History of the Yield Guild Games
The history of the Yield Guild
Games (YGG) coin is closely tied to the rise of the play-to-earn (P2E)
blockchain gaming movement. The coin, which uses the ticker YGG, is the
native utility and governance token of the Yield Guild Games decentralized
autonomous organization (DAO). Here is a breakdown of its history and key
milestones: The Origin of the Guild (2018-2020) Inception: The core idea for Yield Guild Games began
around 2018 when co-founder Gabby Dizon started lending out his
own Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), specifically Axies from the game Axie
Infinity, to players who couldn't afford them. This initial act of sharing
digital assets to enable play and earning was the precursor to the "scholarship"
model. Founding: The organization was formally founded in 2020 by
Gabby Dizon, Beryl Li, and Owl of Moistness. Their goal was to create a
decentralized gaming guild to collectively own and manage in-game assets across
various blockchain games, allowing a global community of players to earn from
the P2E economy. The Token Launch and P2E Boom (2021) Token Launch: The YGG coin was officially
launched and began trading on July 27, 2021. It is an ERC-20 token on
the Ethereum blockchain. The "Scholarship" Model: YGG gained
immense popularity by formalizing the scholarship program. The guild would
acquire expensive in-game NFTs (like Axies), and "scholars"
(players) would use them to play and earn rewards. A portion of the earnings
went to the scholar, a portion to YGG, and a portion to the community manager.
This model was a key driver of growth, particularly in developing nations,
showcasing Web3's potential for financial empowerment. All-Time High (ATH):
The YGG token's price reached its all-time high (ATH) of around $11.17 to
$11.50 in August/November 2021. This peak coincided with the massive
surge in interest and adoption of the play-to-earn sector, fueled largely by
the success of games like Axie Infinity.
Maturation and Evolution (2022 - Present)
Market Correction: Like most crypto assets, YGG's price experienced a
significant correction following the broader cryptocurrency bear market and a
downturn in the play-to-earn sector. Adaptation and SubDAOs: YGG adapted
its strategy, shifting from focusing purely on short-term yield farming to
building a more sustainable ecosystem. The team introduced the concept of SubDAOs—semi-autonomous
units focused on a specific game (e.g., Axie) or a region (e.g., YGG SEA).
These SubDAOs can have their own assets and, in some cases, their own tokens. Focus
on "Play-to-Own" and Infrastructure: The guild has pivoted to
focusing on games with stronger, more sustainable economic models and genuine
player retention. It has also expanded its offerings to include initiatives
like YGG Play (a publishing arm) and the Guild Advancement Program
(GAP), which uses soulbound tokens (SBTs) to track player achievements and
on-chain reputation across Web3 games. YGG
Token Utility: The YGG coin is central to
the ecosystem, serving several roles: Governance: YGG token holders can
participate in the DAO's governance, voting on key decisions such as treasury
investments, partnerships, and the future direction of the guild. Staking:
Holders can stake their tokens to earn rewards and participate in the
platform's success. Incentives: It's used to reward guild members for
their contributions and in-game activities. Asset Access: It is
intrinsically linked to the collective ownership and utilization of the guild's
vast NFT treasury. The history of the YGG coin reflects the journey of the
wider Web3 gaming space—from a massive, yield-focused boom to a more focused,
sustainable builder phase centered on community and robust infrastructure.
