At the much-anticipated GDC 2023 panel, Robin Seo, Head of Business Creative Center at Wemade, captivated his audience with a comprehensive exploration of the "Transformation of Games into Blockchain Games." In his session, Seo outlined the astonishing potential of blockchain technology in revolutionizing the gaming industry and demonstrated how Wemade's WEMIX PLAY platform can facilitate the seamless integration of blockchain into existing games, regardless of genre or platform.

Seo began by discussing his background, having joined Wemade in 2019 as part of the Game Strategy Department responsible for strategic planning of content and services in preparation for live game publishing. He went on to detail Wemade's leadership role in the blockchain gaming space and his current dedication to communicating the vision of WEMIX and its mega-ecosystem to the global community.

As the world's largest blockchain gaming platform, WEMIX PLAY boasts a staggering 30 million registered users and up to 500,000 daily users. The platform currently have dozens of titles in their library, with Seo stressing their commitment to expansion in the near future. Seo emphasized the company's mission to impact gamers' lives by introducing the benefits of blockchain technology in games. "Considering that growth, we're expecting the future to be great in blockchain gaming," Seo said. "We want to make it easy for developers and for gamers to understand and apply this newfound technology in their lives."

One challenge Seo identified is the lack of a cohesive understanding of blockchain technology, particularly in the gaming sphere. He noted, "We're having a difficult time understanding and agreeing upon what blockchain technology means — first and foremost — and more so in the gaming sphere.” To address this issue and to demystify blockchain gaming, Seo stressed the importance of fun, value-generating gameplay and identified four key components of successful blockchain games: Tokenomics, GameFi, Marketplace, and Community.

Many in the blockchain space have attempted to build entire games simply around the idea and novelty of having a blockchain game In stark contrast, WeMade remains steadfast in its commitment to developing fun, engaging, and sustainable games. The company understands that the key to long-lasting success in the gaming industry lies in delivering a genuinely enjoyable and immersive experience to its users. By focusing on creating games with captivating gameplay, rich narratives, and meaningful player interactions, WeMade ensures that its offerings not only attract gamers but also keep them engaged and invested in the long run, ultimately creating a sustainable and thriving gaming ecosystem. They’ve accomplished this with the implementation of their four foundational elements. 

Tokenomics can take various forms, including Exchange, Allotment, Reward, Performance, and Stable tokenomics. These diverse models allow game developers to create unique value systems for their players, enhancing the gaming experience and offering more opportunities for engagement. "Blockchain games are a way of allowing time, effort, and money spent by the gamers to become an actual value," Seo explained. "It’s no longer a side-hobby outside of life." He added, "Virtually, there's no limit to what type of tokenomics you could create or adapt onto your game."

GameFi services, such as Exchange, Lend/Borrow, and Staking, enable assets to be tradeable, creating additional opportunities for players to engage with the games they love. This approach allows gamers to capitalize on their in-game achievements and promotes a more dynamic, interactive experience.

The Marketplace component, which Seo discussed at length, facilitates secure and convenient trading of in-game assets in a decentralized environment, elevating the sense of ownership for players. By enabling gamers to exchange in-game resources, items, and characters for tradable assets, the Marketplace empowers players and adds value to their gaming experience. "This is creating that added value and experience for the users," Seo said about the Marketplace.

Seo emphasized the importance of the Community aspect in blockchain gaming, expressing his excitement for the final component of Wemade's four-part approach. He explained that the developer has developed two distinct types of communities through their platform. The first, Papyrus, offers a secure, token-gated community messenger that facilitates transparent disclosure of members' assets, supports organic, non-toxic community growth, and maintains genuine identities without revealing personal information. The second, Fan Token, unifies fans and creators within a single community sharing the same vision and goals. The total supply and value of tokens within this community are determined collectively, and tokens can be easily exchanged across other games on WEMIX PLAY.

In closing, Seo invited developers to create engaging, entertaining games and leverage Wemade's expertise to successfully implement blockchain technologies. He expressed his excitement for the future of the space. “Assuming that there is a fun game available,” Robin explained “that game can easily become a blockchain game by incorporating the four components.”