8BT

In 2017, the video game industry broke the previous year’s record for sales by reaching $116 billion in revenue (up 10.7 percent from 2016)1. Blockchains stand to magnify this feat by introducing new ways to create value by enforcing asset ownership for gamers and reducing intermediation in exchange. However, gamers have very high expectations for intuitive user experiences, and if accessing the benefits of blockchains impedes their gameplay experience, the main value offered by blockchains is lost.Developing with blockchains requires new technical and design approaches that must be accounted for to create a bridge to the general and hardcore gaming audiences. Tools must also be provided for game developers to participate in the open blockchain economy so they can focus on what they do best: creating amazing content and experiences. 8 Circuit Studios is tackling the challenges of using blockchains in games by providing a platform, creating products (video games and digital assets), and releasing open source protocols for using digital assets across games and digital stores: A Platform to provide blockchain access for gamers and producers (video game developers). Products/Games create the context that amplifies the experience with digital assets through narrative or rich gameplay — thereby increasing their perceived value. Protocols enforce ownership of the digital assets and enable cross game integration — providing additional weight to digital assets’ economic value. Developing these three initiatives in tandem is what is required to demonstrate to gamers what is possible for them with a connected ecosystem:
1. Ownership enforcement of digital assets free of third party oversight.
2. Free exchange on a globally connected open economy.
3. Use digital assets across different games.