How Did NPC Labs Secure $21M for B3.fun Development?

The Web3 gaming sector, a hotbed for developers and capital, is brimming with potential. One standout is B3.fun, a gaming ecosystem built on Base. This project, driven by NPC Labs, recently completed a $21 million Pre-Seed and Seed round of funding.

NPC Labs’ Strong Team Background

NPC Labs, the core contributor to B3.fun, aims to create a seamless, open gaming ecosystem on Base, similar to a Layer 3 network. Their goal is to transform ownership and incentive models for gamers and developers.

In July, NPC Labs announced an $18 million seed funding round with participation from Makers Fund, Hashed, Collab+Currency, Mirana Ventures, Sfermion, Bitscale Capital, and Mantle EcoFund.

Combined with their Pre-Seed round, NPC Labs’ total funding reaches $21 million. Angel investors include figures from Coinbase, Base, Optimism, Bybit, NFT card game Parallel, Yield Guild Games, Proof of Play, and Delphi Venture.

The three co-founders of NPC Labs all have backgrounds at Coinbase and Base:

1. Daryl Xu: Former core contributor to Base and business development manager at Coinbase, now CEO of NPC Labs.
2. Viktoriya Hying: Former business development manager at Coinbase Base, now COO of NPC Labs.
3. Sean Geng: Former engineering manager at Coinbase, now CTO of NPC Labs.

B3.fun: A Layer 3 Ecosystem on Base

NPC Labs’ CEO, Daryl Xu, describes B3.fun as a Layer 3 ecosystem built on Base, supporting high-frequency transactions with near-zero gas fees. B3.fun utilizes ChainSafe’s chain abstraction technology, offering a seamless gaming experience without the need for cross-chain or network switching.

B3.fun aims to be a one-stop shop for game developers, providing infrastructure, marketing, and distribution support to allow developers to focus on creating engaging games. The mainnet is set to launch soon.

Currently, B3.fun supports games developed on Ethereum, Base, and other EVM-compatible chains, with plans to integrate more blockchains in the future. Over 350 partnerships have been established with non-custodial wallet providers, data visualization platforms, and oracle services to provide game developers with efficient solutions.

Games on B3.fun’s Testnet

Some games available on B3.fun’s testnet include:

1. Dino Runner: A 3D endless running game where players earn DINO by avoiding obstacles.
2. PEWPEW TAP: A game where players fire lasers to generate unique hashes and earn PEWPEW tokens.
3. Neighborhood Defense: A tower defense game where players defend against zombies and earn ZOMB tokens.
4. Key Quest: A game where players collect keys and stars to earn STARS tokens.
5. Pixel Zombie Crush: A game where players crush zombies to earn ZOMB tokens.
6. Fruit Merge: A matching puzzle game where players earn JUICE by merging fruits.
7. Don’t Crash: A driving game where players earn CRASH tokens the longer they drive.

These games are available on web and mobile platforms, with additional Mac desktop and Telegram games also in development.

Interaction Strategy

1. Claim B3 testnet tokens: Connect your wallet and click the white dot on B3 Faucet.
2. Claim Base Sepolia testnet tokens from QuickNode, Alchemy, or Optimism.
3. Cross-chain transactions: Use B3 Bridge.
4. Create an Avatar NFT: Automatically generate in 3D or pixel art styles, or upload manually.
5. Play games after minting in the testnet.

Conclusion

NPC Labs, founded in April, has swiftly completed funding and launched their testnet within three months, showcasing multiple games. While there is room for improvement in the gaming experience, the team’s execution and efficiency are evident. As NPC Labs continues to progress in the Web3 gaming sector, its future development and leadership remain to be seen.