MetaCene's Quest to Revolutionize the Gaming Industry with Blockchain

Ishan Pandey: Hi Qunzhao Tan, I am delighted to welcome you to our "Behind the Startup" series. Can you tell us about the motivation behind MetaCene?

Alan Tan: Thank you for including me in this series. The motivation behind MetaCene comes from my deep passion for gaming and my experience contributing to China's MMO market, having co-founded China's first Nasdaq-listed game company. I am supported by a team comprised of veterans from industry giants like Blizzard, Shanda Games, and Perfect World, and we share a mission to create an expansive online world where players can genuinely contribute to building a vibrant virtual society. We're excited by Web3 gaming's potential to solve traditional gaming issues like digital ownership and co-governance, aiming for a more sustainable economy and real engagement, making gaming experiences richer and more meaningful for everyone involved.

Ishan Pandey: Could you elaborate on the key features that set MetaCene apart from other gaming platforms, especially in terms of digital ownership, creativity, and the integration of blockchain technology?

Alan Tan: MetaCene stands out with a blend of digital ownership, creativity, and the seamless integration of blockchain technology. Players enjoy true ownership of their assets, with the freedom to trade openly and fairly, fostering a sense of community and trust within our platform. We're enhancing this by developing a dedicated trading platform to streamline transactions and protect against any form of manipulation.

Our approach to creativity focuses on community participation, particularly through our Realms Server Network. This enables players and guilds to actively participate in server building, governance, and even revenue sharing. It's a model that not only makes players a crucial part of MetaCene's operations but also significantly enriches our ecosystem.

On the technology front, MetaCene leverages blockchain to create a decentralized publication network across top public blockchains and gaming-focused chains, ensuring robust infrastructure for on-chain game logic and operations. This, combined with our multi-channel distribution across mobile, cloud, PC, and an integrated Web2+Web3 go-to-market strategy, positions us uniquely in the market. Lastly, our focus on delivering superior gameplay, an expansive world map, and a diverse array of encounters and storylines ensures that MetaCene stands out as a high-quality gaming platform first, while also stimulating our game economy and attracting dedicated players.

Ishan Pandey: MetaCene has demonstrated rapid growth during its Alpha Tests, with an increasing number of participating players and daily average gaming time. How do you plan to sustain and build on this momentum leading up to the Commercial Version 1.0 release?

Alan Tan: We've continued to make consistent and significant progress, notably with the launch of our second NFT collection, Cece Cube, the introduction of a Google Chrome mini-game xMetaCene, and a collaboration on Cryptopedia with OKX. Our approach has been to relentlessly pursue our next milestones while enhancing the content, product, and overall experience for our community.

Our alpha tests are meticulously designed with specific missions and goals in mind. These phases are crucial for stress-testing our asset network and server performance, fine-tuning the balance and excitement of gameplay, and enhancing game operations and project quality based on community feedback. Equally important is our focus on identifying the most vibrant and sustainable economic model for our ecosystem. As we prepare for Alpha Testing 3, which will be accessible on both mobile and PC, we're eager to incorporate the lessons learned and feedback gathered to further refine our game.

Ishan Pandey: How do the collaborations with Mocaverse, YGG, and Ancient8 contribute to MetaCene's expansion, and what exciting developments can players anticipate as a result of these partnerships in the upcoming releases?

Alan Tan: Our collaborations with Mocaverse, YGG, and Ancient8 play a pivotal role in MetaCene's expansion, each bringing unique value to our ecosystem. The partnership with Mocaverse, for example, is set to enhance ecosystem interoperability significantly, enabling players to teleport into MetaCene using their Moca ID and benefit from other upcoming collaborative rewards.

Working with YGG and Ancient8, communities at the heart of MetaCene's development, has been incredibly rewarding. These guilds, as our long-standing partners, have been actively involved in our community discussions from the beginning. Their participation in our alpha tests, coupled with the invaluable feedback and insights they've provided, has been instrumental in shaping our direction. This highlights the essence of Web3 gaming—where the community and players are not just participants but co-creators of the gaming world.

Ishan Pandey: Could you share more details about the Realms NFT collection and how it ties into MetaCene's broader vision of player-centric entertainment and creativity?

Alan Tan: To fulfill MetaCene's commitment to fostering player-centric entertainment and creativity, the Realms NFT collection introduces a transformative aspect to the gaming experience. This collection empowers guilds, investors, and community members by granting them governance and operational rights over their servers. These player-controlled servers are designed to offer unique experiences through exclusive assets, visuals, and gameplay elements, distinct from those on official servers. Moreover, they allow for the expression of regional cultures, adding depth and diversity to players' adventures within MetaCene. Therefore, Realms NFTs symbolize server governance and operation rights, managed by players, guilds, and investors with MetaCene team support.

Additionally, through AI-powered in-game editors, players can tailor their servers to mirror their creativity and personality, opening up possibilities for branding promotions, IP collaborations, virtual events, and more. This approach to game design and participation ensures that the content within MetaCene is infinitely expandable, aligning perfectly with our broader vision of creating a gaming environment where player engagement and creativity are prioritized.

Ishan Pandey: How do you plan to foster collaboration and innovation among creators within the MetaCene ecosystem?

Alan Tan: To nurture collaboration and innovation among creators within the MetaCene ecosystem, we're implementing several strategic initiatives. Firstly, we're introducing Realms NFT co-creation rights I mentioned coupled with a creator incentive model, including server revenue sharing. By providing creators with a stake in their creative work, we're confident they will gain a sense of ownership and partnership within the MetaCene universe. Furthermore, we're expanding the open-world content through World Island, an integral component of the upcoming MetaCene core world map.

This expansion is designed to incorporate User-Generated Content (UGC) and Land NFTs, once again offering creators a canvas to express their creativity and contribute to the game's diversity and richness. In addition to these in-game strategies, we are actively engaging our community of creators through various platforms. By hosting limited edition events, campaigns, and collaborations on social media, we aim to extend the MetaCene IP beyond the confines of the game.

Ishan Pandey: In the context of the broader crypto market, how do you foresee the recent surge in cryptocurrency prices impacting the blockchain gaming industry, and what strategies does MetaCene have in place to navigate potential challenges associated with market fluctuations?

Alan Tan: The recent surge in cryptocurrency prices, notably Bitcoin reaching all-time highs amid US ETF approvals and more anticipated clarity with crypto policies globally, injects unprecedented vitality into the crypto market. This has opened doors for financial institutions to invest in crypto, surpassing expectations and presenting new opportunities for the blockchain gaming industry. With the anticipation that other cryptocurrencies haven't peaked yet, we're excited about the potential rise of high-quality Web3 gaming projects. The warming market is setting the stage for a bull market's full effect on Web3 gaming, drawing more attention and discussions among non-Web3 users.

At MetaCene, we view these developments as a critical moment to foster true mass adoption of blockchain games. Our strategy to navigate potential market fluctuations focuses on continuous innovation and maintaining our commitment to offering a rich, engaging gaming experience. While we'll leverage the heightened market interest to expand our community and introduce more players to the unique benefits of blockchain gaming, it's the quality of our game that will keep players once that hype quiets down.

Ishan Pandey: Regulatory scrutiny in the crypto industry is increasing. How does MetaCene navigate regulatory challenges, especially concerning issues like digital asset ownership and in-game economies?

Alan Tan: MetaCene embraces the evolving landscape with an approach toward compliance and broader acceptance. This shift towards greater regulatory clarity isn't a challenge; it's an opportunity that brings us closer to achieving universal mass adoption of Web3 projects. Our approach has always been to bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3, ensuring our platform is accessible and appealing to a wide audience. We're extending our presence beyond the crypto space, aiming for listings on mainstream Web2 application platforms such as Google Play and the Apple App Store, alongside over 20 traditional game distribution platforms including Steam and Epic Games Store.

When it comes to digital asset ownership and managing in-game economies, our strategy is centered on continuous experimentation and balance. Our goal is to cater to all players—be they dedicated Web2 gamers or Web3 enthusiasts familiar with crypto—providing an inclusive gaming experience where the dynamics of 'play' and 'earn' coexist. With this balanced approach, we provide an environment where everyone can enjoy the full spectrum of what our platform has to offer.

Ishan Pandey: Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of blockchain gaming, and how do you plan to stay at the forefront of innovation in this rapidly evolving industry?

Alan Tan: There's the concept of fully on-chain gaming, which aligns with the 'textbook' vision of blockchain games. This demands substantial hardware and infrastructure capabilities, and we're still on the brink of seeing fully on-chain projects that combine high quality with commercial readiness for mass adoption.

On the other hand, MetaCene represents what some might describe as a 'Web2.5' approach. We merge the quality, playability, and longevity of Web2 AAA titles with the innovative realms of Web3. Leveraging our team's extensive background in traditional game development, operations, and project management, MetaCene is uniquely positioned to lead this hybrid path towards mainstream blockchain gaming. By also observing and learning from the pioneers in the Web3 gaming space, we find both inspiration and direction. These lessons not only inform our strategy but also fuel our drive to maintain a position of leadership. As the industry evolves, MetaCene plans to continue leveraging our strengths and adapting to emerging technologies and trends, ensuring that we set an example in shaping the future of blockchain gaming.

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