen mobile games.
Apple levying fees of up to 30% on purchases made outside of its app ecosystem ate into game bottom lines, which was especially harsh on indie developers. The court’s decision now allows games to function like, well, games, and not shy away from external links and buttons. This is only fair and an overdue course correction.
Looking ahead, this should restore more freedom for games and gamers. Developers will be particularly happy that they can redirect loyal gamers (their customers) to any preferred method or platform. Not only does this make crypto payments possible but it restores the competitiveness and agility of web3 on one of the leading mobile operating systems.
At CARV, we’re watching this development closely as we continue building data infrastructure that thrives in more open environments. Kudos to the courts and congrats to the developers on this win.
Tony Pearce – Co-founder, Reality+
This is great news, especially for developers like Reality+.
The Epic Games App Store ruling is a major shift that could boost mobile web3 gaming. This opens the doors for devs to bypass traditional app store fees and offer direct blockchain integrations. This will enable smoother onboarding, true asset ownership, and decentralized finance features in mobile games. This decision sets a precedent that empowers developers and moves mobile gaming closer to an open, blockchain-friendly ecosystem.
Adam Bates – CMO, XION
This Epic Games ruling is a game-changer for everyone in the mobile ecosystem. Smaller dev shops no longer handing over 30% to Apple basically just got a 40%+ boost to their innovation budget. Big players? They’re looking at serious shareholder value now that they can keep more of what they earn.
For web3 gaming, this is huge – paying with crypto in-game should now be just as straightforward as using regular cash. The real hurdle isn’t the tech anymore, it’s making blockchain invisible to regular users. That’s the critical piece – solutions like SuiPlay and one-click logins with no wallet needed will be what finally brings web3 gaming to the masses without them even realizing they’re using crypto.
Christina Macedo – Founder and CEO, PLAY Network
This ruling introduces greater flexibility, allowing developers to adopt more innovative approaches to player engagement and revenue generation. Without the restrictive policies common to mainstream app stores, developers can create multiple experiences, utilize web-based storefronts, and tailor gameplay to meet the evolving expectations of players worldwide.
At its core, the ruling empowers the global commercialization of games. Developers will be able to fully own and manage their marketplaces, making them more dynamic and community-driven. Meanwhile, players will benefit from more freedom to trade assets, and with the integration of stablecoin payments, transactions will become faster and less cumbersome – opening the door for broader, worldwide access.
Furthermore, this regulatory shift paves the way for web3 developers to implement new monetization models – such as blockchain-based assets, tokens, NFTs, and in-app transactions – free from the restrictions traditionally imposed by app stores. This could lead to new revenue streams, higher earnings, and greater profit retention for developers, encouraging sustained innovation and more diverse gaming experiences.
Overall, if this opens the floodgates for a more open and competitive app ecosystem, it could accelerate growth and innovation in mobile web3 gaming.
Jack O’Holleran – Co-founder and CEO, SKALE Labs
The Epic Games ruling exposes what we’ve known all along – Apple’s walled garden approach wasn’t just bad for innovation, it was actively stifling web3 adoption. By forcing this 30% toll to come down, developers can finally connect users directly to external marketplaces without excessive gatekeeping. This removes one of the most significant barriers that has kept mobile blockchain gaming from reaching mainstream audiences.
With mobile already representing 30% of the blockchain gaming market despite these obstacles, we’re about to see what happens when artificial barriers fall. This ruling doesn’t just benefit web3 gaming; it signals a fundamental shift where players gain true digital ownership and developers can build sustainable economies without platform interference. The companies that will thrive in this new landscape will be those focusing on quality gameplay first, with blockchain benefits seamlessly integrated beneath the surface.
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