I recently spoke with the founder of Ordz Games, who goes by z3th, about the ways Bitcoin is reshaping the landscape of crypto gaming. In our conversation, we discussed the integration of NFTs and fungible tokens into gaming through Bitcoin's unique capabilities, the role of Bitcoin's economic events like halving and the launch of Runes in promoting new gaming platforms, and the future potential for crypto gaming to drive mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies. Hope you enjoy the conversation!
Would you please introduce yourself and share a little bit about your journey in the crypto industry?
Hi, it's great to be here. I started trading crypto in 2017 and founded the first Bitcoin-based gaming project, Ordz Games, in 2023.
We've also built BitBoy One, the first phygital Bitcoin-based gaming device with a physical handheld console and its virtual counterpart inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain.
I have been a gadget freak my whole life; one of the things I love collecting is gaming consoles, specifically retro handhelds. During COVID, I was stuck at home like a lot of people and went back to the classic arcade games I used to play as a kid. That's when I realized how big the retro gaming community is globally and how it's an untapped opportunity. So when I realized it was possible to inscribe retro games on Bitcoin as Ordinals, it was an instant Aha moment for me. My desire to build Ordz Games has come from this personal interest in gaming and Bitcoin.
Please share your perspective on the recent developments in the Bitcoin ecosystem, like the Bitcoin halving and Runes launch.
I think we've been witnessing some wonderful developments within the Bitcoin ecosystem since Casey Rodarmor launched Ordinals in January 2023. Ever since Ordinals enabled NFT-like inscriptions on the Bitcoin blockchain, there has been a growing interest in on-chain Bitcoin assets.
If you look at the statistics, some market reports suggest that Bitcoin Ordinals can reach $4.5 billion in market size by 2025. As I work in the gaming industry, which heavily relies on NFTs, I consider it a positive indicator for long-term growth.
As for Bitcoin halving, I look at it as an important historical event that generates interest among retail users and institutions alike. Rather than any immediate price effect, I think halving ensures that BTC as a digital asset becomes more scarce and more valuable over time.
But this halving is very different from the ones we've seen before since it was tied to the Runes launch. We already saw significant interest when Rodarmor proposed Runes in September 2023 to mint fungible tokens on Bitcoin.
If you saw the Hell Money Podcast, he said that Runes' success will bring liquidity and innovation to Bitcoin. Since Runes' launch after the Bitcoin halving, we've already seen a glimpse of that initial interest with over 37 BTC in fees, mostly etching Runes in the halving block.
In less than an hour after launch, users etched more than 850 Runes. Today, there are nearly 60,000 Runes tickers etched. I think this freedom and flexibility to mint fungible tokens on Bitcoin will further boost the gaming sector.
Since you connected the recent developments to gaming, let me ask what inspired you to build a crypto-based gaming platform. Why did you choose the Bitcoin blockchain for developing Ordz Games?
To begin with, I believe Bitcoin block space is one of the most scarce resources in all of Web3, and there were no projects trying to achieve gaming on Bitcoin systematically until Ordz Games. That's my primary reason to build a gaming platform. However, other market-driven factors informed my decision as well.
Despite the bear market in 2023, crypto gaming made up 34% of the blockchain industry, with an average of 1.1 million daily active users. Major companies invested around $2.9 billion last year, signaling confidence in web3 gaming.
Moreover, I believe gaming has enormous potential to drive mass adoption and introduce retail users to crypto. However, web3 gaming must be more accessible and simple. At Ordz Games, we make gaming easier for users.
To answer your second question, I think Bitcoin is currently one of the best blockchains for building new games.
We already have Ordinals and Runes to improve any Bitcoin gaming interface with NFTs and fungible tokens. Moreover, Bitcoin is the OG blockchain, and BTC is a resilient digital asset with strong fundamentals.
Therefore, building a game on Bitcoin means inheriting its security benefits and decentralized nature while maintaining speed and efficiency for microtransactions. Thus, it was an easy choice to develop Ordz on Bitcoin.
Tell us a bit about Ordz Games and BitBoy One and how it works.
Ordz Games is a Play-To-Earn (P2E) game ecosystem where players can play retro-style games to earn points and get rewards. There are multiple games within Ordz Games, like Ordz City, Ordz Rush, Ordz Snake, and Ordz Heroes-based Season 3 and 4 games.
Each of these games exists as a series of inscriptions on Bitcoin. Users can create their games on the blockchain or play existing games through the website.
The utility token, GAME·OF·BITCOIN on Runes and $ORDG on BRC-20, powers Ordz Games, and players receive these tokens as rewards for their achievements. Games can also use the utility token to qualify for airdrops, trade them for special boosts, and purchase in-game assets.
BitBoy One which functions as an all-in-one device for gaming, a Bitcoin wallet, and for earning rewards. It is inspired by Nintendo's iconic design of the original Game Boy.
BitBoy One leverages decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) technology through which users can earn points or farm airdrops. They have to keep the device running and contribute computational power for distributed networks.
We're happy to say that BitBoy is a phygital product, and the first Ordinals inscription of the device is already live. In the future, gamers can play games either on the physical device or the 3D rendered digital version.
I'm hopeful that a Bitcoin-native gaming platform and the first-of-its-kind web3 gaming device will change crypto gaming forever.
What do you think about the future of crypto gaming? What role will Bitcoin play in the development of the gaming industry?
Currently, I can see two strands in the crypto-gaming industry.
Some developers are focused on onboarding seasoned gamers to web3 games through AAA titles equipped with crypto features. These games have compelling narratives, brilliant graphics, and engaging gameplay mechanisms.
Others like me are focused on attracting general users to web3 games with Super Casual games like Snakes and Ordz Rush. Anyone can play these games with the Arrow keys or WASD keys.
I think both these strands are important for web3 games to flourish. We need AAA titles who can boost the overall standards of crypto gaming. But we also need casual games like Snakes for everyday users without the energy to master skill-based games.
We can't deny that historicism plays a part in cultural evolution and societal developments. Today, we have high-quality mobile-based shooter or car racing games because we've had our Snakes moment on mobile phones.
Similarly, I believe that crypto gaming has to undergo this evolutionary journey to reach mass adoption.
Bitcoin kickstarted the blockchain and digital asset discourse in 2008. I think it will continue to lead the industry in the future with innovations like Ordinals and Runes.
As the oldest and most secure network and the digital asset with the strongest consensus and adoption, Bitcoin will likely be favored by developers to build and deploy web3 games in the coming months.
