Forget everything you know. We are transforming blockchain gaming.
Russ Harding, Chief Creative Officer, Emergent Games
The news is out. This week we launched new blockchain studio Emergent Games with the promise to attract 2.7bn gamers for epic future experiences in the digital world.
Since launch — and amidst the general delirium of a new studio launch — I’ve been asked a lot about its philosophy. There are an ever increasing number of blockchain gaming businesses out there — so what makes us different? How are we hoping to get huge numbers of gamers, many of whom are quite cynical about crypto, on board and engaged?
I thought I’d share our philosophy here.
We intend to be a studio that puts the game first.
Which means that the gameplay experience is our biggest priority. High quality, high impact, high production values; we will deliver AAA, free-to-play products that gamers will love. Easy to pick up and play, and hard to put down.
It then becomes the player’s choice as to whether they engage with the crypto elements of our game and earn “real” money and amass ownable digital assets (NFTs).
We know blockchain gaming is becoming increasingly popular, yet it remains exclusive and inaccessible for many.
And that’s a pertinent aspect of our ‘game first’ philosophy. We intend to demystify the complex world of blockchain gaming. Making the platform easier to navigate and more appealing.
We plan to eradicate the friction caused by having to sign up for crypto wallets, not to mention the need for an in-depth understanding of how to transact with and store different NFTs and cryptocurrencies (also called tokens). Players can just jump in and be completely immersed. We then assign them a wallet and they decide how to use it. Whether they fold it into their existing wallet, exchange it for NFTs, or just carry on playing the game.They get to choose. And that’s important.
The mobile gaming market pioneered the similar notion of free-to-play games, and this translates well to blockchain gaming, as we can bring players along and not intimidate them with crypto technology. So, it’s our intention to develop this for the benefit of all players, Web3 or traditional, current and future.
Making games that are fun to play is important.
We also bring a wealth of development knowledge and experience. Our team has launched hundreds of successful games. This is surprisingly unique in the blockchain gaming space. We always encourage people to look at teams behind gaming projects and see what they’ve done previously. Because making great games isn’t easy.
We intend to be open with the community through social media channels (Discord, Twitter, etc.). Testing ideas and sharing early concepts, to see how they are received. It gives players a deeper engagement with the development of the game and creates a much stronger appeal, which helps us make better games.
Our studio is intent on making games that are fun, enjoyable, and super-immersive. Our first game Resurgence empowers players to craft their own destiny in a unique community survival experience. They can interact, collaborate, work and trade with others or they can go in alone. They get to navigate their own journey in a compelling narrative, making decisions and determining outcomes. This is something we call ‘story living’, and is also at the heart of our philosophy.
We are also looking at what the blockchain means for gamers, and how it can enhance the experience. For example, NFTs are completely trackable, their history is recorded automatically. A player will know, for instance, if they use the first knife to slay a problematic wild mutant bear. That same knife then becomes iconic and has a unique and resonant value, proven by its history recorded on the blockchain. The player may choose to keep the knife, sell it for tokens or exchange it for another in game item.
The underlying point is that the player’s experience is first and foremost, always. They are in control. We empower them to have a unique gaming experience.
There are not many accessible high-quality games on the blockchain market, and we intend to change that.
And that’s our ‘game first’ philosophy!
About Russ: Formerly Creative Director/Executive Producer at Sony’s London Studio, where he directed Sony’s critically acclaimed ventures into the world of Virtual Reality on PlayStation. Notable games include Ocean Descent, and the bestseller — The London Heist.
