Game Machine Labs Receives Grant to Build The Emerald City and Gang Wars
We’re excited to announce that Game Machine Labs has received additional funding from the ICON Foundation DAO to expand the GangstaVerse ecosystem with two ambitious projects: The Emerald City and Gang Wars.
Beyond Static Collectibles
Since launching our digital collectible NFTs, we’ve witnessed how blockchain technology can transform digital ownership. But we’ve always believed NFTs could be more than just collectibles. They could be the foundation of entire virtual economies and interactive experiences. With The Emerald City and Gang Wars, we’re bringing that vision to life.
The Emerald City: A Community Owned Metaverse
The Emerald City represents our vision for what a blockchain powered virtual world can be. Rather than a corporate controlled metaverse, we’re building a community owned city where every piece of land, every character, and every economic decision flows from the community itself.
We’re creating a living ecosystem where Gangsters and Detectives protect territories, Civilians perform tasks across different city zones, and the entire economy runs on player driven decisions. The integration of DeFi mechanics like staking and yield generation means strategic gameplay directly translates to economic rewards, blurring the lines between gaming and finance in ways that only blockchain enables.
The city will feature 11,111 land blocks divided into regions like Commercial Areas, Government Districts, Residential Zones, and Airports. Each area plays a unique role in how rewards are earned and distributed. High level characters can protect more territory, while rare characters can hold land longer, creating a dynamic power structure entirely controlled by the community.
Gang Wars: Strategic Gaming Meets Blockchain
Gang Wars takes a different approach to web3 gaming. Instead of requiring hours of active play, we’re building a strategic simulation game where your NFTs become active participants in territorial battles across the eight zones of The Emerald City. It’s designed for people who want meaningful gameplay without the time commitment of traditional games.
What makes this powerful is how it gives utility to the entire GangstaVerse ecosystem. Your collectibles aren’t sitting idle, they’re competing, earning rewards, and gaining items that enhance their value within the game. This creates a cycle where collecting, strategy, and economics all reinforce each other.
Building the Future of GameFi on ICON
These projects represent more than just expansion for the GangstaVerse ecosystem. We’re demonstrating what’s possible when you combine compelling gameplay, sophisticated tokenomics, and true community ownership. With ICON’s fast transaction speeds and low fees, we can create experiences that would be prohibitively expensive on other chains.
Community Support
The ICON community continues to show incredible support for our vision. We’ve already distributed over $100,000 worth of tokens and NFTs through community events and giveaways, and we’re committed to continuing this as we grow.
Leading ICON validators have expressed strong enthusiasm for the project:
Transcranial Solutions: “It looks great. A large proportion is also self funded which is a positive indication.”
Inanis Invictus: “The team has delivered a successful and desirable product for the ICON network. Keep up the great work and looking forward to the final result!”
Lydia Labs: “Love the dedication of the team to continue building through the bear market and servicing their community.”
The journey from digital collectibles to a full virtual economy has been incredible, and we’re grateful to the ICON Foundation DAO and community for supporting this vision. We’re not just building games, we’re building the blueprint for how blockchain communities can create lasting value together.
Stay tuned for more updates as we bring The Emerald City and Gang Wars to life.