It’s not that blockchain gaming was a flop, they were “just too early” (said CEO Sean Ryan). The Aqua gaming NFT marketplace announced their shutdown, attributing it to “challenges in raising funds and the slower-than-expected growth within the web3 gaming sector”. Users were instructed to transfer their funds off the platform by December 1.The company launched its marketplace in September 2022, backed by $10 million from the DIGITAL venture fund.