GameFi Weekly Roundup: Axie Infinity’s Token Pivot, Pixiland’s Web3 Exit, and Market Shifts

The world saw some big changes this week. After a hot start to the year, the market cooled down. Total market cap dropped about 2% to $9.35 billion. This comes after it more than doubled in the last 30 days. Let’s break down the key stories, including , , and more.

GameFi Market Takes a Breather

GameFi tokens had a wild ride early in January. But things slowed this week. Data shows the overall market cap fell week-over-week. It now sits at around $9.35 billion. This dip follows huge gains before.

Why the pullback? Investors might be taking profits after the rally. Plus, big news from projects like Axie Infinity shook things up. Smaller tokens struggled too. But top players held steady. More on that below.

with New bAXS Token

Axie Infinity made headlines with a big token change. Its native token, AXS, surged 50% in market cap on January 14. It hit about $230 million. But it quickly dropped 14% the next day. Now, it’s around $208 million.

The swings came after a Discord event on January 13. Co-founders shared plans for 2026. They will shift AXS rewards to a new token called bAXS. This is part of a full tokenomics overhaul.

bAXS will be earned in-game. Players can spend it, stake it, or sell it. At first, it stays tied to user accounts. Co-founder Jihoz called it a key fix for supply issues. Another co-founder, Cruise, said it’s the first of many big moves.

What does this mean? Axie aims to make rewards sustainable. It could boost long-term play. But short-term volatility is real. Watch for more updates as 2026 nears.

and Goes Full Web2

In tough news for GameFi, Pixiland: Age of Heroes quit Web3. This strategy game on Ronin Network will switch to Web2 only. They paused crypto payments, NFT mints, and token rewards.

Reasons? Market ups and downs, tough rules, and low funds. “Sustaining Web3 is too hard now,” they said. wPixi tokens turn into in-game cash. NFTs become regular collectibles. The Web3 dashboard shuts March 1.

Ronin also hosts Axie Infinity. Ronin’s token, RON, is down over 90% from 2024 peaks. It now has a $108 million market cap.

Big picture: This shows Web3 gaming struggles. High costs and regs push some projects away. Will others follow? It hurts Ronin’s ecosystem but might free resources for better games.

World of Dypians Adds Grok AI – But Token Dips

World of Dypians (WOD) was a star last week. Its market cap doubled from $9 million to over $20 million. But it lost 40% this week.

Good news: They added Grok as an in-game AI helper. It’s not just a chat bot. Grok guides players in real-time on gameplay, events, and more. It keeps immersion intact.

This could draw more players. AI in games is hot. But token price shows market mood is shaky.

Other GameFi Tokens: Steady or Stagnant?

Core tokens like Render, Immutable, Gala, The Sandbox, and Decentraland ended flat. No big wins or losses.

Here’s the top 5 by market cap:

• Render (RENDER): $1.15 billion
• Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL): $645 million
• Immutable (IMX): $545 million
• And others holding strong.

These leaders show GameFi’s base is solid. Render leads with rendering tech for games and AI.

What’s Next for GameFi?

The market dip is normal after rallies. Axie’s pivot could spark renewed interest if it works. Pixiland’s exit warns of risks. But AI adds like in World of Dypians point to innovation.

Key trends to watch:

1. Token shifts for better economics.
2. AI boosting player experience.
3. Web2 hybrids as Web3 matures.
4. Reg changes impacting projects.

GameFi still has huge potential. Play-to-earn evolves to fun-first models. Total cap could rebound if Bitcoin stays strong.

Stay tuned for more . What do you think of Axie’s bAXS plan? Share in comments!

Market data as of January 16. Prices change fast – DYOR.