Built by two of Asia’s largest messaging apps, Kakao and Line, the Kaia blockchain currently exceeds 400 apps, spanning gaming, NFTs, and DeFi. Resulting from the merger of Klaytn and Finschia in 2024, Kaia is currently powering what is set to be a key growth driver in web3 gaming with its Mini Dapps within Line Messenger.
Around the same time Kaia was approved and took off, South Korean web3 game developer Delabs Games had started reworking its business strategy. In late 2024, the developer announced a pivot towards mid-core games released via mass-scale messaging apps such as Telegram and Line Messenger.
Tapping into the trend of messenger-based gaming, particularly its rapid growth in Asia, Delabs Games CEO Joonmo Kwon explained the reason behind the pivot.
“Over the past few months, web3 gaming has faced challenges. Players, developers, and investors have shifted focus. The hype cycle moves fast, and many projects have struggled to deliver sustainable, engaging experiences. Delabs Games haven’t wavered. Gaming remains the strongest and most accessible catalyst for onboarding users to web3,” he says.
“Our shift to messaging platforms has been both strategic and impactful. Line’s potential for onboarding users in gaming-heavy regions such as Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand is immense, functioning as a super app in these markets.”
Convenience is a strong factor behind Delabs Games’ new direction too. Users can play games without downloading separate apps, which aligns well with the region’s mobile-first culture.
Kwon believes the social nature of these platforms also contributes to how quickly users have adapted to web3-integrated games.
“By leveraging familiar platforms with built-in social connectivity, we’re making web3 gaming more seamless and accessible to mainstream users,” he argues.
One example showcasing this is Delabs’ Boxing Star X, which launched on Telegram and Line Messenger in February 2025.
Powered by Kaia, the game has since experienced steady growth and engagement. It recently ranked second among games on Kaia, and hit a total of 46,000 UAWs within 24 hours, per Dappradar.
Starting out with the launch of PC-based lawn mower racer Rumble Racing Star in 2023, Delabs Games, which is the web3 arm of game company 4:33, has learnt some valuable lessons along the way. While previously highlighting web3-enabled features as core to their games, it now believes integrating them into traditional platforms is a better recipe for adoption.
“We’ve found that players are more open to exploring blockchain-enabled features when they’re introduced seamlessly within the platforms they already use daily,” said Kwon.
“Instead of positioning web3 as the core experience, integrating it naturally into familiar ecosystems has been a game-changer for adoption.”
Find out more at the Delabs’ website.