Balancing “Hype” and Quality in Blockchain Games: Lessons from AdaQuest’s Success

AdaQuest is a groundbreaking gaming company that merges the worlds of gaming and blockchain technology, offering players a unique experience centered around decentralized digital asset ownership. Founded by individuals with a passion for gaming, AdaQuest aims to empower gamers and revolutionize the industry by giving players complete control over their in-game assets. Through its comprehensive game design document and commitment to innovation, AdaQuest has established itself as a pioneer in the gaming industry. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Marcin Kugla for Games for Gamers Episode 8.

Marcin is an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in the gaming business. With a diverse background that includes positions such as Product Manager, Project Manager, Marketing Manager, and Sales & Biz Dev for major gaming companies like THQ, Ubisoft, and City Interactive, as well as startups in the tech sector focused on VR/AR, our guest speaker brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to the table. In this discussion, we will be delving into several exciting topics that are sure to spark the interest of gamers and industry enthusiasts alike.

The Story of AdaQuest

Starting at a young age and addicted to gaming, the founder of AdaQuest became obsessed with the idea of creating a gaming company. He started off as every other European kid with a Commodore 64 and grew to create a browser game with a contract from a large German print magazine. This was the birth of his passion for gaming and the beginning of his journey toward the creation of AdaQuest.

After working for various big gaming companies such as THQ Germany and Ubisoft, I started to become increasingly interested in blockchain and Cardano. However, many blockchain games didn’t really seem to have a use case in gaming. They were simply collectibles that people spent a lot of money on. Teaming up with a friend who I worked with on Ubisoft, we decided to create a small use case for NFTs on Cardano. We received funding from the Cardano Project Catalyst funding project which allowed us to hire more people and develop AdaQuest, our blockchain gaming company.- Marcin

Years later, after working with large gaming companies such as THQ, Ubisoft, and City Interactive, the founder’s interest in blockchain technology grew. He and a friend decided to start a stake pool on Cardano which eventually lead them to create a small use case for NFTs on the blockchain. This was the birth of AdaQuest, a gaming company focused on using Cardano and NFTs as a use case for their games.

Challenges arose, such as the technical struggle with a new technology like blockchain. However, they persevered and designed a whole game design document for all three different game modes. AdaQuest may have faced setbacks during the bear market, but their passion and determination will undoubtedly lead to great success.

Introduction to AdaQuest

AdaQuest is a blockchain-based gaming platform that offers gamers decentralized digital asset ownership. The platform’s main goal is to give power back to gamers by providing ownership of all digital assets earned in the game. Currently, AdaQuest has its mobile alpha out, which allows users to play on every device as a web app, and the team is looking to raise more investment and hire more people.

Three Game Modes

AdaQuest offers three game modes to cater to different types of gamers. The first is a casual mobile game that is turn-based and typically lasts for five minutes or less. The second game mode is a dungeon crawler that users can watch a prototype of on the platform’s YouTube channel. The last game mode is a strategic game similar to Age of Wonders or Warhammer Total War.

Interconnectivity of Game Modes

One of the main advantages of AdaQuest is that all three game modes are interconnected, and players earn points for their tribe in each mode. The tribe with the most points at the end of each season gets the biggest territory and, thus, the best rewards. All rewards in AdaQuest are digital assets, which users can own and trade on the blockchain, providing a unique gaming experience that emphasizes digital property rights. AdaQuest also offers several opportunities for collaboration with other projects, making the gaming experience ever-changing and exciting.

Crucial ingredients for a successful game

The Importance of Team Chemistry

In the gaming industry, having a team that works well together is crucial for success. As with any team sport, having a healthy chemistry can make all the difference. Unfortunately, finding the right people can be challenging. Hiring someone toxic can wreak havoc on the entire project, and thus, reacting quickly to remove them is essential for the safety of the team and the success of the project.

Generating Hype

Another crucial ingredient for a successful game is generating hype before investment funding. Generating this excitement and buzz is essential, but it’s not easy. In the gaming industry, luck plays a significant role in creating successful games. Being in the right place at the right time with the right people is imperative. Today, the gaming industry is constantly evolving, and people’s preferences change too. Hype can help overshadow smaller projects’ limitations and give them the push necessary to compete with AAA games.

The Future of Gaming

The next 20 years in the gaming industry are unpredictable but exciting. The industry is continually evolving, and the potential is enormous. Here are a few of Marcin’s predictions:

1. Focus on Gameplay: In the next 20 years, there is a growing trend toward smaller, agile teams creating AAA games with a greater emphasis on gameplay rather than just earning money. This shift is driven by the desire to provide gamers with a more immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.
2. Virtual and Augmented Reality: The future of gaming will see a significant integration of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies. The possibilities for these technologies, when combined with AI, are immense and have the potential to reshape how we interact with games and the world around us.
3. Hype and Investors: Hype plays a crucial role in attracting investors to gaming projects. While it may not necessarily attract traditional gamers, generating hype can secure the necessary funding to bring projects to life. However, it’s important to balance the need for hype with the focus on delivering a quality gaming experience.
4. Creating Hype for a Gaming Project: When creating hype for a gaming project, it’s important to start small, focus on quality, and engage with the gaming community. Building a loyal following, connecting with influencers, and participating in big events can generate buzz and excitement around the project.
5. Importance of Team Chemistry: Team chemistry is essential in the gaming industry. A healthy and collaborative team environment is crucial for the success of a game development project. Toxic team members can derail the entire project, so it’s important to act swiftly to prevent any negative impact.
6. MVP Approach: Starting small and releasing a minimum viable product (MVP) is a recommended approach in game development. This allows for early player feedback and validation of the project’s feasibility before investing significant time and resources. Axie Infinity is cited as an example of the success of this approach.
7. Ownership of Digital Assets: Giving gamers ownership and control over their digital assets is becoming increasingly important. Interoperability between games and the ability to use earned assets across different games can enhance the gaming experience and empower players.
8. Challenges in the Gaming Industry: The gaming industry has faced challenges in the past, such as limitations on content and distribution. In the present, challenges include finding suitable talent, especially in the context of remote work, and addressing the potential feelings of isolation among remote employees.

Thank you for reading this post. I invite you to follow and share this blog, becoming part of our vibrant community. Together, let’s continue exploring, inspiring, and spreading our stories. Thank you for your support. Keep sharing, keep connecting, and let our digital footprints weave a tapestry of human experience.- am

This post is sponsored by Blockstars.

Blockstars’ Mission: Enabling Human Connections through Gaming

Blockstars’ mission is to enable human connections, competition & collaboration that motivate a desire to be remarkable. We are also developing an amazing free-to-play mobile game!

With our mission in mind, we’ve launched several initiatives, including our Twitter Spaces on Mondays and Tuesdays, weekly streams on Wednesdays — where you are tuning in today- and every other Thursday our Town Hall, s a space where the Blockstars Community can interact with leadership, get answers to pending questions and learn about upcoming developments within the Blockstars’ Ecosystem. We also have a gaming calendar that features themed discussions on Twitter Spaces, a community gaming database, and Gam3 On, a collaborative community-centric news outlet designed to give a voice to indie developers and modern games. Find all links here.