World, the identity network co-founded by Sam Altman, and Mythical Games announced a partnership on October 30, 2025 to bring World's proof-of-human verification to games including NFL Rivals, FIFA Rivals and Pudgy Party. Mythical also said it would launch its Mythos Chain as a layer 3 network on World Chain.
Historical news event: 2025-10-30. Retrospective report prepared November 2026.
The deal targets a problem online games have fought for decades. Automated accounts can rig leaderboards, scoop up rewards meant for people and swamp competitive events. When in-game items can be traded or turned into tokens, bots have even more reason to exploit those systems.
"While bots do have a place in gaming, they can also be used to manipulate in-game economies," the companies said in a joint statement reported by The Block. "By integrating proof of human, Mythical ensures those economies stay fair and transparent."
Proving a player is a person
World ID is designed to let someone prove they're a unique human without handing a full identity document to every app. Enrollment uses the Orb, a device that scans a person's iris in person. World's website cited more than 17 million verified users at the time, The Block reported, and people who sign up receive WLD tokens. Biometric security has a long history in crypto, as our older overview of biometric methods for cryptocurrencies shows.
Image: World
Under the plan, players signing up for or logging into Mythical's titles would use World ID to separate humans from bots. "Proof of human restores trust to that equation," Ajay Patel, head of World ID at Tools for Humanity, said in remarks reported by ID Tech on October 30. "By integrating it into Mythical's ecosystem, we're giving millions of gamers the ability to prove they're real."
A verification check could reduce reward farming, but it wouldn't stop every cheat. A verified person can still try automation, collusion or account sharing after passing the check.
Mythos Chain moves onto World Chain
The second part of the deal is infrastructure. Mythical said Mythos Chain would become the first layer 3 blockchain built on World Chain, World's Ethereum layer 2 based on the OP Stack. BlockchainGamer.biz reported that verified humans might get transaction priority or lower fees on the network, though that was framed as a possibility. That's a separate project from turning on a verification step in an existing mobile game.
Image: Mythos Foundation
The partnership had been building for weeks. On October 13, 2025, Eightco Holdings, which trades under the ticker ORBS, said it was joining Mythical's Series D round, led by ARK Invest and World Foundation, according to a press release. In that release, Mythical CEO John Linden said: "Mythical is integrating with Worldchain to bring identity and trust into the next era of gaming." He added that the goal was to make every player in FIFA Rivals, Pudgy Party and NFL Rivals "part of a verified, global economy." Eightco cited Mythical's 9.6 million wallets as a user base that could build on World ID.
Why rewards make the issue urgent
Mythical's games show why identity matters in Web3. NFL Rivals and FIFA Rivals feature licensed player items and competitive modes, and Mythical also brought NFL collectibles to a Telegram mini game. Pudgy Party, built with Pudgy Penguins and first revealed in October 2024, added character customization and optional digital collectibles. Operators need rankings and rewards to mean something without asking players to become security experts.
World's own research gave the companies a talking point: "Nearly 75% of gamers say these uninvited 'players' are making games less fun," the joint statement said, citing a World study from April 2025.
A proof-of-human system could let developers limit some events or promotions to verified players. That also puts privacy, access and consent into the design. People who can't or don't want to enroll their iris should be told which parts of a game stay open to them and what alternatives exist. For a wider look at the field, see our list of blockchain-based identity projects.
Plans versus deployment
The October announcement described a partnership and a direction for integration. It didn't show that every listed game had finished the same rollout by that date, or that bots had been eliminated.
Later events add context. Pudgy Party, which launched in August 2025, closed in June 2026 as Pudgy Penguins refocused on other products. That business outcome is separate from the 2025 identity deal and says nothing about whether the World partnership was sound.
The bigger question for crypto gaming is uncomfortable but practical: if digital items have value and rewards are limited, how does a game reliably tell people from scripts? World and Mythical proposed one answer. Its success depends on adoption and on a careful balance between fair play and privacy.
Frequently asked questions
What did World and Mythical Games announce?
On October 30, 2025, they announced plans to use World ID proof-of-human verification in Mythical's games, including NFL Rivals, FIFA Rivals and Pudgy Party. Mythical also said it would build Mythos Chain as a layer 3 on World Chain.
How does World ID verify that someone is human?
People enroll by having their iris scanned by World's Orb device in person. They can then prove they're a unique human to apps without sharing a full identity document.
Is World ID required to play Mythical's games?
The announcement said players signing up or logging in would use World ID, but it described planned integrations. It didn't detail a completed rollout or alternatives for players who choose not to enroll.
What is Mythos Chain?
Mythos Chain is Mythical Games' blockchain for its game economies. Under the deal, it was set to become the first layer 3 network built on World Chain, an Ethereum layer 2.
Sources
- The Block, October 30, 2025: World's proof-of-human IDs coming to FIFA, NFL and Pudgy Penguins games
- ID Tech, October 30, 2025: World and Mythical Games partner on proof of human
- BlockchainGamer.biz, October 30, 2025: Mythos launches first L3 on World Chain
- Eightco Holdings press release, October 13, 2025, via AAP
- World, April 2025: bots, gamers and demand for fair play
- Decrypt, June 2026: Pudgy Party shuts down
Featured image: World
Frequently asked questions
What did World and Mythical Games announce?
On October 30, 2025, they announced plans to use World ID proof-of-human verification in Mythical's games, including NFL Rivals, FIFA Rivals and Pudgy Party. Mythical also said it would build Mythos Chain as a layer 3 on World Chain.
How does World ID verify that someone is human?
People enroll by having their iris scanned by World's Orb device in person. They can then prove they're a unique human to apps without sharing a full identity document.
Is World ID required to play Mythical's games?
The announcement said players signing up or logging in would use World ID, but it described planned integrations. It didn't detail a completed rollout or alternatives for players who choose not to enroll.
What is Mythos Chain?
Mythos Chain is Mythical Games' blockchain for its game economies. Under the deal, it was set to become the first layer 3 network built on World Chain, an Ethereum layer 2.
Last updated NOV 13, 2026
