"No Path Forward" for SBF's Beloved FTX-Owned Storybook Brawl
TL;DR FTX's acquisition of Storybook Brawl in 2022 has backfired and the game is closing its servers by May 1. The game was once cherished by FTX's ex-CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, but his legal issues with the exchange have caused the game to suffer. FTX has since recovered $7.3 billion and TSM has found a new Web3 partner after suspending its $210 million deal.
FTX-owned web3 card battling game Storybook Brawl is closing down its servers.
FTX ex-CEO and Co-founder noted the game as the frontier for web3 gaming and was an avid fan.
The game developers pointed to problems with FTX.
FTX continues to wreak havoc in the crypto industry, growing its list of victims. The exchange’s chaotic spree has yet to slow down despite causing trouble for numerous A-list celebrities and crypto firms.
This time, FTX has taken another victim – Storybook Brawl, a Web3 Hearthstone counterpart once cherished by its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried.
GG WP
On Wednesday, April 26, Storybook Brawl creators Good Luck Games shared that it’s shutting down its competitive card game by May 1 after struggling to find a “path forward” due to its parent company FTX shutting down.
The game studio could likely be on the edge of being liquidated following FTX’s bankruptcy proceedings, forcing the developers to close their servers and stop supporting the game.
Players have until May 1 to play the game, after which it will cease. The developers bid their farewell on Twitter and have yet to reveal where they’ll go.
FTX’s former CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, who now faces 13 criminal charges, has cited the game as the “next big thing” for crypto gaming. However, in light of the developers’ announcement, the game’s story is coming to an end.
A Short-lived Brawl
FTX acquired Storybook Brawl under its Gaming banner in 2022. The exchange’s CEO and Co-founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, was an avid fan of the game, sharing it would help him “unwind a bit” and clear his mind.
Despite being a small indie game, the card-battling game projected impressive numbers. According to StreamCharts data, Storybook Brawl’s all-time concurrent players peaked at 2,770 on Stream in September 2021 – six months before FTX acquired it.
However, the game’s player count slowly dwindled after the exchange acquired it, dropping by almost 60% from 820 players to roughly 330 on average. Many players expressed their frustration with the game towards “forcing” NFT integration on social media and in reviews.
With lesser players playing the game, the FTX fiasco hit the game hard, forcing it to cancel its World Championship event after the exchange filed for bankruptcy.
The game has since struggled to take off without FTX in the equation.
On the Flipside
FTX has recovered nearly $7.3 billion and plans to relaunch its business in 2024.
Sam Bankman-Fried has been charged with conspiring to make over 300 illegal political donations.
Leading esports company TSM has found a new Web3 partner after suspending its $210 million FTX deal.
Why You Should Care
Many capable and exciting projects are fading out because of the disgraced exchange. Storybook Brawl could serve as a lesson for upcoming indie-game developers who are easily swayed by shady get-rich-quick schemes and exchanges.
Who is SBF?:
Sam Bankman-Fried: Crypto’s Fallen Hero?
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