Crytpo Startup Keyp Sets To Convert Game Boy Into Hardware Wallets

Crypto startup Keyp has announced plans to create an online crypto storage system using a Game Boy cartridge. The company, while trying to bring more entertainment to users, will also be craving nostalgia from the 1990s when the popular Game Boy was in vogue.

The team is committing their time and resources to revamp the original Nintendo Game Boy handheld consoles. It will also optimize them to store cryptocurrency offline, turning the popular handheld into a crypto hardware wallet known as the Game Wallet.

The Game Wallet Is More Than A Wallet

The Keyp team also noted that the Game Wallet is much more than just a wallet with a Game Boy console cover. It’s a Game Boy cartridge that utilizes gamification to get seed phrases for users. It does this by interacting randomly with non-playable characters (NPCs).

After setting up the hardware wallet, it will have the capacity to store any crypto asset that uses BIP-32 seed phrases. This means that at launch it can store both Ethereum and Bitcoin. And as open-source software, it will be available for anyone to create their implementation if they want.

Joseph Schiarizzi, Founder of Keyp, commented on the development. He stated that the experience users will get from the game would be like that of Pokemon. Schiarizzi also said the main focus for the company is to make Web3 accessible. “Game Wallet is a fun project [and] an extension of that,” he added.

In a Twitter message, the company noted that users can generate the seed phrase by talking to the NPC through a hash of their previous 500 button presses.

Keyp assembled a 9-person team to ensure the development of the game, which began in January this year. He believes that there is a need for a truly offline storage solution following the recent controversy surrounding Ledger’s new “recovery” service. As a result, Game Wallet is offering itself as a viable online storage option that will provide regular firmware updates for users.

No Official Release Date Has Been Set For The Game Wallet

Co-founder of Keyp, Sascha Mombartz, stated that the offline storage option the company is bringing into the system will reduce trust issues. “What started as a fun idea now seems to be a really important product,” he added.

It can be scary to rely completely on the supply chain for new services, but with the offline storage method, more users will be confident.

No official release date has been set for the game wallet yet. However, Schiarizze said the company is targeting a summer rollout and will open pre-orders soon, barring any technical/supply chain difficulties.