Pixelmon NFT Project Abandons Game Development Amid Weak Publisher Test Results
Pixelmon, a high-profile NFT project that once raised $70 million through its Dutch auction mint, has halted game development after a three-week test run by external publishers failed to produce strong enough results. The project's leadership decided to stop all game development due to the weak publisher test results.
The move marks the end of more than two years of repeated testing cycles and comes with layoffs across the studio's gaming team. A smaller group of senior and multidisciplinary staff will stay on to explore non-gaming business models, including the use of AI tools.
Pixelmon's decision to pivot away from gaming follows a series of setbacks, including a backlash over its initial NFT reveal in February 2022. The project had previously raised $8 million in venture funding in February 2024 to continue building its portfolio of games, but none of them were finished or commercially viable.
The remaining team will explore alternative business models and share more information about their direction at a town hall meeting this Thursday.