Skale Labs and DFZ Labs, the team behind the Deadfellaz NFT collection, are teaming up to launch Death Touch, a trading card game built on Skale's gas-free Ethereum scaling blockchain. The mobile-first TCG is set to arrive in Q1 2025, targeting both web3 collectors and mainstream players who've never touched a blockchain game.
Skale Labs Cover Banner on X (Twitter)
The Deadfellaz Universe
Deadfellaz launched on Ethereum in August 2021 and built a 6,000-strong collector community called the "Horde." Co-founders Psych and Betty attracted celebrity collectors including Reese Witherspoon, Steve Aoki, Bill Murray, and Alexis Ohanian. The project has carved out a reputation for storytelling and gamification that goes beyond static profile pictures.
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Broadening Reach through Mobile
Death Touch will launch as a mobile-first game, a deliberate choice to reach players who don't already own NFTs or care about blockchain infrastructure. Skale's gas-free structure removes the friction of transaction fees, making the game compatible with free-to-play expectations. Details on gameplay mechanics and card systems haven't been shared yet, but the mobile focus signals an attempt to compete with traditional TCGs rather than staying confined to web3 circles.
Deadfellaz NFTs
Skale's Expanding Gaming Ecosystem
Skale Labs currently has over 150 games in development on its blockchain. The platform recently partnered with Atari founder Nolan Bushnell's Moxy platform, adding to a portfolio that now includes Death Touch. Skale's chief marketing and growth officer, Andrew Saunders, owns Deadfellaz NFTs himself and called the partnership both a professional move and a personal win: "I couldn't be more excited to bring an iconic web3 IP into the SKALE ecosystem. Deadfellaz was also my first PFP NFT, so as a community member of three years, it's exciting to see founders I have personally believed in from the start, continue to build in the right direction."
Deadfellaz and Skale Labs Partner to Launch Web3 Game
Targeting Web2 and Web3 Gamers
Death Touch is designed to work for blockchain-native gamers and players who've never heard of a wallet. The gas-free model removes a barrier that's killed adoption for countless web3 games, where asking players to pay transaction fees for basic actions feels absurd compared to traditional free-to-play titles. Psych framed the partnership as essential to reaching that wider audience: "Deadfellaz has always been pushing at the forefront of interactive storytelling & gamification. This endeavor has been further bolstered by our partnership with SKALE, as their gas-free structure will enable us to grow this F2P title in a way that makes sense for our web3 gamers, competitive gamers & the average casual gamer."
Deadfellaz Logo
Final Thoughts
Death Touch arrives in Q1 2025 with a clear mandate: prove that a web3 TCG can compete with traditional mobile card games without forcing players to care about the blockchain underneath. Deadfellaz brings an established community and recognizable IP. Skale provides infrastructure that doesn't charge players for every action. Whether the game itself holds up remains to be seen, but the partnership at least removes the technical excuses that have tanked so many blockchain games before launch.
