Decentraland opens $30K beta fund to pay indie game creators
What's the deal? DecentralandDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has launched the beta season of its Creator Fund, a $30,000 rewards pool shared among developers based on how players engage with their games. Creators can opt in through the platform's Creator Hub from November 11, with the first payout cycle opening November 15.
How it works: The beta runs through December 31, 2026, splitting the $30,000 into three cycles of $10,000 each, paid in USDC. The Decentraland Foundation and DCL Regenesis Labs fund the pool together, with each creator's share set by new players brought in, time spent in-game, and returning players.
Why it matters: For indie developers, finishing a game is often where the hard part starts. On most platforms, revenue only arrives once a title breaks through a flood of new releases and the algorithms sorting them.
What's the endgame? Decentraland lets anyone publish a game on desktop and mobile with no engine licence or server costs, and built-in AI tools help with code. The fund adds recurring pay tied to engagement — something the firm says its community kept asking for.
"A solo developer with a game people love should be able to earn from it here, without the backing of a large studio or a partnership with a big brand IP," said Esteban Ordano, executive director and co-founder of Decentraland.
By the numbers: Decentraland programs distributed more than $660,000 to creators in 2025 through support, rewards, and funding, and more than $349,000 so far in 2026. Those payments included paid open calls and contests around events like Art Week and the Music Festival.
The signal: The Creator Fund is a modest, measurable bet on content and engagement rather than a large funding round. It extends recent moves — September's Creator Success program and a $26,250 Regenesis grants pilot — toward keeping independent creators earning as long as players keep showing up.
Read more: revistaempreende.com.br
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
