AI-Powered Web3 Games Take Center Stage as BuidlHack Seoul Crowns 'Bank or Plank' Champion

Gate News message, April 23 — YGG Play and Verse8 announced Bank or Plank as the winner of BuidlHack 2026's Casual Degen track, with 120 teams competing to build playable crypto-native games using AI tools in Seoul during Korea BUIDL Week.

Bank or Plank, a 3D multiplayer pirate board game created by solo developer Wabbs, won first place after being built and tested in under a month. The game challenges players to gather and bank gold within a 5-minute time limit before adverse events cause them to lose their loot. Dungeon Raising, an idle action game, placed second, while Gas Wars, Black Hole Survivor, and Attack on Idol tied for third place.

Winning teams shared a US$5,000 prize pool and will receive ongoing support through Verse8's creator ecosystem, with standout projects considered for YGG Play publishing. The hackathon culminated with a final showcase on April 18, following an in-person Builder Day on April 14, where teams refined game mechanics with industry operators.

Gabby Dizon, co-founder of Yield Guild Games and one of the judges, noted that demand for Casual Degen experiences is strong, particularly among non-gamers, and that the quality and creativity of entries demonstrated the model could be repeatable and sustainable for Web3 games long-term.