With the rise of NFTs and the metaverse, the next emerging trend from the greater adoption of blockchain technology is quickly gaining steam: blockchain gaming. In the latest episode of The Money Movement, Jeremy sat down with Big Time Studios1 Co-founders Ari Meilich & Thor Alexander to draw on their insights into the development of the popular metaverse platform Decentraland, what makes a great gaming NFT, and the next stages in the evolution of blockchain gaming.
In Big Time Studios’ new AAA blockchain game, Big Time, players are immersed in an action-adventure journey through time and space, battling enemies and collecting exciting in-game items in the form of NFTs. By using the soon-to-be launched Big Time Marketplace, players may buy and sell these collectibles like physical goods in the real world, maintaining full ownership of their in-game assets. And with integrated Circle APIs, players will enjoy a seamless transaction experience that allows them to use credit and debit cards, bank wires, and on-chain transfers to fund their accounts without having to manage crypto wallet infrastructure.
“Many early crypto products required users to jump through a lot of hoops, making them inaccessible to the average gamer,” said Ari Meilich, co-founder and CEO of Big Time. “With Big Time we are able to change that and deliver a true AAA gaming experience that unites crypto with the metaverse.”
As storytelling, gameplay, and graphics in games advance beyond what was imagined a decade ago, the development of in-game economies remain largely at a standstill. By unifying NFTs and blockchain gaming, the team at Big Time reimagines a new model that gives players unprecedented control over gameplay elements.
“The evolution of NFTs and the metaverse is rapidly changing the way people own and transfer assets in the digital world,” said Jeremy Allaire, co-founder and CEO of Circle.
“It’s exciting for Circle to be part of Big Time’s vision to provide players and collectors a seamless, secure, and high fidelity experience while supporting the extraordinary growth of these vibrant, in-game economies built on the blockchain.”
As real-world experiences begin to migrate to metaverse platforms and people spend more time in virtual settings, the demand for peer-to-peer trading is also bound to grow. Blockchain gaming projects like Big Time are at the forefront of this movement by overturning traditional, tightly centralized in-game economies in favor of radically open systems. By integrating with Circle APIs and USDC, companies can bridge the gaps that exist between the emerging metaverse and the wider economy by enabling virtual items from these vibrant, in-game economies to be easily exchangeable for real economic value.
Big Time Studios sports deep talent from gaming-industry leaders who have been instrumental in the launch of world-renowned games such as Fortnite, Gears of War, Call of Duty, and Halo Infinite.
Check out episode 43 of The Money Movement, and sign up for The Money Movement newsletter for the latest insights on blockchain gaming, the future of the NFT industry, and much more.
1 Circle made an equity investment in Big Time Studios.
