Defeating Lengthy Game Developer Transaction Times with Blockchain
The gaming industry is broken. Like many creative industries, it is the creator who tends to lose out when big audiences and big dollars come into play. Getting a game from concept to code to completion takes many hours, but in the majority of instances, it takes even longer for game creators to actually receive payment for the work they do. Most game developers, for example, continue to wait up to six months to settle payment for their work. This is unacceptable and simply does not need to be so.
A system for gamers, by gamers, is the only way to rebalance this equation — and something ALAX strives for. The mobile platform, launched in May, has usability and convenience at the heart of its design. Developers have the opportunity to directly upload games onto the platform and collect payment from users as the game is purchased.
This means game creators are directly connected with their market and receive income from their work as it is bought and played. The instant payments then flow on to the game developer, allowing them to continue to do what they do best: develop new games.
It is this direct exchange between game player and game developer which cuts out the middleman and cuts out the fees imposed by major game companies or six-month wait periods for payments. This platform not only supports that connection between gamer and developer but actively brings new content to populations who otherwise do not have access to the gaming industry.
There are about 2 billion unbanked adults in the world, according to the World Bank Global Finance Index. This means 2 billion people have no access to traditional means of banking such as bank accounts, credit cards or debit cards. However, many in this subset do have relatively easy access to cash and 3G/LTE smartphones — and this is exactly what ALAX is going after.
The mobile gaming platform has deals in the developing world, including mobile providers in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, which paves the way for ALAX to come pre-installed on millions of smartphones. This means banks will be no obstacle for people to buy and play games since they can bypass the system directly from their phones. This is undoubtedly a huge market and one which game developers are able to cater to directly through the mobile platform.
Creative industries shouldn’t mistreat the content creators. The internet is the ultimate medium and blockchain the ultimate disruptor. In fact, many creators are turning to blockchain to ensure their digital rights. Look at songwriter Bjork, who recently released an album in conjunction with a cryptocurrency and gave customers a share of the tokens, kickstarting interest in blockchain-based media. Or the example set by Grammy-winning DJ RAC, who launched his new album using the blockchain platform Ujo, built on Ethereum.
These are strategies which give power back to the creator to rethink what media creation and sharing can be tomorrow. Gaming fits into this conversation, with new platforms allowing worldwide distribution under the terms of the designer along with immediate payouts for all creative contributors involved in the development.
