Blockchain Games Key to Onboarding a ‘Critical Mass of Users on Web3’ – Claudio Riff – Interview Bitcoin News

According to Claudio Riff, CEO of Pooky, a sports prediction game powered by blockchain, games can be one of the more effective ways to get users to experience the potential of blockchain and Web3 without dealing with the associated complexities.

Introducing people to Web3 through games

Citing the gaming industry’s appeal and reported market value of over $200 billion by 2021, Pooky’s CEO postulated that having more blockchain-based games could potentially help “onboard a critical mass of users on the Web3.”

In written responses sent to Bitcoin.com News via Whatsapp, Claudio Riff, an early-stage investor, explained why using games to educate users about Web3 technologies is believed to be more effective than doing it the conventional way. He also highlighted the difference between sports betting and a new phenomenon known as sports prediction and why the latter is seen as a better bet.

Below are Riff’s responses to the questions from Bitcoin.com News.

Bitcoin.com News (BCN): In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle to mass adoption of Web3 technologies?

Claudio Riff (CR): The biggest obstacle to increasing the use of Web3 technologies is the user experience. The need to interact with multiple interfaces, including wallets, exchanges and Dapps, can be confusing and intimidating for users unfamiliar with blockchain and cryptocurrency. In addition, the complexity of the vocabulary associated with Web3 technologies can be a significant block for potential users.

To increase adoption, we need to simplify the language and concepts associated with blockchain and cryptocurrency and create intuitive onboarding experiences that guide users through the process of getting started. We can also bridge the gap between crypto and fiat by creating seamless on- and off-ramps that allow users to easily switch between the two.

Successful Web2 platforms have created user experiences that are easy to understand and navigate even though the underlying technology (Internet) is also complex. By applying these principles to Web3 technologies, we can create a more accessible and user-friendly ecosystem that encourages adoption and growth.

BCN: What are the reasons to believe that games are the key to mass adoption of Web3 and in what ways do Web3 games help educate players about blockchain technology and Web3?

CR: Games are a powerful tool for engaging people because they provide a fun and interactive experience that can be easily customized to a player’s interests and preferences. Games have been used for decades as educational tools to help people learn new skills, concepts, and behaviors. The success of educational games can be attributed to the fact that they make learning fun and engaging, which motivates people to keep playing and learning.

Furthermore, the gaming industry has the potential to drive mass adoption of Web3 technologies due to its massive and diverse user base. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that reaches millions of people worldwide. By integrating Web3 technologies into games, developers can expose a wider audience to decentralized technologies and help drive adoption.

At Pooky, we believe that by connecting our game to the world of sports, we can reach an even wider audience and help educate them about blockchain technology and Web3. Our players can learn about chain transactions, cryptocurrency wallets and earning mechanisms while enjoying the thrill of predicting sports results.

By making the gaming experience fun and interactive, we create a safe place for players to experiment and learn about Web3 technology. At Pooky, we are also committed to bridging the gap between games and Web3 technology, and we believe that by harnessing the power of play, we can drive mass adoption of decentralized technologies.

BCN: Sports predictions can easily be confused with sports betting. What exactly is the difference here?

CR: A game like Pooky revolves around sports predictions, but it is not a traditional betting platform. Instead of risking money with wrong predictions, players compete on weekly leaderboards for rewards. The aim is to offer an alternative to traditional betting platforms in the form of a game.

We have built Pooky using blockchain technology to improve gameplay and offer monetization opportunities to our players through the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFT). Also, ours is a “free to play” game, meaning players don’t need to spend money to play, but owning a Pooky NFT is required to access higher-earning contests.

Owning a Pooky NFT is not a financial sacrifice, as it always has value on the secondary market, which is different from traditional gambling, where the money wagered is at risk of being lost. In short, for a game to be regulated as a form of betting or gambling, players must usually have a financial stake or financial sacrifice in the game.

But with a sports prediction game, players have none of these elements. In particular, players cannot lose NFTs during the game, so there is no stake, and the NFTs are always tradable on the secondary market, so there is no financial sacrifice. Therefore, Pooky is not subject to the same rules as traditional forms of betting or gambling.

BCN: What is a risk-free prediction model and how does it work?

CR: A risk-free sports prediction model is designed to eliminate the risk of losing assets during the prediction game. To participate in high reward leagues, players must have a Pooky NFT also known as Pookyball which entitles them to participate in the game. If players use their skills and use the right strategy, they can rank up and earn rewards from a pool that is filled by taking a percentage of the various in-app spends.

Although there is a risk associated with the value of NFT, this risk is limited because the more players engage in the Pooky game, the more PXP (experience points) they earn, opening the possibility to upgrade NFT by increasing boost- the effect. on points earned in the prediction game. Therefore, not only skills, but also the time invested in the platform are therefore rewarded. The value of NFT depends on the supply and demand on the secondary market, which in turn will depend on the popularity of the game. We are convinced by the power of our game to bring together the largest sports fan community in the world.

BCN: Compared to Web2, Web3 games introduce new elements such as onchain resources and behavior, making it even more difficult to optimize for the best user experience. So how do you ensure a good player experience and how has it improved engagement?

CR: We ensure a great player experience by incorporating feedback from our players and continuously iterating the game to add new features without complicating the experience. Our approach has improved engagement by simplifying the onboarding process and gradually introducing new features and new leagues to predict. As a result, we have seen an increase in weekly engagement, with close to 5,000 active unique predictors in recent weeks.

Furthermore, we have observed a steady growth week-to-week in the number of predictions made by our users. Currently, the total number of predictions in the app is 700,000, and we expect to surpass the 1 million mark in early April. This trend is indicative of the growing popularity of the platform and the engaging nature of the gaming experience offered by Pooky.

Our level of engagement is further confirmed by the fact that players participate in additional game loops, such as leveling their NFTs, leaving pressure on their assets and participating in other activities. With over 30% of players already progressing through the game, this indicates high engagement with the platform and serves to validate our game design.

BCN: Do you think app-specific blockchains like Polygon Supernets, Avalanche subnets, and Binance’s bnb application sidechain (BAS) have a role in accelerating the growth of Web3 games?

CR: App-specific blockchains have the potential to play a significant role in accelerating the growth of Web3 games. These blockchains are designed to provide a more efficient and scalable infrastructure for Dapps, which is essential for gaming platforms that require high throughput and low latency.

By leveraging these specialized blockchains, game developers can build more complex and sophisticated games that are not possible on the Ethereum network due to its scalability limitations.

For example, we chose Polygon because of its fast and affordable transactions that can enable seamless in-game purchases and asset trading. Overall, app-specific blockchains can provide the scalability, performance, and flexibility needed to drive the growth of Web3 gaming.

BCN: Now with regards to gaming guilds, it has been said that these have helped bring blockchain games to the masses, but we haven’t seen many successful Web3 games. Where do they fail?

CR: Overall, the game guilds have played an important role in promoting the use of Web3 games, but there are still several challenges that need to be solved for these games to achieve mainstream success. These include improving the user experience, improving gameplay and content, and increasing interoperability across different platforms.

A significant challenge is the complexity of blockchain technology, which can intimidate and confuse users unfamiliar with it. This creates a high barrier to entry and a steep learning curve, deterring potential players. To solve this problem, we have prioritized making blockchain technology seamless and easy to use. We offer payment solutions through credit cards in addition to direct crypto payments, and we help users create wallets using social logins. We also plan to sponsor gas taxes while educating users about these core concepts.

Another challenge is the lack of engaging gameplay and content in many Web3 games. This can make them feel repetitive and boring over time, limiting their appeal and longevity. To tackle this problem, we introduced supplementary game loops with new elements such as energy and pressure. We also plan to incorporate metagame features, which will allow players to take on different roles and interact with each other in more meaningful ways, slowly shifting towards a creator’s economy.

Furthermore, to increase the social aspect of the game, we are soon introducing “Rivals” a feature that will allow players to compete directly against other players, and later we will offer the ability to create customizable private leagues where players can compete with their community members.

Overall, by addressing these challenges, we are working towards creating a more accessible and engaging Web3 gaming experience for all players.

What are your thoughts on this interview? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Terence Zimwara

Terence Zimwara is a Zimbabwean award-winning journalist, writer and author. He has written extensively about the economic problems in some African countries, as well as how digital currencies can provide Africans with an escape route.