Deep Dive
1. VWA Game Launch (14 October 2025)
Overview:
Catizen launched its Virtual World Asset (VWA) game, enabling players to own, trade, and govern in-game items as NFTs on its TON-based Layer 2 chain. The model addresses GameFi’s high failure rates (93% project shutdowns in 2024) by shifting from speculative airdrops to verifiable asset ownership. Items are minted as ERC-721/1155 NFTs, with payments via USDT, TON, or $CATI at near-zero fees.
What this means:
This is bullish for CATI as it tackles industry pain points (transparency, sustainability) and could attract developers seeking scalable Web3 integration. However, adoption depends on user willingness to transition from “play-to-earn” to “own-to-earn” dynamics.
(The Block)
2. Airdrop Pass Pause (20 August 2025)
Overview:
Catizen paused its Airdrop Pass program after Season 3 due to irregularities in point accumulation. While 10M $CATI will still be distributed quarterly, future rewards will prioritize engagement in core games like Cattea and Capybobo.
What this means:
Neutral-to-bearish short-term, as the pause may reduce speculative inflows, but long-term bullish if it stabilizes token distribution and aligns incentives with genuine users.
(Catizen)
3. Mid-Year Growth (14 August 2025)
Overview:
Catizen’s ecosystem expanded to 30 games, including Web3 titles Cattea and Capybobo, with 63.4M users. Animoca Brands’ investment accelerated infrastructure development, including a TON L2 blockchain for mini-games and a Web3 API for seamless Web2 integration.
What this means:
Bullish for ecosystem scalability, as partnerships and infrastructure could drive cross-game utility for $CATI. The L2’s success hinges on attracting third-party developers.
(Catizen)
Conclusion
Catizen is doubling down on ownership, fairness, and ecosystem depth to stand out in a struggling GameFi market. While its VWA model and TON L2 offer structural advantages, sustaining user growth post-airdrop adjustments remains critical. Will player-owned economies outweigh speculative fatigue?