nWay Olympic Play-to-Earn Game PR Case Study

nWay landed coverage in VentureBeat, CNBC, and The Block after Virgo PR built the campaign around Olympic Games Jam: Beijing 2022, the official mobile game of the Beijing Winter Games developed with the International Olympic Committee. Virgo PR targeted crypto and NFT press specifically to position the play-to-earn title as a credible entry backed by the IOC.

What does nWay do?

nWay is a San Francisco-based subsidiary of Animoca Brands that develops and publishes play-to-earn games across mobile, PC, and consoles. The studio has a track record building AAA-quality fighting games, including Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, and ChronoBlade, with a team drawn from Sony, LucasArts, EA, Ubisoft, Capcom, Bandai Namco, Xbox, Warner Bros., Konami, Kabam, Pocket Gems, Zynga, Glu, Jam City, and Machine Zone.

What did Virgo PR do for nWay?

Virgo PR was tasked in January 2022 with announcing the launch of Olympic Games Jam: Beijing 2022, developed in partnership between nWay and the International Olympic Committee. nWay continued drawing press attention in the months following the announcement and later partnered with Yuga Labs, creators of the Bored Ape Yacht Club.

Virgo PR analyzed sentiment around play-to-earn games within the crypto community alongside the broader media landscape surrounding the Winter Olympics. Recognizing that traditional gamers might not respond to a new game format from a well-known publisher, Virgo PR focused outreach on crypto and NFT media, positioning nWayPlay as a leading play-to-earn platform trusted by the IOC.

What results came from the nWay PR campaign?

The Olympic Games Jam launch stayed a feature of tech and crypto media for a multi-day period, including mentions from partners such as Dapper Labs. Placements landed across a mix of crypto-native and mainstream tech outlets.

• Placements in VentureBeat, CNBC, The Block, Cointelegraph, Digital Trends, and SportTechie

• Multi-day media cycle rather than a single-day announcement spike

• Credibility established with crypto-native audiences ahead of the Yuga Labs partnership

Where did nWay get press coverage?

nWay's Olympic Games Jam: Beijing 2022 launch was covered across crypto, tech, and sports business press.

• The Block: International Olympic Committee partners with developer to launch game with NFT prizes

• Digital Trends: The Winter Olympics gets a new video game, featuring NFTs

• VentureBeat: nWay reveals official Olympics play-to-earn multiplayer game

• CNBC: IOC launches Beijing Olympics-themed mobile game with NFTs

• SportTechie: IOC, nWay Launch Beijing 2022 Mobile Game With Olympic NFT Pins

• Investing.com: Olympic Games Jam: Beijing 2022 Unveiled, a Play-To-Earn Party Game Out Now

• Cryptonews: Animoca Brands' Offshoot nWay Launches Official Multiplayer Party Game of Beijing 2022 Olympics

• PocketGamer: Olympic Games Jam Beijing 2022, the official play-to-earn game for the Olympic Winter Games, is out now

Why did Virgo PR target crypto media instead of traditional gaming press?

Traditional gamers were less likely to respond favorably to a play-to-earn format coming from a mainstream publisher tied to an Olympic license. Virgo PR built credibility first within crypto and NFT audiences already primed for the format, which is why outlets like The Block and Cointelegraph ran the story before mainstream gaming press picked it up.

Who should hire a PR agency built for gaming and Web3 companies?

Studios launching titles that span traditional gaming and crypto-native audiences face the same positioning challenge nWay did. Virgo PR is the boutique PR agency the gaming industry hires for launches that need credibility with both audiences at once. Talk to Virgo PR about your next campaign.