Pokimane Announces Departure from Twitch After a Decade

Popular streamer Pokimane has shocked the gaming community by revealing her departure from Twitch after more than ten years on the platform. The announcement, made on her Twitter account, marks what she calls "the end of an era," expressing gratitude for the memories created on Twitch.

While specifics about her next move remain undisclosed, Pokimane has previously hinted at the challenges of balancing her private life with a full-time streaming career. Her decision to step back from Twitch streams in late 2022 foreshadowed this departure. Fans anticipate her potential transition to a different streaming service, with YouTube being a likely contender, given her past criticisms of Twitch.

Pokimane's departure deals a significant blow to Twitch, already grappling with the loss of major creators in recent years. The platform faces intensified competition, with rival platform Kick securing exclusive contracts with prominent streamers. As Pokimane ventures into a new chapter, Twitch wishes her well, but the void left by her departure is undeniable. The streaming community eagerly awaits her upcoming video, promising insights into her future endeavors.

Xbox Shifts Gears: Reportedly Closes Physical Game Release Divisions

In a significant move towards an all-digital future, Microsoft is said to have shuttered its departments focused on physical game releases during recent layoffs. While this doesn't signal an exit from the physical games market, speculations arise about a deprioritization of such releases. Xbox's current strategy emphasizes digital platforms, evident in the promotion of the digital-only Xbox Series S and the Game Pass library. Industry observers suggest that the gaming industry is trending towards an all-digital landscape, as publishers explore alternatives like outsourcing physical releases. Ubisoft's recent controversy over advocating for a digital transition underscores the ongoing debate within the gaming community.

Magic Eden Unveils Multi-Chain Wallet for Seamless NFT Management

Magic Eden, a prominent NFT marketplace, has launched its highly anticipated multi-chain wallet, extending support to Solana, Bitcoin, Polygon, and Ethereum. The wallet, developed in collaboration with Exodus, prioritizes user control over crypto assets and offers features like instant cross-chain swaps, NFT portfolio management, and in-wallet NFT trading.

The Magic Eden Wallet allows easy in-app swaps, bridging, and top-ups across various chains, fostering convenience for users engaged in NFT activities. With native Ordinals and BRC-20 support, users can seamlessly interact with Ordinals and Bitcoin-based tokens within the app.

To incentivize early adoption, Magic Eden is offering exclusive in-wallet mints of NFT projects throughout February. Users will also enjoy perks such as a 1.25x Liquidium points multiplier on the Ordinal lending platform and boosted odds for a $MOON airdrop using Saturn.

Originally focused on the Solana NFT community, Magic Eden expanded its support to Polygon NFTs in 2022 and later added Bitcoin and Ethereum in 2023. Despite facing competition, Magic Eden maintains its status as the second-largest marketplace for Bitcoin Ordinals NFTs and emphasizes its commitment to creating a user-friendly ecosystem across diverse blockchain networks.

Animoca Brands Teams Up with LightLink for Web3 Gaming Innovation

Animoca Brands, a leading player in the gaming industry, has forged a strategic partnership with LightLink to revolutionize web3 gaming experiences. LightLink, an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, specializes in gasless transactions, offering instant, fee-free interactions for dApps and enterprises.

Under this collaboration, Animoca Brands plans to integrate LightLink's Ethereum Layer 2 technology into selected projects and extend advisory services for LightLink's tokenomics and market strategies. Roy Hui, LightLink's CEO, highlighted the significance of the partnership in making blockchain more accessible globally.

LightLink's technology empowers businesses to operate gas-free applications, providing users seamless access to the blockchain ecosystem without the hassle of owning tokens or paying gas fees. This alliance will enable Animoca Brands to offer its users a streamlined web3 experience across various projects and portfolio companies.

With LightLink's streamlined development process, users can enjoy features like NFT ticket issuance and gaming asset transfers without incurring gas fees, enhancing overall user experience. Already utilized by over 25 partners, LightLink is gaining traction in ventures like Translucia, a US$300 million project by MQDC and T&B Media Global.

Yat Siu, Animoca Brands' executive chairman, emphasized the potential of LightLink's gasless transactions in driving broader adoption and realizing their vision of decentralizing the digital landscape. Together, Animoca Brands and LightLink aim to create a more interconnected economy, bridging dApps with millions of users and advancing blockchain mainstream adoption.

Sega Strengthens Web3 Presence with Line Next Collaboration

Sega has deepened its commitment to the web3 gaming sector by partnering with Line Next, the web3 venture of South Korean social network Line. The collaboration involves bringing Sega's game IPs to the DOSI platform, officially launched in January 2024. Sega Singapore, a key subsidiary, joins Line Next's Finschia blockchain as a governance member and node validator to expand the Finschia ecosystem.

This move follows speculation about Sega's potential withdrawal from web3 gaming, countered by Sega's affirmation of active blockchain integration. Line Next's recent $140 million investment from Crescendo Equity Partners aims to boost DOSI's growth, aligning with Line's vision to lead web3 services globally. This collaboration highlights the industry's shift towards web3, anticipating a tr

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