Illuvium Co-Founder Warns of Meme Game Ponzis

AI could unleash a flood of short‑lived crypto “meme games” that could see up to 100,000 launches in a year. Kieran Warwick, Illuvium co‑founder, says developers can drop a new game in days for about $1,000. He warns the wave will be a Ponzi‑style boom that pumps speculative traders and then leaves them holding the bag. The memecoin market hit $150.6 billion in December 2024 before slumping 69 percent to $47.2 billion by November 2025. Animoca Brands CEO Robby Yung says short‑lived titles won’t sustain user retention and won’t be a lasting category. Yet 32.8 percent of 506 industry professionals surveyed by the Blockchain Game Alliance are already experimenting with AI in design. Yield Fields raised $8.3 million on Oct 14 by selling NFT land plots and plans to launch at month’s end. Warwick wrote on X: “There will be ridiculous gains, and people will get absolutely f ing rinsed.”