A $6m bet to mix crypto and traditional gaming

Image credit: Oh Baby Games

Nintendo’s Mario Kart has been a party game staple since its first iteration was released in 1992. Now on its eighth version, the game owes its success to its easy gameplay and the lineup of characters from the Mario franchise.

Today, Oh Baby Games said it’s working on a similar feat: an arcade racer that features recognizable figures. Called What The Kart, the company’s first blockchain-powered game will feature personalities from Crypto Twitter (#cryptotwitter). CT refers to the crypto community on Twitter. 

The Australian company has just raised US$6 million in seed money from a round co-led by Egirl Capital and Synergis Capital. It also saw participation from Hillhouse Capital, Gmjp, Merit Circle DAO, and Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin.

Fueled by NFTs

The Crypto Twitter community is never short of major personalities. Wing Vasiksiri, an investor in Oh Baby Games, told Tech in Asia that What The Kart‘s lineup includes Inversebrah, CL, Gainzy, Pentoshi, and Cobie.

“I fell in love with CT … Because of the immensely dedicated community on CT, the best content, stories, lore, characters, etc., all rise to the top,” shares Pas Tran, founder of Oh Baby Games.

See also: Pudgy Penguins’ comeback story in a volatile NFT bear market

The startup said What The Kart will also feature streamers and different communities across the Crypto Twitter sphere. The game aims to mix recognizable characters with the tried-and-tested Mario Kart racing formula, according to Vasiksiri.

“In gaming, IP is so important, and the thesis here is [Oh Baby Games] can leverage existing IP in crypto to be translated into games, so you can play as your avatar,” he explains.

On top of bringing in familiar faces and gameplay, Oh Baby Games said it plans on adding garage personalization, kart equipment modifications, and tracks that “tell a story.”

What The Kart will be free. The catch? The company is looking to make money from its tournaments, skins, and cross-game collectibles.

Image credit: Oh Baby Games

The startup is also gearing up for two releases later this year: Rugpull Guys, which seems to be inspired by casual gaming hit Fall Guys, and a platform fighting game similar to Super Smash Bros.