Bonk Arena, the first licensed video game from the Solana meme coin BONK, officially launched on Monday. Built by Bravo Ready, this game introduces a new kind of play that combines crypto with gameplay, requiring players to wager tokens for a chance to earn more.
Bonk Arena is a top-down, fast-paced arcade shooter that players can access through web browsers or the Phantom wallet mobile app. It will also be playable on the handheld PSG1 device when it releases. The game is designed with a "pay-to-spawn, win-to-earn" structure. Players must pay 10,000 BONK (about $0.17 as of writing) to join a match. Once in, they earn BONK tokens for every player they eliminate. A service fee between 0% and 10% is applied to each transaction.
This pay-to-play format is not new for Bravo Ready, which previously used it in their PC shooter BR1: Infinite. That game featured similar risk-based modes, ranging from $0.10 to $1 per life. For Bonk Arena, the team has adopted the same system under a licensing agreement with a separate firm called Ready, which owns the Real Money Gaming model. Under this deal, half of the game's revenue will go toward buying back READY tokens.
The Bonk team has set aside $10,000 worth of BONK tokens for extra player rewards. These include bonus tokens for kills during the launch period and a prize pool for user-generated content. Players must use a Phantom wallet to access the game, making Bonk Arena exclusive to that platform. This setup allows for immediate gameplay within the Phantom mobile app.
"All player spawns [and] kills are recorded on-chain, [so] this game will generate substantial on-chain Bonk volume," said Evan Ryer, co-founder and CEO of Bravo Ready, in an interview with Decrypt.
Half of the revenue generated by the game will be used in three ways: burning BONK tokens to reduce supply, giving rewards back to players, and donating to Bonk for Paws, a charity supported by the BONK community. The rest will fund buybacks for the READY token.
The BONK core team has shown consistent support for builders on the Solana network, having released tools like BONKbot, BONK Swap, and the token launchpad Bonk.fun. With Bonk Arena, the team enters the gaming space more directly.
"Bonk has had previous success being an asset, skin, or currency for games, but we haven't yet had a partner ready to fully brand a mobile experience like the folks at Bravo Ready," said Nom, a pseudonymous core contributor at BONK. "We're excited to see the community reception to it and look for areas to expand the Bonk presence."
Bonk Arena is just the start. Bravo Ready plans to add new features such as unlockable characters, level-based in-game rewards, and loot crates to keep gameplay fresh and engaging.
Bonk began as a dog-themed meme coin created during the fallout of the FTX collapse. It was airdropped to Solana developers and early community members in an effort to boost morale and unity during a downturn. Since then, BONK has grown to symbolize a kind of grassroots revival for the Solana ecosystem. The token itself has seen various price rallies, rewarding some early holders with large returns.
While Bonk Arena is the first full gaming title under the BONK brand, it fits into a larger plan of integrating the coin into more parts of the Solana ecosystem. Whether this game becomes a lasting part of web3 gaming remains to be seen, but for now, it serves as a clear example of how meme coins are trying to expand beyond mere speculation.
"This is about giving additional utility to a meme token through highly engaging, competitive gameplay," said Ryer.
Bonk Arena is now live and playable. Be sure to check out the official post for more details.
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