AI could trigger a flood of short-lived crypto 'meme games,' says Illuvium co-founder Kieran Warwick

Kieran Warwick, co-founder of Illuvium, predicts that AI tools could enable up to 100,000 short-lived crypto 'meme games' to launch within a year, with development time reduced to days and costs around $1,000. While this could make niche games viable, Warwick warns that many games may only last a few days, potentially leading speculators to 'hold the bag,' similar to the memecoin boom and bust cycle of 2024, where the sector's market cap fell nearly 69% from $150.6 billion in December 2024 to $47.2 billion by November 2025. Both Warwick and Animoca Brands CEO Robby Yung suggest that sustainable, high-quality games with ownership, like Illuvium's Overworld targeting Q1 2027, represent the long-term goal, while Corey Wilton questions if increased supply can overcome weak demand.