Uprising Labs has scrapped its plans to build a gaming layer 2 blockchain and will instead focus on publishing web3 games for PC and console. The studio originally intended to launch Uprising L2 on the Japanese gaming protocol Oasys, with native yield rewards across Solana, Ethereum, and Oasys. That project is now dead.
Uprising Labs Logo and Key Art
Pivot to quality over infrastructure
The shift abandons Uprising's yield-generating blockchain ecosystem in favor of actual game development. The company now argues that web3 doesn't need more blockchain networks—it needs better games. "We believe that web3 doesn't need more blockchains right now – it needs more great games," the studio said.
This puts Uprising Labs in line with other web3 gaming studios trying to break into traditional platforms where players expect polish and depth. Targeting PC and console means chasing mid-core and hardcore audiences who won't tolerate clunky blockchain mechanics or half-finished gameplay. The timing follows Gunzilla Games' Off The Grid launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox earlier this month, part of a broader push by web3 developers to prove they can compete on established platforms.
Uprising Gaming Blockchain
Genesis NFTs and Maelstrom's web3 retrofit
Uprising Labs made its initial splash with a genesis NFT collection of 1,111 mints, marketed with promises of long-term utility and exclusive rewards. What that utility looks like now that the L2 is canceled remains unclear. The studio hasn't detailed how these NFTs fit into its new publishing strategy.
The company is also retrofitting Maelstrom, a tactical naval warfare game that's been on Steam since 2019, with web3 features. No specifics yet on what those features are or how they'll integrate without disrupting the existing player base. If done right, it could serve as a test case for adding blockchain elements to a traditional game without alienating the core audience.
Uprising Labs Team
Quality first, blockchain second
Uprising Labs is betting that web3 gaming's future depends on making good games first and worrying about the blockchain layer second. By targeting PC and console, the studio is committing to platforms where players have zero tolerance for undercooked releases. Whether the genesis NFT holders see meaningful utility and whether Maelstrom's web3 integration lands will determine if this pivot was the right call or just another abandoned roadmap.
