Golden Guardians Survivor Shuts Down as Web3 Games Struggle

The web3 gaming space continues to evolve at a rapid pace—but not always in the direction players hope. One of the latest casualties? Golden Guardians: Survivor, the Telegram-based shooter from OVERTAKE, which is officially shutting down on June 27. Let’s take a closer look at what this means, why it’s happening, and what players can take away from this sudden turn of events.

The End of Golden Guardians: Survivor

On June 27, all player access and in-game data for Golden Guardians: Survivor will be permanently closed. The announcement was made via the game’s official Discord channel, where the developers at OVERTAKE thanked players for their participation and support.

But not all is lost—especially for those who were grinding for token rewards. All $TAKE token allocations linked to the game have been safely stored within the OVERTAKE Launchpool system, meaning players who earned rewards will still receive their airdrops despite the shutdown.

A Quick Recap: What Was Golden Guardians?

Golden Guardians: Survivor first hit the scene in late 2024 as part of OVERTAKE’s ambitious GameFest event. This wasn’t just a game—it was a gamified airdrop experience, launched with a whopping $85 million reward pool in $OVT (later rebranded to $TAKE in early 2025).

Gameplay took place in a top-down survival arena, where players fought off waves of zombies and monstrous bosses. Drawing comparisons to Vampire Survivors, the game featured evolving skill builds, six playable characters (one free, others unlockable), and an energy system that recharged over time.

Golden Guardians wasn't just another shooter—it gamified every action, allowing players to earn $GG tokens by hitting level milestones. These tokens could be converted into gAP (Achievement Points), climbing players up the global leaderboard and unlocking eligibility for $TAKE airdrops. During Season 2 alone, the game distributed 5 million $TAKE tokens.

OVERTAKE and the Bigger Picture

Behind the scenes, OVERTAKE isn’t a small player. The publisher has attracted over 30 million users and leverages Immutable’s blockchain infrastructure to enable gas-free, scalable gameplay. Their platform was designed to make blockchain games more accessible, and Golden Guardians was one of the first mini-games to be fully integrated into Telegram, a platform with massive global reach.

As part of the larger GameFest campaign, Golden Guardians sat alongside titles like Somnis and The Red One, all of which aimed to fuse casual gaming with crypto rewards through massive airdrop incentives and launchpool mechanics.

For more insights into the genre, check out our full guide to blockchain games.

The Wave of Web3 Game Closures

Golden Guardians isn’t the only title saying goodbye. In fact, May 2025 saw a wave of web3 game shutdowns:

• Ember Sword closed operations on May 22 due to financial difficulties.

• Nyan Heroes, which previously hit over a million users, shut down after failing to secure further investment.

• Tatsumeeko: Lumina Fates was canceled after eight playtests, with developers citing a creative impasse.

• Wonder Wars and Blast Royale are also shutting down, with the latter going dark by June 30.

These closures paint a picture of a cooling market. Studios that launched during the 2021–2022 bull run are now dealing with delays in funding, tighter budgets, and the sobering realities of running long-term blockchain projects.

Why This Matters for Blockchain Gaming

The fall of Golden Guardians: Survivor is more than just a shutdown—it's a sign of the times. The game had strong fundamentals: simple, addictive gameplay; smooth integration with Telegram; and a well-structured reward system backed by one of the space’s leading publishers.

Yet, even promising titles are feeling the pressure of an ecosystem where sustainability is now more critical than hype. The big airdrops and flashy incentives of the past are giving way to a need for long-term retention, meaningful tokenomics, and funding stability.

Want to explore more titles that are still thriving? Browse our curated collection of blockchain games and discover what's next in the evolving landscape.

What’s Next for Players and $TAKE Holders?

If you’ve participated in Golden Guardians: Survivor, there’s some good news: your unclaimed $TAKE is safe. Thanks to the OVERTAKE Launchpool, those who reached reward thresholds will still receive what they’ve earned, even after the game goes offline.

For the wider community, this is a moment to reassess the web3 gaming model. Projects that survive 2025 will likely be those with clear long-term visions, transparent token ecosystems, and gameplay-first design.

Final Thoughts

The closure of Golden Guardians: Survivor marks another chapter in the maturing world of web3 gaming. It's a reminder that even the most promising blockchain titles aren’t immune to the broader market headwinds.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. While some games fall, others are building smarter, leaner, and more sustainable ecosystems. And as always, the NFT Playgrounds community will be here to keep you updated on the games that matter.

Stay sharp, stay informed—and keep your eyes on the leaderboard.