Initial Game Offering (IGO)

An initial game offering (IGO) is a way for a blockchain game studio to raise money by selling its tokens or in-game items, such as characters, land or equipment issued as non-fungible tokens, before the game launches or shortly after. Sales usually take place on specialist launchpads or exchange platforms such as Binance Launchpad, which often require buyers to hold or stake the launchpad's own token to qualify for an allocation. The model grew alongside GameFi in 2021, when demand for play-to-earn titles was high. For studios, an IGO provides funding and an early community; for buyers, it offers the chance to get items or tokens before the public. Many games sold through IGOs were delayed, never released or lost most of their value, and some were abandoned outright, so IGOs carry the same risks as other early-stage token pre-sales.