{"id":28739,"date":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/?p=28739"},"modified":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","slug":"the-blockchain-gaming-stigma-is-lifting-ubisoft-backed-guild-of-guardians-targets-mainstream-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/?p=28739","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;The blockchain gaming stigma is lifting&#8217;: Ubisoft backed Guild of Guardians targets mainstream success"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"main-0\">\n<div class=\"clipboard-section\">\n<div class=\"clip-icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stockhead.com.au\/wp-content\/themes\/stockhead_lee_mic_v2\/images\/social-share\/check-icon.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Fantasy-action RPG Guild of Guardians already had a big rep within crypto gaming, but with backing from gaming-industry giant Ubisoft now stuffed in its quiver, the game looks to have levelled up. <em>Stockhead<\/em> spoke with its Game Director, Derek Lau\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>Hi Derek. Okay, the old \u201celevator pitch\u201d question\u2026 can you please describe <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guildofguardians.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Guild of Guardians <\/a>(GoG for short) for me? Preferably before the lift in an imaginary two-storey building reaches ground floor?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No probs. Guild Of Guardians is a mobile, team, action RPG where players summon their team of Guardians, battle through dangerous dungeons, and join a guild to defend the fantasy world of Elderym.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ace. Sounds just like <em>The Rings of Power<\/em>, but without the architectural-based subplots and other boring bits. The lift seems stuck, so what else would you want to mention about it up front?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So far we have about 300,000 players on the waitlist, and the game is set to come out on mobile in 2023. It\u2019s completely free to play and is particularly unique in terms of how social the game is as well as the fact that there is real digital ownership in the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Digital asset-ownership is the way. I\u2019ve seen footage of the game and it looks like a frenetic, action-packed dungeon crawler. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gauntlet_(1985_video_game)\" rel=\"noopener\">Gauntlet<\/a> on steroids. What would you identify as its creative inspirations?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was inspired by a mixture of the best mobile <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gacha_game\" rel=\"noopener\">gacha games<\/a>, as well as Diablo and Dungeons &amp; Dragons. Think something akin to Diablo, but with non-fungible tokens [NFTs] bestowing genuine ownership over in-game assets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> However, Guild of Guardians also works hard to bring its own style and identity to the table. While it will be familiar to fantasy RPG fans, it\u2019s also unique and will definitely forge its own personality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"jeg_video_container jeg_video_content\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"GOG Gameplay Pre-Alpha Footage (17 Nov)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FTwX0MX4YdE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018The stigma around blockchain gaming is lifting\u2019<\/h2>\n<p><b>Tell us how the recent Ubisoft (Assassin\u2019s Creed; Far Cry) backing came about. What can you tell us about that? Are there any $$ figures you can attribute to it?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There aren\u2019t any figures I can share, but the backing came about as part of Ubisoft\u2019s sixth season of their Entrepreneurs Lab program. Guild of Guardians was chosen as one of the new startups working alongside the company to create the entertainment and technology of tomorrow. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ubisoft recognised the potential that GoG has to positively impact entertainment, develop social bonds, and offer opportunities for players to learn and explore Web3 in a sustainable and equitable way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Can you give us a sense of the magnitude of that backing and its importance to the GoG project?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah, working with Ubisoft is a major boost for what we\u2019re trying to do. While we are committed to success no matter what, there\u2019s no denying that having the support of such a big industry name will make it possible for us to reach more people and show them what Guild of Guardians is capable of. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We were also able to contribute to their program as well by sharing our own learnings and connecting with other Ubisoft-backed projects. So, to that end, it is quite significant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Do you see crossover between the mainstream\/traditional gaming sector and crypto\/NFT gaming beginning to strengthen?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I believe this is just the beginning of much more collaboration between the traditional gaming world and blockchain games. It\u2019s been slow, and many game companies are wary of change, but the stigma around blockchain gaming is lifting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traditional gaming publishers and developers are now considering ways to integrate web3 technology. The more we continue to show the world that GameFi doesn\u2019t need to be derivative or exploitative, the more developers will begin getting on board.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>But\u2026 NFT gaming critics might \u2018be right to worry\u2019 in some cases<\/h2>\n<p><b>The negativity shown towards NFTs and NFT economics from mainstream gamers is well known. Do you understand where it\u2019s coming from? And do you think that will subside in time?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are myriad reasons behind the stigma surrounding NFTs. First and foremost is the precedent of gamers getting exploited by companies through things like loot boxes and pay-to-win gaming. They hear NFTs and think they\u2019re micro transactions 2.0. What\u2019s worse is they may, in some cases, be right to worry. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the wrong hands, NFTs really could become an extension of the worst elements that have sprung up around monetised gaming.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But it doesn\u2019t have to be this way, and that\u2019s a big part of what we want to show with Guild of Guardians. We\u2019re creating a game with a balanced in-game economy that lets users build meaningful value without incentivising just farming the platform for profit. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If gamers and other developers can see a popular title implement blockchain and NFTs in a way that is actually enhancing the experience, then they will almost certainly understand its benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>So getting the in-game economy right \u2013 is the main thing you think blockchain gaming needs to accomplish in order to foster the growth of this sub-sector of crypto?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Well I actually think creators and players seeing a fun, working game on the market will be a big part of the overall acceptance and subsequent growth of web3 gaming. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But building better infrastructure for these titles will definitely also be important. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Right now, everything is kind of experimental, but not every company wants to reinvent the wheel. Fostering sustainable practices and creating infrastructure for future IPs will help the field grow. So far we are one of the most anticipated and forward-looking games, and we aim to continue to pave the way for others to follow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What does a well-balanced in-game economy look like for GoG?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">GoG is building a carefully weighted economy that mixes the ability to grow real value with incentives for reinvesting and continuing to engage. We don\u2019t want gamers to approach this like a job or a money-making scheme; we want them to come for entertainment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We think decentralised assets can enhance that, but they must be carefully implemented.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guild of Guardians will provide players with joy, entertainment and social value beyond just its economy, and that will lead to a sustainable economy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Built on Aussie-founded tech \u2013 Immutable X<\/h2>\n<p><b>GoG is published by <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/stockhead.com.au\/cryptocurrency\/crypto-funding-immutables-500m-gaming-boost-unizens-200m-raise-cryptoys-nfts-and-more\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Immutable<\/a> (an Aussie company) and builds on its Immutable X platform \u2013 that\u2019s correct isn\u2019t it? What benefits does that protocol bring to the game?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah, that\u2019s right. And building on Immutable X offers a wide range of benefits\u2026 It\u2019s a layer 2 solution for Ethereum, so we still get the security of the underlying Ethereum network while gaining a massive boost to throughput, clocking in at around 9,000 transactions per second. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, there are also no network fees for minting or transferring NFTs, which is incredibly important for building functioning GameFi economies. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Best of all, though, the network is completely carbon neutral, which will help with the current image of NFT platforms being bad for the environment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>As will Ethereum\u2019s Merge to proof of stake, no doubt.\u00a0<\/strong><b>Can you summarise the main factors you think will make GoG a success?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So we have close to 300,000 players already registered, with over 600,000 members joining our broader social media community. We have a strong team and are well funded, with $24 million [USD] in sales and with Immutable recently completing a $200 million Series C. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We have complete confidence in the game, as our early demos have shown promising metrics and feedback from our player community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018The pie is big enough for everyone\u2019<\/h2>\n<p><b>What will success will look like for GoG? Mainstream adoption?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For us, success means building an incredible game that onboards millions of players to web3. So, yes, that means paving the way for mainstream adoption by the rest of the gaming industry, and eventually expanding GoG into more than just a single mobile game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s coming up for GoG that has you pumped? Any eSports tournaments on the horizon, for instance?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We have a few really exciting partnership announcements lined up, which we\u2019ll detail soon. And, of course, we\u2019re looking forward to the game\u2019s official launch. Once that happens, there will be a variety of tournaments, contests, and other events to keep users engaged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Where do you think GoG sits in the GameFi landscape? Is competition for attention fierce? Any crossover possibilities with other games\/metaverse projects?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While all entertainment products are technically competitors for users\u2019 attention, we also know that Guild of Guardians will be entering into a whole ecosystem of other games that players will explore in Web3. Ultimately, the pie is big enough for everyone, and we are competing with traditional mobile RPG games, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But yes, we feel that working with other titles is a great way to get exposure and help both ecosystems grow. Last year we partnered with The Sandbox to enable Guilds of Guardians heroes to become playable within the metaverse. We expect many more types of crossovers with other metaverse worlds in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018GoG can withstand the bear market\u2019<\/h2>\n<p><b>Finally, where do you think crypto\/web3 gaming is headed this year? Do you have faith that the good projects can survive the bear market and come out the other side stronger?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We see the bear market as a good time for projects to develop without the volatility or hype that rising asset prices tend to bring. Studios can work on having their infrastructure in place before the next major cycle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weaker projects, or those only created to extract value, tend to get washed out, making more room for authentic projects to thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Can GoG make it through some bear savaging relatively unscathed, even if a crypto winter sets in further?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We definitely see GoG as one of the projects that can withstand the bear market. We don\u2019t need the value of our assets to be the measure of our success. As long as there are gamers looking for meaningful and robust experiences, we don\u2019t plan on going anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">The views, information, or opinions expressed in the interview in this article are solely those of the interviewee and do not represent the views of Stockhead.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">Stockhead has not provided, endorsed or otherwise assumed responsibility for any financial product advice contained in this article.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"et_bloom_bottom_trigger\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"share-beneath-content show-in-desktop-only\">\n<div class=\"clipboard-section\">\n<div class=\"clip-icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stockhead.com.au\/wp-content\/themes\/stockhead_lee_mic_v2\/images\/social-share\/check-icon.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-form newsletter-form--isAfterContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__wrap\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__box\">\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"newsletter-form__close\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__main\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__head\">\n<h2>SUBSCRIBE<\/h2>\n<p>Get the latest Stockhead news delivered free to your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__form\">\n<div class=\"gf_browser_safari gform_wrapper gravity-theme\" id=\"gform_wrapper_2\">\n<div class=\"gform_heading\">\n<p class=\"gform_required_legend\">&#8220;<span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk\">*<\/span>&#8221; indicates required fields<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"after-gf-form-helper-text text-align-right\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIt&#8217;s free. 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Okay, the old \u201celevator pitch\u201d question\u2026 can you please describe Guild of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[38],"tags":[2511,73,74,11092,11091,11090,2475,11089,721,1142,1120],"class_list":["post-28739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blockchain","tag-backed","tag-blockchain","tag-gaming","tag-guardians","tag-guild","tag-lifting","tag-mainstream","tag-stigma","tag-success","tag-targets","tag-ubisoft"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Screen-Shot-2022-09-12-at-12.37.02-am-3.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28739"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28741,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28739\/revisions\/28741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}