Shortly after announcing the TOWER token buyback, Animoca Brands revealed a new partnership with AMGI Studios, the creators of the third-person web3 shooter My Pet Hooligan. Announced on August 5, the deal also includes Animoca starting to acquire KARRAT tokens on the open market. This move signals continued support for crypto gaming projects and marks another step in the company's broader web3 plan.

Animoca Brands teams up with AMGI Studios, the makers of My Pet Hooligan

Strengthening the Web3 Gaming Space

Animoca's new alliance with AMGI Studios is centered around helping to grow and support the upcoming Studio Chain. This is a new Layer 2 network built with Arbitrum Orbit and currently in its testnet phase. AMGI Studios is building Studio Chain to serve as a high-speed, low-cost network for crypto games, AI agents, and digital content. The chain uses Caldera's tech to handle core validation, seeking to provide creators and studios with tools to launch and monetize games and digital experiences more easily.

Animoca will advise AMGI on how to bring My Pet Hooligan to market, support tokenomics design, and provide liquidity for the KARRAT token. KARRAT is the main utility and governance token for both Studio Chain and the My Pet Hooligan game world. AMGI is also working with the Karrat Foundation, which supports the token's growth across the larger entertainment space.

What the Leaders Had to Say

Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, said the team is "thrilled to partner with My Pet Hooligan, an innovative third person shooter-platformer that combines engaging visuals with seamless blockchain integration." He also said that "web3 gaming remains one of the most important growth-drivers of on-chain activity and mass adoption," estimating that the total number of blockchain gaming users could reach up to 100 million.

Siu added that Animoca believes "My Pet Hooligan's blend of humor and action has the potential to attract and onboard traditional gaming audiences to web3," and wants to show that blockchain can improve gameplay "without compromising fun, fairness, or accessibility."

Luke Paglia, co-founder and COO of AMGI Studios, said, "This partnership with Animoca Brands is more than just a win for My Pet Hooligan. It's a major step forward in building the infrastructure layer for the next generation of web3 games." He also explained that AMGI's focus goes beyond the game itself, with the goal of powering a full creator economy using tools like white-label marketplaces, game systems, and Studio Chain.

What Is My Pet Hooligan?

My Pet Hooligan is a third-person shooter that mixes PvP and PvE in a colorful, chaotic world full of rebellious rabbits. Each rabbit has its own quirky personality. Players can fight each other or work together in modes like Sandbox, Free-for-All, and Team Deathmatch. The game includes platforming, skating, and wild weapons such as flamethrowers and toilet plungers.

Combat takes place in Hooliland City, where players can earn points to help their faction take control. They also fight against the evil CEO of Zuck Corp, Metazuckbot (MZB), who acts as the game's main villain.

Created by AMGI Studios, My Pet Hooligan is designed to bring fun, high-quality game design to web3. The studio mixes real-time animation, storytelling, and its own tech to create interactive worlds. Their work in AI and game animation is aimed at giving players new ways to connect with characters and stories.

Who Is AMGI Studios?

AMGI Studios is a web3 game and media studio that blends top-tier storytelling with new animation tools and blockchain tech. The team has built its own animation systems and AI tools and wants to change how games are made and how players interact with characters. My Pet Hooligan is their flagship title and acts as a showcase for the studio's creative and tech-focused goals.

With Studio Chain, AMGI is now expanding beyond just making games. The team is building a platform where other creators and studios can launch their own onchain projects with support for digital ownership and creator economies.

More About Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands is one of the biggest names in web3 gaming. Based in Hong Kong, the company works to bring blockchain tech to everyday users through games, digital property rights, and onchain ecosystems. Its work is split into three areas: running its own web3 projects, providing advisory services, and managing a portfolio of over 540 investments.

Animoca is behind projects like The Sandbox, Anichess, and Open Campus. It also supports stablecoin work with partners like Standard Chartered. The company has invested in big names like Yuga Labs, Dapper Labs, OpenSea, Magic Eden, and Polygon.

In 2023, Animoca was named one of the Fortune Crypto 40, made the Financial Times' High Growth Companies list in Asia-Pacific, and was ranked among the Top 50 Blockchain Game Companies this year.

Animoca's Buyback of TOWER Token

Earlier on the same day (August 5), Yat Siu also announced a buyback of the TOWER token, which powers the Tower Ecosystem. This includes games like Crazy Defense Heroes, Wreck League Versus, and Crazy Rush Heroes.

The news triggered a sharp jump in price. TOWER rose from $0.0006547 to $0.0014440 before settling at $0.0010523, an 87% gain for the week.

This marks a renewed focus on the TOWER ecosystem, which started in 2021 as a way to combine free to play gaming with onchain rewards. TOWER is used for in-game purchases, tournaments, governance votes, and NFT systems.

With over 2 million downloads, Crazy Defense Heroes remains a core title. Players can earn TOWER through XP, daily check-ins, and co-op battles. A loyalty program called TOWER League also rewards spending with points that can be traded for items.

The team is now working on shifting Crazy Defense Heroes to the Base network and launching a new version of Crazy Rush Heroes on Base App. TOWER is also being added to Aerodrome Finance for easier trading.

A Clear Signal of Animoca's Intent

With both the KARRAT and TOWER token buys being announced this week, it looks like Animoca is once again backing key parts of its gaming ecosystem. From new efforts like Studio Chain to ongoing projects like the Tower ecosystem, the team appears to be reinforcing its commitment to web3 game development.