According to Claudio Riff, CEO of Pooky, a blockchain-powered sports prediction game, gaming is a potential blockchain and web3 without dealing with the associated complexity. It may be one of the most effective ways to give users an experience.
Onboarding to Web3 through games
Noting the appeal of the gaming industry and its reported market size of over $200 billion in 2021, the CEO ofPookysaid that blockchain-based games, he hypothesized that more games could “put a critical mass of users on the Web3.”
In a written response sent to Bitcoin. com News via Whatsapp,Claudio RiffTsujimura, an early stage investor, explained why the use of games in education about Web3 technology is considered more effective than traditional methods. He also presented the differences between the new phenomena of sports betting and sports prediction, and why the latter is considered a better game.
Below are Riff’s responses to questions from Bitcoin. com News.
Bitcoin. com News (BCN). In your opinion, what is the biggest hurdle to mass adoption of Web3 technology?
Claudio Riff (CR). The biggest hurdle to increased adoption of Web3 technologies is the user experience. The need to navigate multiple interfaces, including wallets, exchanges, and Dapps, can be confusing and intimidating for users unfamiliar with blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, the complexity of the vocabulary associated with Web3 technologies can be a significant obstacle for potential users.
To promote adoption, the language and concepts associated with blockchain and cryptocurrency need to be simplified to create an intuitive onboarding experience that guides users. Also, to bridge the gap between crypto and fiat, a seamless on-ramp and off-ramp can be created that allows users to easily swap between the two.
Successful Web2 platforms create a user experience that is easy to understand and navigate, even if the underlying technology (the Internet) is complex. Applying these principles to Web3 technologies can create a more accessible and user-friendly ecosystem to facilitate adoption and growth.
BCN: Why do you think games are key to mass adoption of Web3? Also, in what ways do Web3 games help educate players about blockchain technology and Web3
CR:Games are a powerful tool to engage people because they provide a fun, interactive experience and can be easily customized to players’ interests and preferences. Games have been used for decades as an educational tool 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, motivating people to keep playing and learning.
Additionally, the gaming industry has the potential to drive mass adoption of Web3 technologies because of its large and diverse user base. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry and is used by millions of people around the world; by incorporating Web3 technology into games, developers can increase awareness and adoption of distributed technology to a wider audience.
Pooky believes that by linking the world of sports with games, more people can be educated about blockchain technology and Web3. Players can learn about on-chain transactions, cryptocurrency wallets, and earning mechanics while enjoying the excitement of predicting sports outcomes.
By making the gaming experience fun and interactive, we create a safe space for players to try out and learn about Web3 technologies. at Pooky, we are also working to bridge the gap between gaming and Web3 technologies by leveraging the power of play. believe we can facilitate the mass adoption of distributed technologies.
BCN: Sports forecasting is often confused with sports betting. What exactly is the difference here?
CR:Games like Pooky revolve around sports predictions, but they are not traditional betting platforms. Instead of betting money on inaccurate predictions, players compete for rewards on weekly leaderboards. The goal is to provide an alternative to traditional betting platforms in the form of games.
We will build Pooky using blockchain technology to enhance the gameplay and offer monetization possibilities to players through the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFT). In addition, we are a “free-to-play” game, meaning players can play without spending money, but to take advantage of higher revenue competitions, players must own Pooky NFTs.
Owning a Pooky NFT does not involve a financial sacrifice, as it always retains its value in the secondary market, and is different from traditional gambling, where there is a risk of losing the money wagered. In other words, for a game to be regulated as a form of betting or gambling, players usually have to make a financial wager or financial sacrifice on the game.
In sports prediction games, however, players have neither of these elements. Specifically, players cannot lose NFTs during the game, so there are no wagers, and NFTs are always tradable on the secondary market, so there is no financial sacrifice. Thus, Pooky is not subject to the same regulation as traditional forms of wagering or gambling.
BCN: What is a no-risk sports prediction model?
CR:A no-risk sports prediction model is designed to eliminate the risk of losing assets during a prediction game. To participate in the high reward league, players must hold a Pooky NFT, aka Pookyball, which entitles them to participate in the game. If players use their skills and employ the right strategy, they are ranked and rewarded from a pool that is filled by taking a percentage of various spends in the app.
The value of NFTs comes with a risk, but that risk is limited because the more you participate in Pooky games, the more PXP (experience) you gain and the more you can upgrade your NFTs by increasing the boost effect on the points earned in the prediction game. Thus, the reward is not only the skill, but also the time invested in the platform; the value of the NFT depends on the offer and demand in the secondary market, as well as on the popularity of the game. We believe in the power of the game to attract the largest community of sports fans in the world.
BCN: Compared to Web2, Web3 games introduce new elements such as on-chain assets and behaviors that are more difficult to optimize for the best user experience. So how did you ensure a great player experience and how did you improve engagement?
CR:We ensure a great player experience by incorporating player feedback and continually iterating the game to add new features without complicating the experience. Our approach has improved engagement by simplifying the onboarding process and gradually introducing and anticipating new features and new leagues. As a result, we are seeing increased engagement each week and have had nearly 5,000 active unique predicts in recent weeks.
In addition, the number of predictions made by users has steadily increased with each passing week. Currently, the number of predictions in the application has reached 700,000 and is expected to surpass 1,000,000 by early April. This trend is indicative of the platform’s growing popularity and the engaging nature of the gameplay experience offered by Pooky.
Additionally, our high engagement rate is evidenced by player participation in activities that complement the game loop, such as NFT level-ups and asset recompression, with over 30% of players already leveling up in-game, which high engagement with the platform and validates our game design.
BCN: Do you see app-specific blockchains such as Polygon Supernets, Avalanche subnets, and Binance’s bnb application sidechain (BAS) as having a role in accelerating the growth of Web3 games?
CR:App-specific blockchains could play an important role in accelerating the growth of web3games. 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 advanced games that are not possible on the main Ethereum network due to scalability limitations.
For example, we chose Polygon because it enables fast, low-cost transactions that allow for seamless in-game purchases and asset transactions.Overall, an app-specific blockchain can provide the scalability, performance, and flexibility needed to facilitate the growth of Web3 games.
BCN: Now, about the gaming guilds, these are credited with helping to bring blockchain gaming to the masses, but I don’t see many successful Web3 games. Where are they failing?
CR:Overall, gaming guilds have played an important role in the proliferation of Web3 games, but there are still some challenges to overcome before these games can become mainstream. These include improving the user experience, enhancing gameplay and content, and improving interoperability across different platforms.
One of the key challenges is the complexity of blockchain technology, which can intimidate and confuse users who are not familiar with it. This can discourage potential players because of the high barriers to entry and steep learning curve. To address this issue, our priority is to make blockchain technology seamless and easy to use. We offer credit card payment solutions in addition to direct crypto payments and help users create wallets using social login. We also plan to sponsor gas prices while educating users on these core concepts.
Another challenge is the lack of engaging gameplay and content in many Web3 games. This can feel repetitive and boring over time, limiting their appeal and longevity. To address this issue, we have introduced a complementary game loop that incorporates new elements such as energy and pressure. We also plan to gradually transition to a creator’s economy by introducing a meta-game feature that will allow players to take on different roles and interact in a more meaningful way.
To further enhance the social nature of the game, we will soon introduce a “Rivals” feature that will allow players to compete directly against other players, followed by the creation of customizable private leagues where players can compete against members of the community.
By addressing these challenges, we are working to create a more accessible and engaging Web3 gaming experience for all players.
Image credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
