Soneium Launches Web3 Incubator to Support Next-Gen Gaming

Sony has launched a new web3 incubator designed to support startups building in the areas of gaming and consumer applications.

The programme, called Soneium For All, is part of a broader push by the company to expand its presence in the blockchain space through its Ethereum Layer-2 network, Soneium. Backed by the Sony Innovation Fund and developed in collaboration with Astar Network and Startale Cloud Services.

Applications for the programme opened on June 9 and will close at the end of the month. Projects selected for the first cohort are expected to begin deployment as early as Q3 2025.

What is Soneium For All?

Soneium For All is an incubator programme aimed at supporting developers building decentralised applications on Soneium—Sony’s Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain network. The initiative offers a range of support mechanisms for early-stage teams, including access to technical infrastructure, marketing exposure, and potential follow-on investment from the Sony Innovation Fund.

A key part of the programme is its focus on solving three core challenges faced by web3 projects: gaining users, scaling technology efficiently, and achieving visibility in a crowded market. Selected teams will be given opportunities to showcase their work through Soneium’s official channels, including livestreams, blog features, and virtual events.

The programme is also backed by technical partners Astar Network and Startale Cloud Services. A $60,000 grant pool is available for projects that choose to integrate Astar’s native token, $ASTR, for payments or in-app utility.

What projects are on Soneium?

Several web3 applications are already operating within the Soneium ecosystem. Among them is Sleepagotchi Lite, a digital wellness game that originally gained popularity on Telegram and has since relaunched as a LINE mini-app.

Another high-profile addition is SYMBIOGENESIS, a blockchain role-playing game from Square Enix. The game joined Soneium in May and has launched features that enable players to carry over NFTs and in-game rewards into other titles on the platform, including Evermoon and Sleepagotchi.

These early integrations demonstrate how Soneium is already enabling cross-game utility and shared digital economies.