Binance Labs Invests in GOMBLE, a South Korean Developer of Blockchain-Based Casual Games

Main Takeaways

• Binance Labs has committed investment in a seed funding round of GOMBLE, a blockchain-based game developer that is an affiliate of South Korean casual mobile game publisher 111Percent.

• GOMBLE aims to enable casual gamers globally to experience blockchain games with sustainable reward mechanisms. Another focus is on advancing NFT interoperability through the development of mobile-based blockchain.

• Led by Jihoon Byun, former COO of 111Percent, GOMBLE’s core team brings deep expertise in game development and publishing as well as extensive experience of successful work in both Web2 and Web3 at companies like Google, Kakao Brain, SK Telecom, and crypto exchange platforms.

Binance Labs, the venture capital arm and accelerator of Binance, committed an investment in the seed funding round of GOMBLE, a blockchain-based casual game developer. GOMBLE will use the funds to develop and release its first mobile game, RumbyStars, and continue to expand its gaming platform using a game-as-a-service (GaaS) model.

Bringing Casual Gaming to Web3

In the Web2 realm, casual games – those featuring accessible and enjoyable gameplay that is easy to pick up for players of various skill levels – have recently seen an increase in demand. The casual games sector is projected to reach a $24.97 billion market volume by 2027, which suggests that Web3 casual games also have significant growth potential.

GOMBLE seeks to bring its Web2 gaming approach to Web3 with a key focus on balanced tokenomics and sustainable governance. Users will earn the governance token, $CRT, through a tournament prize system. $CRT can be spent on NFT purchases, tournament passes, and in-game items.

Yi He, Head of Binance Labs, commented: “Blockchain gaming needs to move away from the concept of ‘earning’ to what truly captures the hearts of billions of gamers: entertaining gameplay. GOMBLE’s experienced team and focus on building engaging, social, and sustainable blockchain games with flexible governance offers a pathway for delivering the value of Web3 to existing casual gamers, thus welcoming new users to the BNB Chain ecosystem.”

Focus On Maximizing Entertainment

GOMBLE will release its first game, RumbyStars, as a mobile soft launch in Southeast Asian markets in Q2 2023. It then plans to expand to North America, South America, East Asia, and Europe. Additionally, GOMBLE will work to further build out RumbyWorld, its social infrastructure and GaaS platform that allows existing NFT and GameFi projects to join RumbyStars and create customized NFTs and games. 

Jihoon Byun, CEO of GOMBLE, said: “Unlike existing blockchain games that focus on core games, GOMBLE aims to target the global market with easy and fun casual games that even non-gamers can enjoy. Starting with RumbyStars, GOMBLE is focused on building to provide users around the world with a pleasant experience and a greater diversity of games in the future.”

About GOMBLE Inc.

GOMBLE is developing blockchain-based casual games that maximize the essential entertainment of the game, rather than just games for monetary gain. This way, users can have more fun and become more engaged in the gaming process. GOMBLE is an affiliate company of 111Percent, one of the most successful casual game companies in the world. Its titles include RandomDice: Defense, BBtan series, and more. For more information, visit RumbyStars, follow them on Twitter, or join their Discord.

About Binance Labs

Binance Labs is the Venture Capital and Accelerator arm of Binance. Since 2018, Binance Labs has invested in more than 200 projects across 6 continents with $9 billion in total assets, and a 1260% rate of return on investment. It has also incubated more than 50 projects that are native to Web3 through the Binance Labs Incubation Program, including Polygon, Perpetual Protocol, and Dune Analytics. For more information, follow Binance Labs on Twitter.