Japanese Internet Giant GMO to Launch In-Game Bitcoin Rewards System This Summer

Japanese internet services giant GMO Internet Inc. announced it would debut its Bitcoin-based application for in-game rewards in August, Cointelegraph Japan reports May 31.

The application, called CryptoChips, acts as a method of rewarding players for achieving certain goals, and will initially launch solely with Bitcoin support.

CryptoChips will reportedly first be implemented in GMO-developed real-time battle game Whimsical War.

“GMO Internet [...] has developed ‘CryptoChips by GMO’ that enables distribution of cryptocurrency as remuneration within the game application, and will offer it through a group company starting in August 2018,” an accompanying press release in English and Japanese confirms, adding:

“CryptoChips can be mounted on the game application and allows players to receive cryptocurrency as remuneration within the game – like a ‘secret pocket money’ – depending on the players’ rankings or when players have achieved missions or acquired items.”

The move is the latest venture into cryptocurrency for GMO, which already runs its own exchange, mining operation and even pays a portion of staff salaries in Bitcoin.

In March, the company’s exchange pledged to improve data security after regulators found its setup lacking during cross-industry inspections following January's $530 mln hack of fellow Japanese crypto exchange Coincheck.