Instead of continuing its series of playtests, web3 game developer Pixcape Games has decided to switch to a seasonal format for their blockchain title Hive Invasion, with Season 1 now live from November 27 to December 4 with a total prize pool of $3000 up for grabs for the most skillful players in leaderboard-based play to earn gameplay.

What Is Hive Invasion?

Hive Invasion is a browser-based roguelite developed by Pixcape Games. It takes place in a world where artificial intelligence and biological matter have merged into a single expanding swarm known as the Hive. Players control Echo-9 operatives, who are cybernetic soldiers sent into the Hive to stop its growth. Each mission is presented as a run in which players move through hostile zones, eliminate enemies, collect resources, and upgrade their units.

The game uses top-down shooter mechanics with a heavy focus on survival and incremental progression. As players defeat enemies, they receive stat upgrades, weapons, and skills that help them survive deeper into each map, making it similar to addictive games such as Vampire Survivors. Difficulty rises as waves continue, forcing players to adapt their builds and choose their upgrades carefully.

Hive Invasion has gone through several public test sessions that have introduced systems such as the Level Up System, customizable loadouts, and the Lobby System that now acts as the main hub for players before entering a mission. The game also integrates on-chain progression through the Somnia Network, allowing players to track milestones and complete quests. While still in development, each season and playtest introduces new mechanics and systems for players to try before launch while also being incentivized to compete for various prizes in the process.

Season 1 marks the beginning of a new cycle and serves as the next step forward after the Break the Hive playtest took place earlier this November.

What’s New in Hive Invasion Season 1?

Season 1 runs from November 27 to December 4, introducing new systems, a new structure for mission progression, Somnia quests, and a leaderboard competition with rewards for the top players. The season also refines the features introduced in recent playtests and continues the move toward a more structured event-based format.

A new map system has been introduced to divide each run into 3 stages. Stage 1 focuses on standard exploration and early combat, while Stage 2 introduces higher difficulty with more aggressive enemy behavior. Stage 3 features a boss encounter, and if the boss is defeated, the Endless Wave begins. This mode creates a continuous cycle of enemies with rising difficulty. Survival time and total kills in this mode can help players climb the leaderboard.

An infinite 3rd map has also been added. This map expands endlessly, allowing players to continue progressing after the initial stages. This creates longer sessions and supports higher kill counts.

The Level Up System has also been expanded. Players now progress through 10 levels. Each level provides stat increases to attributes such as health, armor, movement speed, fuel capacity, and weapon damage. Several levels also provide additional skill slots, and the system overall rewards consistent progression and affects survival during later stages.

The Lobby System has been fully implemented. Before each mission, players can visit stations that help them manage their loadout, mint earned chests, check achievements, and monitor leaderboard standings. The lobby now includes Level Bonuses, Claim, Components, Arsenal, Codex, Leaderboard, and the Play Portal.

On-chain integration through the Somnia Network now consists of new quests for Season 1. These quests are recorded on-chain and help test the wider progression loop of the game.

Chests also return this season. Each chest contains random skills that can provide additional bonuses for future missions. Chests can be minted for 2 $SOMI tokens, with a limit of 3 chests per user.

What Are the Rewards for Hive Invasion Season 1?

Season 1 features a prize pool of $3000, with rewards given to the top 30 players on the Kill Leaderboard by the end of the event.

The full reward structure is as follows:

  • 1st - $500 + Genesis Pass
  • 2nd - $300 + Genesis Pass
  • 3rd - $200 + Genesis Pass
  • 4th - $150 + Genesis Pass
  • 5th - $150
  • 6-10 - $100 each (total $500)
  • 11-20 - $50 each (total $500)
  • 21-30 - $30 each (total $300)

Genesis Passes are limited access NFT items used within the Pixcape ecosystem. Season 1 provides 3 of them for the top 3 positions. These passes were previously available during earlier playtests and provide various utility benefits within the studio’s ecosystem.

Alongside leaderboard rewards, players can also progress through new Somnia quests. Quests for Season 1 include reaching Level 5, Level 7, and Level 10, as well as unlocking the 2nd and 3rd maps. These quests contribute to on-chain progression but do not provide separate monetary prizes.

The reward structure focuses on skill-based outcomes. Kills earned in the Endless Wave mode contribute significantly to final ranking positions, so if you think you have what it takes to top the leaderboard, then here’s how you can hop in for this 7-day season.

How to Play and Earn in Hive Invasion Season 1

Anyone can participate in Season 1 by visiting the official Hive Invasion page to start your play and earn journey for free on PC through your web browser. No access code is required for this season. Once players enter, they begin in the lobby where they can set up their Echo-9 unit.

To earn rewards, players must aim to place in the top 30 on the Kill Leaderboard by the end of the event. Kills are recorded per run. Longer survival time and efficient enemy clearing increase kill totals.

To maximize performance, players can upgrade weapons on the first 2 maps before entering the 3rd map. Once inside the 3rd map, defeating the boss unlocks the Endless Wave. Endless Wave is where most leaderboard progress is made since enemies appear continuously and at increasing speed.

Completing Somnia quests also supports long-term progression. Unlocking the 2nd and 3rd maps expands available zones for farming kills during future sessions. Reaching higher levels provides additional stat bonuses that assist with survivability.

Players can also mint up to 3 chests with $SOMI tokens. These chests provide random skills that may improve combat output or defensive abilities. Every advantage can support higher kill counts and longer runs.

At the end of the season, the top 30 players should receive their rewards based on their final ranking. There is no PvP gameplay here, but purely solo PvE runs in which your performance dictates your leaderboard position. If you like the sound of that kind of skill-based gameplay that you can enjoy for free, then Hive Invasion is likely the type of browser-based web3 game you’ll want to check out and compete in while Season is still running until December 4.