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Nintendo Switch 2: Rising Fan Theories on How It Will Change the Game

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At first glance, the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t look all that different to the handheld console that it evolved from. A light recoloring, bigger screen, but what else? Anything… exciting? 

Well, eagle-eyed and conspiratorial thinkers have some ideas on what the two-minute trailer may have revealed without explicitly telling us. From an intriguing new Nintendo gimmick to possibly new Mario Kart mechanics, we’ve gathered four rising fan theories on what the Switch 2 has on offer for gamers.

Joy-con mouse

Yep, people think that each of the Joy-Cons will double as a Switch-specific mouse—which some are calling a Mouse-Con.

This rumor is the result of a new hole on the inside of both Joy-cons, which appears to house a new sensor. While we still have no official explanation, the trailer showcases the Joy-Cons running along a flat surface like you would use a computer mouse—it even has a wrist strap, making it look like the tail of a real mouse.

This has led people to speculate how or why a mouse would be useful on a Switch 2. Redditor SpyWednesday explained that it opens the door to more first-person shooters and real-time strategy games. While these aren’t typical game genres associated with Nintendo consoles, BootyHugs, another commenter, explained that he plays Civilization VI on his Switch and that a mouse would be a huge help. 

Some have already complained that the Mouse-Con will be uncomfortable for long gaming sessions, with Reddior BalintCsala already designing a potential ergonomic case for it.

That said, others believe this could be a new sensor so the Joy-Cons can be used as a pointer, like a Wii Remote.

Mystery button

There’s a button below the home button that is unlabeled, and… well, we don’t know what it does. But Redditors are calling it the “C” button.

Redditor Ampersand17 believes it could be a mini trackpad like old-school Blackberry phones or the Lenovo Legion Go S have, and this tracks (pun intended) with the previous theory that the Joy-Cons will also work as a mouse. Others have theorized that it could be a fingerprint scanner, heart rate reader, or even a TV casting button. 

In truth, no one knows and everyone is guessing—us included.

New USB-C slot

BREAKING NEWS: There’s an additional USB-C slot on the top of the Switch 2.

In a YouTube video, IGN theorized that this could mean there are USB-C accessories coming to the device. Equally, this could just be an ease-of-use thing that will allow you to charge the device from the top or bottom.

Sorry, that one is pretty boring for now… but Nintendo always has fun surprises up its sleeve, so maybe there will be something exciting here down the line.

Mario Kart evolutions

The Switch 2 teaser trailer appears to show off gameplay from a new Mario Kart game. 

Put side-by-side, the graphics appear to be a step up from the last coin entry. Mario Kart 8 originally launched more than 10 years ago for the Wii U and was later reworked and expanded for the Switch, so the bump in graphics makes a ton of sense.

But there’s more at play here, with new model designs, tracks, and kart designs convincing fans that a new game is on its way. If true, many believe the new game will have 24 players per race—up from 12—due to the footage in the Switch 2 trailer.

A deeper look at the video, thanks to OneWorldly988 on Reddit, shows one kart with triangular wheels and another with sledge-style wheels, leading to speculation that wheels may be more or less effective depending on terrain.

There is also possibly a fuel or nitro resource management mechanic coming into the game, with a tank on the side of Mario’s vehicle and some kind of item at a fuel station.

We warned you: Nintendo enthusiasts took a lot from a two-minute trailer. We’re sure there’s more Easter eggs and tidbits to find, however, so maybe it’s time to get digging some more. 

More details about the Switch 2 will be revealed on April 2 during a Nintendo Direct livestream event. The full console will be released sometime later this year.

Edited by Andrew Hayward

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This Week in Crypto Games: Ubisoft’s ‘Might & Magic’, ‘Peaky Blinders’ in Development

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The crypto gaming space is ever expanding, and with prominent games releasing, token airdrops piling up, and the constant shifting of the markets around them all, it’s a lot to take in.

Luckily, we’re all over it here at Decrypt‘s GG. And if you’re looking to keep tabs on the latest happenings around crypto video games, this weekly roundup gives you a quick overview of the biggest stories we covered over the past week, along with a smattering of other interesting tidbits from around the space.

Top stories

Ubisoft’s new crypto game: Ubisoft—the gaming giant behind Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry—is working with blockchain gaming company Immutable to develop Might & Magic: Fates, a free-to-play strategy card game for iOS and Android based on the iconic Might & Magic franchise. Players will collect and trade hundreds of cards featuring creatures and heroes from the series, using faction-specific mechanics to develop personalized strategies. It’s due out later this year.

Immutable operates the Ethereum-based gaming networks Immutable X and Immutable zkEVM, which will be merged together later this year. Ubisoft has been particularly active in the blockchain space, launching two games in late 2024 and making various investments alongside other collaborations. The Immutable alliance was initially announced in November 2023.

Peaky Blinders game: Anonymous Labs and Banijay Rights are developing a blockchain-based video game inspired by the hit TV series “Peaky Blinders,” scheduled for release in 2026. The game will feature post-World War I Birmingham settings, interactive experiences, and tokenized in-game currency.

The crime drama aired on BBC from 2013-2022, starring Cillian Murphy among others, and is available on Netflix. Anonymous Labs previously launched the “Simon’s Cat” meme coin on BNB Chain, based on the web cartoon of the same name. No details about the game’s blockchain network or economic design have been released yet.

CryptoKitties “Meowcoins”: Dapper Labs launched several “Meowcoins” on the Flow blockchain tied to its CryptoKitties: All The Zen game on Telegram. Seeking to avoid the trend of Telegram gaming tokens crashing in value after launch, Dapper’s approach creates an interconnected token ecosystem designed for sustainability.

The system includes three token types: Fancy Coins, Beancoins, and Family Coins. Players earn these through gameplay, with Family Coins representing achievement badges created by burning the other tokens. The ecosystem incorporates crypto-native concepts like prediction markets (the “Rumor Mill”) and future staking opportunities.

Players from previous seasons received airdrops last week. VP Arthur Camara told Decrypt that Dapper’s focus was on creating “a fun experience that is sustainable.”

ICYMI

  • KAI: Battle of the Three Kingdoms, an Oasys blockchain game based on licensed Sega IP, is launching on April 30.
  • The creators of the upcoming Goblintown: Really Hard Driving Game offered $10K to anyone who could beat the game during an NYC pop-up. Everyone failed.
  • GoMining’s Bitcoin mining game, Miner Wars, added new features for beginners and competitive players alike.
  • Fantasy.Top, the X influencer-based crypto game, launched a new “clout” system.
  • Axie Infinity maker Sky Mavis has invested into Fishing Frenzy studio Uncharted as the mobile fishing game gains steam on Ronin.
  • A Bored Ape-themed mask in Off the Grid sold for nearly $15K worth of GUN tokens on testnet—a sign that there may be sizable demand for rare items as the game’s mainnet integration nears.
  • The creators of the B3 gaming network on Base are handing out Game Boy-like handhelds at the upcoming Token2049 expo in Dubai.
  • Nyan Heroes logged 11 million hours in the Solana-based game during its latest playtest, the devs said.
  • Role-playing game Calamity is migrating across Ethereum scaling networks, from Base to Ronin.
  • Neowiz’s Intella X gaming ecosystem is shutting down.
  • Clash Royale-like mobile game Ragnarok: Monster World has expanded from Ronin to the new Cross Protocol.
  • Playtron said that all 10,000 initial SuiPlay0X1 gaming handhelds have sold out, with shipping set for early summer.

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Bitcoin Mining Game ‘Miner Wars’ Expands With New Features

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In brief

  • GoMining added welcome packs and clan leagues to its Miner Wars Bitcoin mining game.
  • Players can buy digital miner NFTs on four different blockchains to start playing.
  • Miner Wars offers approximately 1 BTC in real crypto rewards daily to players.

GoMining’s Bitcoin mining game Miner Wars bolstered its feature suite on Tuesday with the addition of newcomer-friendly “welcome packs” and a “clan leagues” feature for competitive players, boosting the GameFi experience that’s tied into real-world Bitcoin mining.

Garnering more than 165,000 active players, GoMining says it has paid out more than 144 BTC—or over $13 million in rewards at today’s price—since Miner Wars’ September launch. 

“Positioned at the intersection of digital mining and GameFi, Miner Wars has found a welcoming niche with a loyal and stable audience,” said GoMining CEO Mark Zalan in a statement. He said that the fresh features will bring about a “new level of traction and user engagement.”

The game gives individuals access to GoMining’s real Bitcoin mining infrastructure via cross-chain “miner” NFTs, which correspond to a real share of computational resources from the firm’s mining centers. Digital miners have been issued on Solana, Ethereum, BNB Chain, and The Open Network (TON) and can be traded on the GoMining marketplace or third-party platforms like Magic Eden. 

Those who purchase miner NFTs essentially join a mining pool, and earn proportional rewards when the pool mines a Bitcoin block. Users can then upgrade their NFTs, potentially improving their chances at winning Bitcoin rewards in the process. 

The digital miner NFTs are also used to join Miner Wars, which adds productivity boosts and multipliers while offering higher rewards than the usual compensation from mining. The game hosts around 120-150 rounds per day, offering around 1 Bitcoin in prizes alongside rewards of GOMINING, the company’s Ethereum-based token.

When joining the game, users commit the computational power of their miner NFTs—which is denominated in terahashes—to compete against other players, joining clans, or groups of other players in the process.

As of today’s updates, those clans are now being grouped into leagues to increase competitiveness with weekly promotions and demotions based on performance. Clans may be placed in lower-level leagues like the Dune League, which is designed for newer players, or pushed up to the Odyssey League—which offers bigger prizes, but is intended for more experienced and “elite” Miner Wars players. 

The firm is also adding welcome packs that come with free boosts to help users “become familiar with the UI and mechanics of Miner Wars,” GoMining Content Marketing Manager Laila Effiong told Decrypt.

While mining, or the process of securing and verifying blocks on Bitcoin’s proof-of-work (PoW) blockchain, is a technically complex and energy-intensive process, GoMining aims to simplify it and educate more crypto users. The firm claims more than 3.5 million users worldwide, with its data centers boasting 7.5 million terahashes of computational power.

“Mining is complex, and we can’t understate that,” said Effiong, noting the difficulty of maintaining the efficiency of GoMining’s global mining operations. “But for the GoMining end users, they don’t need to feel any of that burden.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward

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This Week in Crypto Games: Solana Game Pass, ‘Ponzi’ Games Pop, SEC and CyberKongz

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The crypto gaming space is ever expanding, and with prominent games releasing, token airdrops piling up, and the constant shifting of the markets around them all, it’s a lot to take in.

Luckily, we’re all over it here at Decrypt‘s GG. And if you’re looking to keep tabs on the latest happenings around crypto video games, this weekly roundup gives you a quick overview of the biggest stories we covered over the past week, along with a smattering of other interesting tidbits from around the space.

Top stories

Solana Game Pass: A free Solana Game Pass NFT mint launched on Magic Eden last week, designed to help boost the Solana gaming ecosystem via rewards, collaborations, and early access to upcoming games. The program’s initial “Season 0” spans four weeks with 30 partnered games, including Star Atlas, Nyan Heroes, Stepn, and BR1: Infinite.

Pass holders can complete quests on GAM3S.GG to win raffle tickets toward a $10,000+ prize pool of SOL, NFTs, and other assets. Over 33,000 passes have been minted as of this writing, with the mint remaining open throughout the four-week campaign. Future seasons promise enhanced features including in-game quests and an improved progression system.

“Ponzi” games pop: Crypto game Bigcoin recently surged in popularity before its token crashed 83%, creating a surprising reaction: players embraced its purported “Ponzinomics” and actively sought similar experiences. Bigcoin’s simple mining simulation lets players earn BIG tokens on Ethereum‘s Abstract network, with transparent reward calculations that many found refreshing compared to vague and oft-disappointing play-to-airdrop models.

The phenomenon appeared to attract crypto traders beyond typical gamers, with some seeing these self-described “Ponzi games” as more transparent alternatives to insider-dominated projects. Since BIG crashed, similar games like Minereum and Dungeons of Fortune have briefly gained attention… with similar results.

SEC drops CyberKongz case: The SEC has concluded its investigation into Ethereum NFT and gaming project CyberKongz without findings or enforcement, the project’s team said last week, adding to the list of numerous recent closed crypto investigations under the Trump administration. CyberKongz had received a Wells notice in December after two years of SEC scrutiny regarding its BANANA token, game elements, and Genesis Kongz contract migration.

Project leaders celebrated the decision as a victory after facing “unjust allegations” and “crippling legal fees,” noting that they “elected to fight this battle for the betterment of Web3.” CyberKongz joins other NFT-related companies like Bored Ape Yacht Club creator Yuga Labs and marketplace OpenSea that recently saw their SEC investigations closed.

ICYMI

GG spotlight

Here are a few of our original stories from this past week that we think are well worth a weekend read:

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