Joseph Rubin

Why is crypto sentiment shifting so quickly in Washington? Yes, it’s an election year. But also look at Paul Ryan’s comments on how stablecoins may save the Fed. Stablecoins must be backed by USD 1:1. So every stablecoin in circulation is a dollar out of supply. So if you have an oversupply of USD driving inflation, then one way to take USD out of circulation is to allow stablecoins. But wait - if I take a dollar of USD and convert it to USDC isn’t that still effectively a dollar? Well yes and no. It’s still tied to a dollar and can be sold for a dollar but the dollar it represents is locked in a liquidity pool. USDC can’t be used very much in the traditional economy today, but it can be used in crypto where it’s basically the cash equivalent. So likey those stablecoins get used to buy crypto assets, not real world assets, and in between trades sit in the stablecoin. Of course PayPal, Block, and other payment providers are allowing crypto payments more and more so it is only a matter of time before USDC and other stablecoins (and even crypto) can be used to buy real world stuff too. However the merchants receiving the payments may choose to keep it in USDC or whatever stablecoin instead or converting back to cash. So over the next decade lots of dollars get taken out of supply and turned into stablecoins and crypto which creates a tightening effect on USD in circulation even if the actual supply of USD in existence is not reduced. This is what Paul Ryan and the Fed are hoping for and why they are turning against Gensler. The ponzi here, ironically, is the dollar but if you don’t know that, you haven’t been paying attention.

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This release serves as evidence of a trend predicted by us. They days of behemoth poker platforms with an endless sea of playable alternatives are over. To be relevant, poker needs to conceptually and technically be spliced into different experiences - each with its own set of USPs and motivations for playing. And then those separate games need to be distributed accordingly. Just like individual slots. That they are PvP experiences doesn't change this.

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Are video games the future of entertainment? Yes, but... Also the NOW of entertainment. ◾ $57 Billion in US revenue ◾ $200 Billion in global revenue ◾ 3.09 Billion active videogame players ◾ Bigger than movies & music, combined. [Chart below from article on Sherwood News]

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Courtyard.io is a very cool twist on physical collectibles using blockchain (I refuse to use the term “phygidal” - oh wait I just did!) Courtyard allows you to buy sports and Pokemon trading cards. The cards are sold in a digital blind pack for $25. There is an online pack opening experience to show you what you got. The card is held in a temperature-controlled BRINKS vault until you burn the NFT in order to have the physical card shipped to you. Until then you can trade it digitally online on the blockchain as an NFT. The NFT can be traded on any NFT marketplace like any other which means great distribution. They also have a 70% guaranteed buyback option where you can sell back to them right away. On chain data says they have done $2.5m in revenue since Oct 23 when they laughed with 70o transactions. Great experience and I predict this will become the standard for how digital collectibles are traded online.

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Supercell's Squad Busters is off to a great start, topping the charts across Android and iOS stores. The game leans heavily into a particular system more than any other Supercell game before: RNG, or randomness, which I tend to refer to as variable rewards. RNG, or Random Number Generation, in gaming refers to a system or algorithm that generates random values to introduce an element of unpredictability and variety into the game. It is a fundamental feature and mechanic used in many video games to determine various outcomes, such as loot drops, enemy spawns, and procedural generation of game worlds. How this factors into the core moment-to-moment gameplay for Squad Busters Throughout a session in Squad Busters, players build and add to their army through chests they come across. These chests spawn heroes to select from during the match. RNG plays a big role in determining how powerful or weak your army becomes. It also streamlines the gameplay and overall balance, so it is not strictly pay-to-win. Players are always given the choice: run or fight. Variable rewards and a degree of randomness add spice to the moment-to-moment gameplay, enhancing replayability and keeping the experience fresh and new. It ensures that no two playthroughs are exactly the same, which is particularly important in games focused on exploration and discovery, such as Minecraft or Diablo. One of the biggest cons when it comes to a game's reliance on RNG mechanics is evident in competitive games. RNG can sometimes overshadow player skill, leading to frustration among players who feel that luck plays too significant a role in determining outcomes. The higher the randomness, the higher the potential for fun, and it serves an even greater purpose: the dream run, and trying to replicate it. We have all played a game on Call of Duty or perhaps Hades, where everything went our way, and we keep playing those games for the chance get another experience just like it.

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Late Stage Gaming VCs: "We would be interested in companies generating $100M+ in annual revenue that are profitable." Early Stage Gaming VCs: "We would be interested in companies generating $100M+ in annual revenue that are profitable." #vctalk #joke

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BR1: INFINITE is a real money shooting game based in USD. Pay $1 to spawn and earn $1 for every elimination in-game, servers range from $0 - $10, (i.e. if you play in the $0.25 game mode it costs $0.25 per spawn and you earn $0.25 per elimination). Think about it as the overlap of the 'ante up' nature of poker, crossed with traditional shooting games. Functions are designed not just for gamers, but for game investors who will never play the game but instead manage athletes. - Stake athletes entries in games and automatically get a fixed % of their earnings. - Rent out in-game assets that give players an increased earnings bonus in-game. Here's a sneak peak from the beta, what do you think? 👇

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📱 Call of Duty Mobile's Monetization Mastery: - $1.7B+ in revenue - 390M downloads - 51 live events in August 2024 alone - 60% of events focused on monetization The secret? A sophisticated liveops strategy combining: - Battle Pass with multiple premium tiers - Limited-time Gacha events - Engagement-driven rewards - Meta events like mini-games and comics Want to know how CODM masterfully balances engagement and monetization? Find all of this in this week's highlight section written by yours truly :) Tell me know what you think ?

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VCs trading memecoins was not on my 2024 bingo card. Things are getting wild out in game land when the only projects still with cash are the ones that raised in 21 and never shipped. Turns out money truly is a better moat than product in crypto and that’s a terrible indictment of how hard it is to make games in the space. The well worn treadmill of pumped socials + cool trailer —> token launch has basically destroyed what semblance of respect the wider DeFi industry had for games. This is why TGE seems like a pipe dream for the current crop of projects as listing costs skyrocket and current web3 UA strats end up poisoning communities with extractive farmers and still costing an arm and a leg. Then don’t forget overselling the token pre TGE to KOLs and launchpads in the hope you can cycle back into pumped socials. Wanna get off the treadmill? DMs are open.

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Call of Duty: Mobile's web store, launched in January, is on track for a 30% acquisition rate of players to make purchases outside the app. The store's success can be attributed to several key factors. First, the web store offers 11-15% more in-game currency (CoD Points) compared to in-app purchases, incentivizing players to make purchases through the web. Additionally, clever price anchoring makes the web store discounts appear even more attractive. A 20% discount for first-time web purchases further entices new buyers to try the alternative payment method. CoD:M's team has effectively used social media posts to drive players to the web store, promoting new item or skin drops and reminding users of the benefits of buying through the store. According to Coda Payments CEO Shane Happach, whose company developed the web store, it's even converting players who hadn't previously bought in-app purchases. This strong start for CoD:M continues to validate web stores as a viable way for game developers to diversify payment options and avoid app store fees. As CoD:M and other games continue to optimize this model, it will be interesting to see how they further leverage web stores to enhance their monetization strategies. Subscribing members of the Profitability Report can read our full analysis here https://lnkd.in/gXA9AgBQ #gaming #mobilegaming #callofduty #codmobile #payments #ecommerce #gamedev #gamedevelopment #monetization

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🎣 The fastest growing game on Roblox right now - "Fisch" The growth is mind-blowing: - October 5th launch: 2,000 concurrent players - 44 days later: 271,834 peak concurrent players - 157 Million visits - 18.9 minute average session time - 87.9% player like ratio (with no incentives!) At this rate, hitting 500,000 concurrent players during December peak season isn't just possible - it's looking probable 📈 What makes a fishing game explode like this? Simple game design executed perfectly. Over 400,000 different fish variations to discover, customizable boats, enchanted rods, rare baits - all creating that "just one more cast" feeling. Every catch could be that ultra-rare fish that has the Discord buzzing. The developer Nate (supported by DoBig Studios) has mastered the art of retention. Regular code drops, constant communication, rapid bug fixes, and swift action against cheaters. The live ops standard is incredible. Here's what's really interesting - Fisch is breaking out of the traditional Roblox bubble already, which is incredibly rare. Following the summer phenomenon of Dress to Impress bringing new audiences to Roblox, Fisch is now attracting non-Roblox content creators and streamers in waves. The power of simple, well-executed game design combined with exceptional community management is creating something special here. This isn't just about catching fish - it's about building a community that spans beyond Roblox's traditional boundaries.

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The Red Dead IP turns 20 years old. Development for Red Dead Revolver began in 2000 as a collaboration between Capcom and Angel Studios, previously known for their Nintendo 64 port of Resident Evil 2. The game initially focused on a SWAT team concept, but the setting soon shifted to the Wild West, a largely untapped genre at the time. Rockstar Games would go on to acquire the rights and tasking Rockstar San Diego, the successor to Angel Studios after its acquisition by Take-Two Interactive, with completing it. Despite having only nine months to rework the game, Rockstar San Diego transformed it into a more traditional Western experience. Red Dead Revolver's success set the stage for the Red Dead series, leading to the development of the critically acclaimed Red Dead Redemption in 2010. The sales figures of the Red Dead IP: ➤ Red Dead Revolver Lifetime sales: 920,000 units ➤ Red Dead Redemption Lifetime sales: Over 15 million copies ➤ Red Dead Redemption 2 Lifetime sales: Over 61 million copies Red Dead Revolver holds a significant place in gaming history, serving as the foundation for one of the industry's most successful franchises.

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Telegram Messenger's TON blockchain will be migrating to Polygon Labs's zkEVM and connected to other chains via AggLayer. What does this mean? Its means TON which is currently one of the hottest growing blockchains because of the popularity of Telegram games be interoperable with Immutable and Sky Mavis's Ronin, so any NFTs and crypto assets in a user's wallet can be used seamlessly and interoperably across these chains without having to bridge (move from one chain to the other). This will be huge for ease of use and liquidity (meaning you can use your tokens on one chain across all of them. I've previously said that the Polygon zkEVM ecosystem is where you want to be if you believe in web3 games and features. This seals that deal.

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