2026 Tendencies: Pixels' Luke Barwikowski says the one technique to save crypto gaming is to not construct for crypto players

It’s probably the most great time of the 12 months, the time to look again and take into account what we discovered throughout 2025 and how you can profit from that data in 2026. 

On this article we meet up with Pixels CEO Luke Barwikowski.

What was probably the most important development for blockchain video games in 2025?

Luke Barwikowski: There’s been a extremely low sentiment for web3 gaming this 12 months, however there are groups making wonderful issues proper now. The most important development we’ve seen has been a major shift from chasing self-importance metrics to really constructing sustainable companies. For years, everybody has been obsessive about DAU and token value, however DAU doesn’t imply something if these customers aren’t producing worth or sticking round. Or creating income?

The metric that issues from 2025 is RORS (return on reward spend). There are groups centered on whether or not they're bringing in additional worth than they're giving out, and people are the groups which have survived.

How did Pixels adapt to those adjustments?

In 2024, we had sturdy traction but it surely wasn’t sustainable. We have been giving out far more rewards than we introduced in. So, we introduced in skilled folks from web2, tried monetization greatest practices and liveops occasions. By early 2025, we realized that method wasn’t working both. The spend spikes have been excessive however not balanced with rewards.

From there, we utterly modified route and stopped chasing short-term monetization. As an alternative, we began constructing options gamers really need. We shifted to sustainable earnings fashions, a give attention to knowledge to know the place we are able to enhance, higher content material and gameplay, Service provider Ships, Chapter 3, and focused reward gives. The suggestions has been extremely optimistic.

The sentiment in our core group is the very best I’ve seen in 6-12 months as a result of folks see we’re really fixing the basics. They see the optimistic uptrend in gameplay, the place issues are going, the route of Pixels.

How do you suppose it will change in 2026?

Wanting ahead to 2026, our thesis has barely modified. To develop crypto gaming, we have to attain conventional gaming audiences. We’re engaged on constructing out the Pixels ecosystem with new apps in growth, and we’re testing how you can market Pixels ideas to that viewers, study what resonates, make it digestible, and generate income. 

For us, that entails working experiments like we began with our just lately launched mobile-native pets sport Chubkins and different focused assessments. One other new app known as Stacked that we’re constructing, separate from Chubkins, will function a rewards hub throughout our video games and we’ll have far more on that to share within the new 12 months.

What was your favorite blockchain sport throughout 2025?

Pixels all the time! 

What’s your New Yr’s decision and what decision would you implement on the trade?

Private: I need to sail throughout the Pacific. 

Business: The one technique to save crypto gaming is to not construct for crypto players. I need the trade to begin constructing for non-crypto gamers. I’m such a giant believer in P2E and actually, there are a ton of web2 platforms constructing P2E mechanics which are working proper now. 

Crypto may be the backend of that, however regular customers don’t must interface with the crypto elements day-to-day. They only must earn, spend, and personal their property seamlessly.

Learn all our Finish of Yr options by way of the EOY 2025 tag.

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