Proof of Play Shuts Down, Open-Sourcing Assets Amid Blockchain Gaming Downturn

Proof of Play, the studio behind the on-chain pirate game Pirate Nation, has ceased operations after years of development. The studio confirmed its shutdown on X, stating it couldn't build a sustainable business at scale around its founding thesis that blockchain gaming could help usher in a decentralized internet.

The confirmation follows the earlier exit of co-founder and CEO Amitt Mahajan. Proof of Play is open-sourcing its code and art for future builders, including the Pirate Nation Unity app, Pirate Nation smart contracts, and its internal agent workflow tool, popbot.

The Pirate Nation Foundation will continue supporting the $PIRATE token, and the Foundation's website will remain online. However, Proof of Play points will not be redeemable for anything going forward. Shiba Story Go!, another title from the studio, has been acquired by a third party and will keep operating independently.