Gunzilla Games Partners with Delphi Ventures to Launch GUNZ Foundation, Setting the Stage for GUN Token Launch

Since its public early access release in October, Off the Grid has received rave reviews from players. The game’s unique gameplay, which blends battle royale with extraction elements, has gone viral across social media. Set in a reality TV-style environment, players are equipped with robotic limbs that grant them special abilities. These augmented contestants fight it out in a competitive arena for survival.

Currently, the game’s crypto features have been running in the background. Every player is assigned a wallet on the GUNZ testnet when they first launch Off the Grid, and in-game items are represented as NFTs. These items will be transferred to the future mainnet, which is built on the Avalanche blockchain as a dedicated L1 network.

Looking ahead, the launch of the GUNZ mainnet will make the game’s cryptocurrency features more prominent and functional. Players will have greater control over item ownership, and the GUN token will begin to hold real value. This means players can invest actual money into the ecosystem to purchase premium weapons or potentially profit by selling extracted hexes.

While similar to Web2 systems like Valve's Steam marketplace, the crypto-powered Off the Grid ecosystem will give players more freedom to trade their assets on third-party platforms such as OpenSea. Unlike traditional skins and outfits, the game’s user-owned items also include rare in-game assets, adding new layers of value and engagement.

However, with these changes come challenges, particularly concerning the potential for a toxic in-game economy. The GUNZ Foundation aims to mitigate this risk and ensure the game remains fun and empowering for players. Delphi Ventures will also offer advisory support to other studios building on the GUNZ network. The Foundation’s advisory board is expected to include Kicks, who will help guide the team through best practices for token economics and integrating blockchain into gaming.

“Through the GUNZ Foundation, we’re excited to help shape a new era of gaming by advising on token economics, market strategies, and seamlessly integrating blockchain technology in ways that will excite and engage players,” said Kicks.

Delphi Ventures is part of Delphi Digital, a research-driven digital assets firm known for its work with leading crypto companies such as Coinbase, Aave, and Lido. Delphi Ventures has also invested in successful crypto games like Axie Infinity, Pixelverse, and Nyan Heroes.

As the largest validator on the GUNZ testnet, Delphi Ventures believes the timing is ideal for a blockchain game to capture mainstream attention. Kicks notes, “The next 12-18 months are crucial for the crypto gaming sector, with favorable market conditions, a crypto-friendly U.S. policy environment, and many games entering the later stages of their development.”

While the exact timeline remains unconfirmed, Gunzilla Games is targeting Q1 2025 for the official launch of the GUN token and GUNZ mainnet.

"Off the Grid represents one of the biggest steps yet in bridging the gap between traditional gaming and the world of crypto," said a Gunzilla representative.