Apple to fix gaming? SEC hates Metaverse, Logan Paul trolled on Steam – Cointelegraph Magazine

Gaming on Macs to suck less

Is Apple’s reign as the worst platform for gaming coming to an end?

Amidst all the hype about their long-rumored VR/AR headset, slated for release in early 2024 (queueing outside the Apple Store starts in October), it’s not the only signal that Apple might finally be sorting out its subpar gaming offering. It’s also releasing software that will make it easier to play Windows games on Mac.

Gaming on a Mac really sucks. Lots of games – particularly indie and early release ones – are not compatible. Keyboard mapping can be funky. To this day I have been unable to attach special tackles to my fishing rod (no, that is not innuendo) on the Mac edition of Stardew Valley.

With VR games, it’s even worse. If you want to spend hours watching YouTube videos, you can get most VR headsets to somewhat work with a Mac. But right now the only one that is really officially compatible seems to be the HTC Vive.

The downside of an Apple-native product is it comes with an Apple price tag: a hefty $3,499. It’s hard to justify that much money for exploring the empty, laggy metaverse when you could spend a few months travelling and seeing some of the coolest places in the actual world for the same price.

The endless legal wrangling over in-game virtual assets

The Sandbox, Decentraland and Axie Infinity’s tokens – SAND, MANA and AXS, respectively – made cameo appearances in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint against crypto exchange Binance, which was filed on June 5.

The complaint against the crypto exchange contains 13 charges, including that Binance sold unregistered securities. The SEC counted SAND, MANA and AXS among such securities – meaning it considers them to be types of investments, not currencies.

Speaking at the Non Fungible Conference (NFC) in Lisbon, Portugal on June 7, The Sandbox COO Sebastien Borget said that his team were aware of the litigation but that they are not themselves subject to any.

“We do not necessarily agree with the characterization that’s been put in that litigation, including the qualification of SAND as a security there,” he said, adding that it would not change the company’s day-to-day business.

Since the announcement, eToro has said it will delist several tokens, including MANA, for US-based customers.

Making in-game currencies securities is a new twist in the mess that is bridging the gap between virtual gaming currencies and real life money.

It’s not a new thing. The debate over the legal status of in-game currencies precedes even the invention of Bitcoin. Second Life got its first millionaire in 2006 and the question of who owes what to who has continued, exacerbated by the fact that many developers and creators already feel they pay large “taxes” to platforms.

Yet previous conversations have mostly been centered around making sure those that sell virtual assets or developer games on platforms are taxed correctly, not about investment and likely because Web2 virtual currencies act more like, well, currencies.

At last check, the US’s IRS doesn’t seem to be too concerned with virtual currencies if they don’t leave a game.

Avalanche wants to help Web2 gaming leaders go Web3

The quest by blockchains to convert gaming companies to the dark side continues with Ava Labs’ launch of Arcad3, a program to help Web2 gaming giants “launch powerful blockchain deployments.”

Ava Labs, which has supported gaming companies in building out more than ten gaming subnets on Avalanche and over 100 Web3 games, will work with teams on game monetisation, marketing, user acquisition, and risk management.

Among the first companies taking part are Tokyo-based firms Gumi and GREE (not to be confused with the Chinese aircon giant, GREE Electrics), as well as Shrapnel, DeFi Kingdoms and Gunz Chain by Gunzilla.

GREE’s Board of Director and SVP, Metaverse, Eiji Araki said that he believed the program would help the company stay ahead on Web3 gaming and develop…