Yield Guild Games, a blockchain-based gaming organization, announced Monday that it is shutting down YGG Play, its publishing arm for crypto-infused casual games, citing the crypto market downturn alongside broader video game industry struggles.

The unit’s closure marks a retreat from a strategy the Web3 company had championed as recently as this year: building “casual degen” games—bite-sized titles laced with crypto incentives—for crypto enthusiasts who don’t consider themselves traditional gamers.

YGG Play launched its own original game LOL Land as a proof of concept and had signed nine additional games, partnered with the Pudgy Penguins NFT brand, and debuted a token launchpad, reporting more than $9…