Yield Guild Games (YGG) is currently at the heart of the ever-changing Web3 gaming industry, demanding increasingly adaptive strategies in the midst of diverse market signals. After being known as a scholarship-based guild and game asset management, YGG is now slowly shifting its position towards a broader role as a publisher and developer of the gaming ecosystem, a step that reflects efforts to survive while also expanding amidst the volatility of this sector.
This directional change was clearly seen in October 2025, when YGG, through YGG Play, formed a Launchpad partnership with Proof of Play Arcade, the studio behind the game Pirate Nation. This collaboration aims to provide a more player-friendly game launch platform, complete with token incentives and game discovery features. Through this initiative, YGG is no longer solely relying on older models such as scholarships or NFT rentals, but rather leveraging its community strength to attract new players to various game titles, including GIGACHADBAT and LOL Land. While this move opens up revenue diversification opportunities, the biggest challenge remains the ability to retain players after the initial phase of enthusiasm, a classic issue that continues to haunt many Web3 game projects.
YGG's positive momentum was reflected in the price movement of its token after successfully listing on Upbit, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea, in mid-October 2025. This listing triggered a price surge of around 50 percent, driven by increased spot demand and heightened on-chain activity. The negative funding rate conditions also indicate potential pressure against bearish positions, opening up opportunities for a short squeeze. However, this rally still needs to be interpreted cautiously, given that YGG's price is still far below its peak in 2021, reflecting the significant challenges that remain to restore long-term investor confidence.
Beyond price movements, YGG's main strength lies in its community. The third-quarter 2025 performance report highlights various new partnerships, including with Gigaverse and Pudgy Penguins, as well as significant progress in Launchpad development. The Guild Enhancement Program even recorded participation from over 76 thousand users in various quests, showing that community engagement remains relatively strong. Nevertheless, the overall industry context remains challenging. Throughout 2025, dozens of Web3 game studios reportedly halted operations, reaffirming that community growth alone may not be enough to ensure sustainability without a solid business model.
YGG's efforts to balance market pressures are also reflected in its token buyback policy using profits from gaming activities. In August 2025, YGG conducted a buyback worth around 135 ETH to reduce the circulating supply of tokens, a move intended to support the long-term value of the token amidst tightening altcoin liquidity. However, not all news comes in a positive tone. By the end of October 2025, YGG was among dozens of tokens removed from ProBit Global as part of the exchange's efforts to enhance user quality and protection, a reminder that YGG's liquidity exposure remains vulnerable to third-party decisions.
Overall, Yield Guild Games is trying to navigate a crucial transition phase. The focus on game publishing and the casual segment through Launchpad is a primary bet to revive momentum amidst macroeconomic pressures and a weakening interest in GameFi. With the token performance still under pressure since the beginning of the year, the big question is whether this new strategy can create sustainable growth, or will it be hindered by thin altcoin liquidity and tight competition in the Web3 gaming industry. In this context, YGG's ability to retain users in games like LOL Land, as well as its response to regulatory developments in the Asian region, will be important indicators to assess the long-term direction of this project.
