Players Define And Run Challenges On Their Own Terms
Gamers can finally create their own challenges exactly as they want them – on their own terms! Azarus, a game challenge network, lets them know in real-time what is happening because they work with publishers who give them access to the best possible data sources. Challenges are operated by smart contracts that are fed the “oraclized” data.
‘Challenges’ Define The Gamers Language
When they started working on Azarus, the whole team aligned quite quickly around a thesis: “challenges” is the gamer’s language. Sixteen years ago, Xbox Live defined the first achievement network, later copied by Sony, Steam, Apple, and Android. Yet, that first step has aged as there is only so much that players will do for trophies.
Games have been changing drastically from titles sold in retail boxes to long-lasting “live” games. In that context, retaining users is at least as important as acquiring new players. The team realized that challenges wield an untapped power: to let players have even more fun with games they already love by putting some skin in the game. They also recognized that whatever they do must be done in partnership with publishers.
Gaming Executives And Entrepreneurs: A 5-Star Team
The founding team, based in San Francisco, is comprised of seasoned gaming executives and entrepreneurs who believe blockchain will redefine relationships between game publishers and their customers. Alex Casassovici is a technologist and engineer who has built several companies around data telemetry and analysis. Andrew Lacy is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and led many successful startups, including Tapulous. Erik Whiteford is a seasoned game publishing executive who has led marketing efforts for brands including EA Sports, EA Games, 2K Sports, and Wargaming. Benjamin Devienne is a former academic researcher who has worked for EA, Ubisoft, Gameloft, and Facebook.
Exchange AZA Credits For In-Game Items On Azarus
The app went live for a first alpha test in late September 2018 in partnership with Ubisoft on their flagship title Rainbow Six: Siege. Ubisoft designed and funded challenges, rewarding viewers watching Twitch streams while paying great attention to what was happening in a match. At the end of each match, a challenge would be generated, firing off a question on the viewer’s screen through a Twitch Extension running on top of the stream. The question would focus on a specific statistic, and viewers with the right answer would split the AZA credit pool set by the streamer. AZA credits can then be exchanged on azarus.io for in-game items. That first test was a tremendous success, proving that the mechanics were capturing attention at unprecedented levels.
EOSIO To Create Transparent, Self-Regulating Gaming Community
Shady sites have plagued the gaming universe for years, from fake codes and black markets to illegal tournaments and gambling/betting platforms. In response, they built a platform that runs in the open, that’s sanctioned by publishers and that stays away from betting and gambling. Blockchain’s core value is to create trust across a group of people that have little to no reason to trust each other. Their AZA credit is a virtual currency, akin to the ones of actual games. It’s a measure of the time players spend on the platform and of their skills/understanding of the game. In that context, transparency means the platform works as a self-regulating community, with hundreds of users digging into the logs and debating over the rightfulness of the outcome. With EOSIO, users can interact with the blockchain without having to know how it works. That and its transaction speeds made it the best choice for the team.
Great Enthusiasm From EOS Community
Block producers and exchanges have been very enthusiastic about the project. The team had been working with some community members to help define the proper architecture that would allow them to move to the mainnet, as well as financing options to give them enough CPU / Bandwidth / RAM staked to support it. That support has been extremely helpful.
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Author
Chris Munch is a professional cryptocurrency and blockchain writer with a background in software businesses, and has been involved in marketing within the cryptocurrency space. With a passion for innovation, Chris brings a unique and insightful perspective to the world of crypto and blockchain. Chris has a deep understanding of the economic, psychological, marketing and financial forces that drive the crypto market, and has made a number of accurate calls of major shifts in market trends. He is constantly researching and studying the latest trends and technologies, ensuring that he is always up-to-date on the latest developments in the industry. Chris’ writing is characterized by his ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and concise manner, making it accessible to a wide audience of readers.
