March 2025 Governance Newsletter

March 2025 Governance Newsletter

Written by: Paz | Reviewed by: ICC

Newsletter Overview

March 2025 continued the trend of high activity in the Illuvium DAO, with both the Illuvium Main Council (IMC) and Illuvium Community Council (ICC) focused on governance reform, community trust, and ongoing ecosystem development.

The IMC made further progress on fuel economy changes, game updates, and community-facing initiatives like Automated Drone Runs and Stripe integration.

The ICC focused on Governance V4, including pay reform, responsibility tracking, and structural revisions. A strong emphasis was placed on community transparency, handling fuel economy concerns, and refining rewards and referral systems. Player sentiment around Arena updates, communication from Illuvium Labs, and long-term incentivization strategies were central themes this month.

Illuvium Main Council (IMC) Review

Written by: IMC

The IMC discussed key topics including the unified fuel implementation, fuel refunds, delays to Beyond Wave 4, leaderboard incentives, and the Illuvials TPI system. A fuel refund for purchases and transfers below 25% of the top rail was proposed and swiftly approved. Leaderboards and the Battle Pass are designed to grow Arena’s player base and discourage multi-accounting. Arena updates and the Overworld bounty system are in development, though some launches have been delayed due to bugs. The ICC requested clarity on delegate voting, plot fuel transitions, and gameplay balance. Spectator mode and Twitch drops are upcoming features. GDC insights reflect optimism for AI in gaming, despite market challenges.

Illuvium Community Council (ICC) Review

Members: Caveman, Garf, Paz, JP, Patate

The ICC focused heavily on governance structure improvements, increased voting participation, and resolving community concerns on fuel economy and rewards.

Key Discussions and Decisions

1. Governance Reform & Voting Participation

• Governance V4 restructuring is ongoing, aiming to streamline DAO operations with increased transparency and accountability.

• Delegated voting models were discussed as a way to improve participation, inspired by systems like Optimism and Snapshot.

• Incentivized voting (e.g., cosmetic rewards, Discord perks) was proposed to encourage wider engagement.

2. Governance Pay Reform & Accountability

• Ideas were brought up to reduce council pay and introduce vesting structures (e.g., 3-month cliffs with linear unlocks).

• Missed responsibilities such as voting or attendance may carry consequences, including removal or peer evaluation.

• Objective is to promote long-term contributors and stronger performance tracking.

3. Fuel Economy & Community Trust

• Addressed growing concerns over fuel refunds, conversion clarity, and inflation within Illuvium Zero.

• Highlighted frustration from players about unfulfilled fuel reimbursements and lack of updates.

• ICC urged the IMC to provide better visibility into how revenue and refunds are being handled.

4. Arena Patch Feedback & Balance

• Mixed player reactions to the March Arena patch were discussed.

• Concerns included stability issues, rushed pacing, and overly strong units.

• ICC remains hopeful that follow-up patches will improve gameplay balance.

5. Rewards System Improvements

• Emphasis on inclusive reward systems to engage a broader audience.

• Bonus rewards for daily wins

• Goal is to balance rewards for casual players and competitive grinders.

6. Referral Program Improvements

• Non-sticky referral codes are reducing incentive for consistent referrals.

• ICC discussed improving stickiness and learning from other platforms with better retention models.

7. Influencer & Guild Engagement

• Ideas brought up to re-engage guilds, community leaders, and ambassadors through regular check-ins.

• Potential for biweekly feedback sessions and recognition-based incentives to build long-term involvement.

Voted Proposals Recap

[PASSED] IIP-74 Refund for Unused Fuel Purchased Below Minimum Rail Abstract:

This proposal recommends refunding unused fuel purchased below the new minimum price. These purchases occurred before a structured pricing model was implemented, allowing some players to buy at unsustainably low rates. Since the fuel revenue was never distributed, no clawback is needed—but as it impacts future distributions, governance approval is required. Estimated refund total: ~70 ETH.

Major Governance Discussions & Community Engagement

Communication Gaps & Solutions

• With Nick’s departure, the ICC noted a visible drop in communication from Illuvium Labs.

• Calls were made for clearer updates, faster confirmations on releases (e.g., Wave 4), and more direct IMC engagement with the community.

Wave 4 and Competitive Concerns

• Internal confirmation for Beyond Wave 4’s release timeline is pending.

• Discussion ongoing around Battle Pass plans, tournament sustainability, and concerns over Illuvial leveling requirements for competitive play.

Helpful Links

• Governance Hub: https://gov.illuvium.io/#/

• Council Chambers: Illuvium Discord Governance

Next Steps

• Finalize Governance V4 Framework – Prepare updated governance model and compensation reforms.

• Fuel Economy Clarifications – Coordinate with IMC to provide transparency on reimbursements and revenue flows.

• Wave 4 Communications – Ensure the next wave launch is clearly communicated with confirmed internal timelines.

• Referral & Rewards Overhaul – Continue developing more inclusive and sticky engagement loops.