End of an Era: DappRadar Closes Doors After 7 Years
In a bittersweet moment for the blockchain analytics community, DappRadar—the pioneering platform that tracked dapps, NFTs, DeFi, and GameFi activity across 90+ chains—announced its shutdown on November 17, 2025, citing “unsustainable” operational costs after seven years of service.
Launched in 2018 amid the CryptoKitties boom, DappRadar grew into an indispensable tool for discovering and ranking decentralized applications, serving 500,000 monthly users at its peak and providing real-time metrics on unique active wallets (UAW), TVL, and volumes. Founders Skirmantas Januškas and Dragos Dunica described the decision as “heartbreaking but necessary,” with the site’s tracking systems set to wind down in the coming days. The RADAR token plunged 30% on the news, reflecting the market’s shock at losing a cornerstone resource.
DappRadar’s closure comes ironically as GameFi shows signs of revival: On-chain gaming activity tripled year-over-year in early 2025, with daily UAW hitting 3.13 million in May per its final reports. The platform’s demise—blamed on high server costs and competition from free alternatives like Dune Analytics and DefiLlama—frees up talent and attention for emerging tools, but leaves a void in user-friendly discovery. As one X post lamented: “DappRadar GG—tracked my first NFT flip in 2018. End of an era for GameFi stats” (@CryptoDataNerd, 1.2K likes).
VCs Play On: Fresh Funding Signals GameFi’s Comeback
Despite DappRadar’s exit, venture capital is doubling down on blockchain gaming, with $108 million invested in Web3 titles during May 2025 alone—the highest monthly total since 2021. This influx, up 135% from April, reflects renewed confidence in sustainable play-to-earn models, AI integrations, and cross-chain ecosystems. Highlights include:
- XOCIETY: $1.6 million for its blockchain shooter, prepping Epic Games Store Early Access.
- Slime Miner: Immutable Quest Season 2 with 1 million $SLX rewards.
- Broader Trend: $91 million in Q1 2025 (down 68% YoY but rebounding), led by a16z’s $600 million gaming fund and Animoca Brands’ ongoing bets.
Yat Siu of Animoca Brands called 2025 “the turnaround year,” citing Web2 studios entering Web3 and Telegram mini-apps recycling users into higher-value chains like TON and Ronin. DappRadar’s final Games Report noted gaming’s 3.13 million dUAW peak, proving resilience even in bear phases.
Top Funded GameFi Projects (2025 YTD)
| Project | Funding | Key Backers | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOCIETY | $1.6M | Undisclosed | Blockchain shooter on Epic Store |
| Revolving Games | $13.2M follow-on | Pantera Capital | Node-based RPG |
| Spekter Games | $5M pre-seed | a16z Speedrun | Narrative-driven Web3 |
| Shards Protocol | Token launch prep | Various | Custom L3 rollups |
With 93% of GameFi projects “dead” per ChainPlay but survivors like Pixels and Illuvium thriving, VCs are betting on quality over quantity—sustainable economies, AI agents, and real ownership.
What It Means for GameFi Investors
DappRadar’s “GG” marks the end of an analytics era but the start of a more mature GameFi phase. Funding drought (Q1 $91M, -68% YoY) is easing, with $108M in May signaling revival. As Justin Sun bids farewell to DappRadar rankings for TRON, the focus shifts to on-chain metrics via DefiLlama and Dune.
For traders: Privacy coins (ZEC/DASH +10-16%) and gaming presales (EV2, MoonBull) steal momentum—allocate to utility hybrids for 2026’s “Minecraft moment.” In a $3.57T market, GameFi’s play continues—VCs are all in. DYOR; the game’s just beginning.