Pudgy Penguins is the most beloved and resilient brand in NFTs and digital collectibles. For over a year, we have been developing Pudgy Party, an immersive Web3 Game, in a partnership with Mythical Games, a leading gaming studio on Polkadot. As we are getting close to the game launch, as part of our go-to-market strategy, we would like to tie the iconic Pudgy Penguins directly to the Polkadot ecosystem. Pudgy Party is therefore not just another game; it's Polkadot's gateway to mainstream adoption, transforming it from an infrastructure powerhouse into a leading consumer-facing brand in Web3, that millions of people will interact with daily.
About the proposer: This proposal is brought to the Polkadot Treasury by Luca Netz, the CEO of Igloo Inc., the company that owns the Pudgy Penguins brand. Luca will be speaking about it on AAG this week – make sure to tune in.
Pudgy Penguins originated in July 2021 as an Ethereum-based NFT collection of 8,888 uniquely designed, chubby penguin avatars, launched by four college students amid the NFT boom. Initially facing challenges, including community distrust and market volatility, the project was revitalized in 2022 when entrepreneur Luca Netz acquired it for $2.5 million and turned it into a global consumer brand. Under Netz's leadership, Pudgy Penguins expanded beyond digital assets into physical merchandise, including plush toys sold in major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Amazon, generating millions in revenue and establishing it as a pop culture icon. The brand now boasts over 8 million social media followers, a dedicated community-driven ecosystem, and innovative initiatives like the $PENGU token, Pudgy Learn (an educational platform for Web3 concepts through gamified experiences), and the PudgyPals mobile app that bridges physical toys with digital interactions. Achievements include partnerships with major brands, a path to billion-dollar valuation potential, and a remarkable turnaround story that has made it one of the most loyal and viral communities in Web3, often compared to mainstream sensations like Pokémon or Hello Kitty for its cross-generational appeal.
Mythical Games, founded in 2018 by industry veterans including CEO John Linden, is a venture-backed pioneer at the intersection of video games and blockchain economics. Besides Pudgy Party – the focus of this proposal – Mythical has developed blockbuster Web3 titles such as NFL Rivals (which surpassed 5 million users), FIFA Rivals (achieving 1 million downloads in record time upon its 2025 release), and Blankos Block Party. These successes demonstrate Mythical's expertise in creating engaging, mainstream-appealing games that seamlessly integrate blockchain for true digital ownership, player economies, and rewards. The studio's track record includes multiple games hitting million-download milestones, strategic licensing deals with global IPs like the NFL and FIFA, and a focus on accessible Web3 mechanics that attract both crypto natives and traditional gamers.
The budget requested as part of this proposal, is entirely for go-to-market of Pudgy Party on Polkadot, not for the development of the game, which is already funded from other sources (see budget breakdown below).
We believe this strategic partnership represents a tremendous opportunity for Polkadot. Mythical's Mythos Chain, which migrated to Polkadot as a parachain in 2024, has brought over 5 million users into the ecosystem while leveraging Polkadot's flexible EVM compatibility and robust security to handle high-throughput gaming applications. Pudgy Party, which will be built entirely on Mythos Chain and powered by $MYTH tokens secured by Polkadot, will combine the community loyalty of Pudgy Penguins with Mythical's game development prowess and Polkadot’s security architecture. Imagine for example, the addictive, multiplayer fun of Fall Guys—complete with customizable Pudgy avatars, chaotic party modes, and real-time competitions—infused with Web3 elements like NFT ownership, token rewards, and in-game asset trading on-chain. Launching on iOS and Android in September 2025, this AAA mobile party game is poised to onboard millions of new users to Polkadot, driving ecosystem growth through increased transaction volume, wallet adoption, and $DOT utility.
By funding this collaboration, Polkadot isn't just supporting a game; it's catalyzing a shift where its advanced technology becomes synonymous with fun, accessible Web3 experiences. Past partnerships, like Mythos Chain's integration bringing 5 million users to Polkadot, have already demonstrated massive returns in user base expansion and network activity. This alliance will deliver similar exponential growth, positioning $DOT as the go-to Layer 1 for consumer-facing applications and yielding long-term value through heightened adoption, token demand, and global visibility.
Amount: 2,000,000 USDC
Use: 100% allocated to marketing, user acquisition, and tournament prize pools to maximize ecosystem growth and onboard millions into Polkadot.
This grant is not for development—Pudgy Penguins and Mythical Games have already committed over $10 million to build the game. Instead, it fuels a high-impact go-to-market strategy designed to create viral momentum, drive user retention, and integrate Polkadot branding deeply into the experience. Here's a detailed breakdown of the budget allocation, emphasizing how each component grows the Polkadot ecosystem:
Timing: Funds will be deployed starting Q3 2025, ramping up pre-launch in August for a September global rollout. Milestones include Polkadot-targeted campaigns, co-branded events, and embedded $DOT branding in all assets to ensure maximum visibility and ROI.
Mythical Games:
Pudgy Penguins:
Total Committed: $12,000,000+ from partners, underscoring their skin in the game and reducing risk for Polkadot while amplifying the grant's impact.
Investing 2,000,000 USDC positions Polkadot to reap outsized returns through ecosystem expansion, user growth, and enhanced token utility. Here's why this partnership delivers exceptional value:
Pudgy Party is set to redefine Web3 Pop Culture – addictive, accessible and culturally resonant – co-created by Pudgy Penguins and Mythical Games on Polkadot. This isn't simply a new game on Polkadot; it's Polkadot's opportunity to lead mainstream mobile gaming, onboarding millions while leveraging its superior tech for security and scalability. By approving this go-to-market grant, DOT holders will secure a first-mover advantage for Polkadot in consumer-facing Web3, driving exponential returns through new user influx, token utility, and visibility. Let the cute penguins – the most beloved consumer brand in Web3 – become a new face of Polkadot.
Pudgy Penguins is the most beloved and resilient brand in NFTs and digital collectibles. For over a year, we have been developing Pudgy Party, an immersive Web3 Game, in a partnership with Mythical Games, a leading gaming studio on Polkadot. As we are getting close to the game launch, as part of our go-to-market strategy, we would like to tie the iconic Pudgy Penguins directly to the Polkadot ecosystem. Pudgy Party is therefore not just another game; it's Polkadot's gateway to mainstream adoption, transforming it from an infrastructure powerhouse into a leading consumer-facing brand in Web3, that millions of people will interact with daily.
About the proposer: This proposal is brought to the Polkadot Treasury by Luca Netz, the CEO of Igloo Inc., the company that owns the Pudgy Penguins brand. Luca will be speaking about it on AAG this week – make sure to tune in.
Pudgy Penguins originated in July 2021 as an Ethereum-based NFT collection of 8,888 uniquely designed, chubby penguin avatars, launched by four college students amid the NFT boom. Initially facing challenges, including community distrust and market volatility, the project was revitalized in 2022 when entrepreneur Luca Netz acquired it for $2.5 million and turned it into a global consumer brand. Under Netz's leadership, Pudgy Penguins expanded beyond digital assets into physical merchandise, including plush toys sold in major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Amazon, generating millions in revenue and establishing it as a pop culture icon. The brand now boasts over 8 million social media followers, a dedicated community-driven ecosystem, and innovative initiatives like the $PENGU token, Pudgy Learn (an educational platform for Web3 concepts through gamified experiences), and the PudgyPals mobile app that bridges physical toys with digital interactions. Achievements include partnerships with major brands, a path to billion-dollar valuation potential, and a remarkable turnaround story that has made it one of the most loyal and viral communities in Web3, often compared to mainstream sensations like Pokémon or Hello Kitty for its cross-generational appeal.
Mythical Games, founded in 2018 by industry veterans including CEO John Linden, is a venture-backed pioneer at the intersection of video games and blockchain economics. Besides Pudgy Party – the focus of this proposal – Mythical has developed blockbuster Web3 titles such as NFL Rivals (which surpassed 5 million users), FIFA Rivals (achieving 1 million downloads in record time upon its 2025 release), and Blankos Block Party. These successes demonstrate Mythical's expertise in creating engaging, mainstream-appealing games that seamlessly integrate blockchain for true digital ownership, player economies, and rewards. The studio's track record includes multiple games hitting million-download milestones, strategic licensing deals with global IPs like the NFL and FIFA, and a focus on accessible Web3 mechanics that attract both crypto natives and traditional gamers.
The budget requested as part of this proposal, is entirely for go-to-market of Pudgy Party on Polkadot, not for the development of the game, which is already funded from other sources (see budget breakdown below).
We believe this strategic partnership represents a tremendous opportunity for Polkadot. Mythical's Mythos Chain, which migrated to Polkadot as a parachain in 2024, has brought over 5 million users into the ecosystem while leveraging Polkadot's flexible EVM compatibility and robust security to handle high-throughput gaming applications. Pudgy Party, which will be built entirely on Mythos Chain and powered by $MYTH tokens secured by Polkadot, will combine the community loyalty of Pudgy Penguins with Mythical's game development prowess and Polkadot’s security architecture. Imagine for example, the addictive, multiplayer fun of Fall Guys—complete with customizable Pudgy avatars, chaotic party modes, and real-time competitions—infused with Web3 elements like NFT ownership, token rewards, and in-game asset trading on-chain. Launching on iOS and Android in September 2025, this AAA mobile party game is poised to onboard millions of new users to Polkadot, driving ecosystem growth through increased transaction volume, wallet adoption, and $DOT utility.
By funding this collaboration, Polkadot isn't just supporting a game; it's catalyzing a shift where its advanced technology becomes synonymous with fun, accessible Web3 experiences. Past partnerships, like Mythos Chain's integration bringing 5 million users to Polkadot, have already demonstrated massive returns in user base expansion and network activity. This alliance will deliver similar exponential growth, positioning $DOT as the go-to Layer 1 for consumer-facing applications and yielding long-term value through heightened adoption, token demand, and global visibility.
Amount: 2,000,000 USDC
Use: 100% allocated to marketing, user acquisition, and tournament prize pools to maximize ecosystem growth and onboard millions into Polkadot.
This grant is not for development—Pudgy Penguins and Mythical Games have already committed over $10 million to build the game. Instead, it fuels a high-impact go-to-market strategy designed to create viral momentum, drive user retention, and integrate Polkadot branding deeply into the experience. Here's a detailed breakdown of the budget allocation, emphasizing how each component grows the Polkadot ecosystem:
Timing: Funds will be deployed starting Q3 2025, ramping up pre-launch in August for a September global rollout. Milestones include Polkadot-targeted campaigns, co-branded events, and embedded $DOT branding in all assets to ensure maximum visibility and ROI.
Mythical Games:
Pudgy Penguins:
Total Committed: $12,000,000+ from partners, underscoring their skin in the game and reducing risk for Polkadot while amplifying the grant's impact.
Investing 2,000,000 USDC positions Polkadot to reap outsized returns through ecosystem expansion, user growth, and enhanced token utility. Here's why this partnership delivers exceptional value:
Pudgy Party is set to redefine Web3 Pop Culture – addictive, accessible and culturally resonant – co-created by Pudgy Penguins and Mythical Games on Polkadot. This isn't simply a new game on Polkadot; it's Polkadot's opportunity to lead mainstream mobile gaming, onboarding millions while leveraging its superior tech for security and scalability. By approving this go-to-market grant, DOT holders will secure a first-mover advantage for Polkadot in consumer-facing Web3, driving exponential returns through new user influx, token utility, and visibility. Let the cute penguins – the most beloved consumer brand in Web3 – become a new face of Polkadot.