YGG Play adds Roots of Embervault to its casual degen platform

YGG Play has signed a third-party publishing partnership with animation and gaming studio Ruyui to publish its pixel-art RPG Roots of Embervault.

The game will be featured on the YGG Play Launchpad from Thursday 14th May 2026, giving players access to integrated quests and rewards as part of the game’s push towards a broader international rollout.

For Ruyui, the key point is scale without surrender. The studio, led by co-founders Petek and Yan, is positioning Roots of Embervault as the start of a wider IP build-out. Its stated ambition is to build a durable IP around its world, characters and lore, but to do so without giving up ownership through a traditional publishing model.

“Our ambition is to build Ruyui into one of the most recognizable IPs in the world,” said Petek.

“But in traditional publishing models, developers are often forced to give up ownership of their IP. YGG Play stood out because they help games scale and reach new audiences while allowing studios like ours to retain ownership of the IP they’re building.”

Currently playable on Abstract Chain, Roots of Embervault combines soulslike environmental storytelling with detailed pixel art. The game has already built a small but engaged community, reporting 1,500 monthly active users, $38,000 in revenue, and a 46% retention rate.

The title fits into what YGG Play calls the Casual Degen category: lightweight games designed for crypto-native players who want accessible gameplay, social identity, and reward-driven progression.

Other games in the genre published by YGG Play include LOL Land, Gigaverse and GigaChadBat.

Roots of Embervault leans into that model as players can collect the main character, Bob, via Telegram for use in chats and to unlock special in-game loot boxes. Its Abstract Runes feature also allows players to burn in-game items to earn rewards, creating a direct link between gameplay activity and onchain economic participation.

For YGG Play, the deal adds another title to its publishing and growth pipeline as it attempts to define Casual Degen gaming through 2026. Other games in the genre published by YGG Play include LOL Land and GigaChadBat.

The APAC angle is also important. YGG originated in the region in 2020 and says it still has the majority of its audience there.

“Roots of Embervault has a lot of potential as a breakout IP,” said YGG co-founder Gabby Dizon. “There’s a big opportunity to bring its story to our community in APAC, where players value games that reward actual skill.”

You can find out more about Roots of Embervault here.

Source: https://www.blockchaingamer.biz/news/42253/ygg-play-publishes-roots-of-embervault/