ScoreRush: Pooky Games Introduces New Telegram Game Following $2 Million Fundraise - Blockonomi
by Oliver Dale · BlockonomiTLDR:
- Pooky Games launches ‘score-to-earn’ Telegram game ScoreRush: Goals
- Game offers $500,000 worth of $RUSH tokens in airdrop campaign
- Company rebranded prediction game as ScoreRush, simplifying onboarding
- Pooky raised over $2 million in funding from strategic investors
- ScoreRush aims to engage crypto and sports communities on Telegram
Pooky Games, a Web3 gaming studio, has announced the launch of a new ‘score-to-earn’ game on Telegram called ScoreRush: Goals. This release follows a successful fundraising round where the company secured over $2 million in investments.
ScoreRush: Goals is designed to promote Pooky’s latest football prediction game, ScoreRush, and the upcoming $RUSH token listing scheduled for December. The game allows players to earn points by scoring goals and completing quests, with the chance to win a share of $500,000 worth of $RUSH tokens through an airdrop campaign.
Claudio Riff, CEO and co-founder of Pooky Games, explained the rationale behind the new game:
“We are seeing a growing number of tap-to-earn games emerging on Telegram, which is exciting as it highlights the massive potential for Web3 adoption, leveraging Telegram’s 900 million-plus user base.”
Riff emphasized that ScoreRush: Goals offers a more engaging experience compared to repetitive tapping mechanics, as players use their skills to draw curves with their fingers to score goals.
The company has recently rebranded its predictions-based football game from Pooky to ScoreRush, working with Courtney McNeil, former creative director at Dapper Labs, on the redesign. Pooky’s prediction offerings have attracted over 100,000 players and generated more than $500,000 in digital asset sales.
To simplify the onboarding process and reach mass adoption, Pooky developed a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play. The new version removes blockchain-related complexities, offering a seamless Web2 gaming experience while still leveraging Web3 ownership benefits.
The expansion of Pooky’s game suite and the $RUSH token launch were made possible by recent fundraising efforts. The company secured an initial $1 million from its founders, followed by an additional $1.1 million from strategic investors. These include Everyrealm, a Web3 social gaming company, Noia Capital, a digital asset management firm, and Claster Ventures, a VC specializing in consumer apps.
Jesse Stein, co-founder of Everyrealm and an advisor to Pooky, expressed enthusiasm for the company’s direction:
“We see huge potential and crossover between social gaming, fantasy sports and Web3 gaming, with the last two combined expected to get close to the size of the sports betting market by 2031.”
Pooky Games, founded in 2022 by brothers Claudio and Stefano Riff, aims to cater to sports fans who want a stake in their gaming without risking funds on betting platforms.
Their paid predictions games require players to purchase NFTs, which can be traded among players, allowing for potential earnings without the need to stake money on every prediction.