👾 Hot take Friday

Are you ready for Hot Take Friday?

I’m back with some gut reactions and personal opinions on some of the latest news and trends in consumer crypto. 

Let’s dive in.

— Kate Irwin

• GameSquare acquires Click Management

  • Good for crypto/bad for crypto? Good. GameSquare is a pro-crypto marketing and analytics company, focused on live streaming, influencers and esports with a number of small businesses under its belt, including FaZe Clan.

  • My hot take: GameSquare says 75 creators are joining them because of the acquisition. This could help change crypto’s perception among gamers and young, chronically-online audiences at the grassroots level, which is honestly what crypto needs the most. A Coinbase ad isn’t going to convince gamers that crypto isn’t a scam — but their favorite YouTuber might change their mind.

• Onchain Pokémon cards are surging in popularity

  • Good for crypto/bad for crypto? This is good for crypto but even better for RWAs and Polygon specifically, especially when considering that Polymarket volume has fallen by half since its Q4 2024 peak, per Blockworks Research data. 

    • Polygon-based Courtyard saw over $12.5 million in sales in the past week and over $65 million in sales in the past month (CryptoSlam). 

  • My hot take: Interest in platforms like Courtyard exists because of the IP of the cards it offers. Courtyard is nothing without Pokémon, which is an IP Courtyard doesn’t own or control. If the broader Pokémon card bubble pops, Courtyard is vulnerable. Keep that in mind — plus the fact that there’s been some controversy around how some of these platforms represent the cards on offer — before throwing cash at this trend. 

• Pudgy Party mobile game is here

  • Good for crypto/bad for crypto? Good, but unlikely to change the stagnant winds of crypto gaming. 

  • My hot take: This is basically Fall Guys with penguins. It’s appealing to degen Pudgy fans and bored commuters. You can earn or redeem rare skins, and then try to sell them on Mythical’s marketplace. I think the game is fun to play in a basic way. I like the ability unlocks that are tied to the cute skins. Hypercasual + hyperchill, but not that exciting overall. 

The convergence of AI, crypto, and capital is turning IP into the next real-world asset class, and the race to unlock it has already begun.

Join Story and Blockworks at Origin Summit, where this new market takes shape.

Use promo code: BWNL50 for 50% off your ticket. 

Abstract developer releases gambling game called “Blue Balls.” Crypto’s middle school humor strikes again: