This Crypto Gaming PC Will Self-Destruct on Command

B3, a layer-3 gaming protocol built on Ethereum network Base by former Coinbase employees, announced Tuesday that it has acquired gaming PC manufacturer Andromeda Insights to help fuel its push into hardware. And it’s starting with a crypto-focused PC setup, complete with a storage drive that can self-destruct at the press of a button.

The move is designed to enable B3 to capture the entire gaming stack—protocol, games, and hardware—while providing Andromeda with additional resources to meet product demands.

“B3’s strategic investment in a U.S.-based, high-performance PC rig maker is a long-term bet on where gaming is headed not just in graphics, but in computation. AAA titles increasingly demand real-time rendering, simulation, and multiplayer orchestration at 4K+ fidelity. But that’s just the baseline,” Daryl Xu, co-founder of NPC Labs and core contributor to B3’s protocol, told Decrypt.

Xu added that the protocol’s team believes artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a “core gameplay primitive,” and that owning the PC hardware stack will allow B3 to “purpose-build for that future and do it in a way that blends crypto and AI natively.”

Its first hardware device, the B3PC, will include distinctive features specifically designed for crypto, like its self-destruct storage drive that can be instantly wiped, removing valuable and sensitive data in the process.

“The B3PC’s self-destruct feature includes two options: a secure digital wipe that continues even through power cuts, and a physical destruction protocol that literally fries the NAND flash chips via high voltage,” said Xu. “Once triggered, data is gone, forever. That kind of finality is important when you’re securing high-value assets or sensitive key material.”

While the whole gaming rig won’t be destroyed in the process, the storage will be toast and will need to be replaced. But that might be a relatively modest expense compared to the value of your digital assets if compromised. The self-destruct button will be located behind a protective cover, according to the official website.

The device will also maintain a built-in hardware wallet, hardware encryption, pre-installed support for on-chain games, and an optional offline and airgapping mode for sensitive transactions.

“The B3PC ships with a hardware-grade wallet integrated directly into the operating system. It supports secure signing, local key storage, and full transaction isolation,” said Xu. “From day one, it’s optimized for the B3 ecosystem and the Base chain, where we’re focusing early gameplay and developer activity.”

Preorders for the B3PC are open now via a $200 deposit, with devices expected to ship in Q1 of 2026.

Built by former members of the Base team, Coinbase’s layer-2 Ethereum network, B3 is a gaming-focused protocol and gaming network built as a layer-3 on top of Base. The protocol supports at least 80 games, including future games tied to notable Web3 IP like InfiniGods and Parallel.

B3 launched its native token—B3—in February, granting holders and stakers benefits throughout its ecosystem, like early access to games.

Edited by Andrew Hayward