Keith Bussey, the Founder of MasterBrews, joins NFTStudio24 for a podcast interview about Web3 gaming, the role of blockchain, and how his company, as a Blockchain Game Alliance member, is contributing to the space for community-building.
Blockchain-based games are the newly emerging sector within the gaming industry that introduces a new model for gamers. According to Bussey, the excitement of exploring this new technology brought him into space.
Having a 20-year background in the online industry as a techpreneur, he has achieved many noteworthy milestones. At MasterBrews, Bussey takes a bold step into the Web3 world.
Here’s the complete interview with Bussey:
From Traditional to Web3 gaming: Bussey’s journey
Bussey shares that the major part of his career before joining the space was forming and developing startups but he had always felt that he was too young to be part of traditional gaming.
Blockchain gaming felt more intimate and exciting. “As a gamer all my life, it’s something I’ve always had a passion for,” Bussey shared.
Entering the space has given him the chance to explore things that he wasn’t able to before or that were part of his long-term business plans. In other words, blockchain opened a new pathway to conquer his dreams and passions in gaming.
MasterBrews’ role in Web3 game development
MasterBrews was founded in early 2021 to help in blockchain development in various chains. As the founder, Bussey said the company is taking two approaches. The first is developing two games, he shared that his team is actively working to raise funds to give it a good kickstart.
One of them is a turn-based strategy RPG based on (DC/Marvel) Mark McKenna’s Heroes & Villains, while the other is a battle racer described as “Mario Kart meets Spyro” featuring the Whelps universe. Game-Ace and Argentics are developing their respective games while Masterbrews takes care of all blockchain-related components in-house.
The second approach is a focus on Blockchain-as-Service offerings. While he didn’t share many details, he did hint that these new products fill gaps in the space and will assist traditional video game companies and web2 companies in general to enter web3.
“We do think we have a solution to one of those major problems and we think it has tons of potential,” Bussey said.
Overall, the company is actively networking, sharing, and helping others build. Bussey believes that, compared to other platforms, MasterBrews have had the opportunity to work with different clients, helping them become experts in the field.
“I think our experience is invaluable.”
The team is now aiming to share its insights with others in the community and help it move forward.
Overcoming Challenges in Web3 gaming
Bussey shares some important tips on how companies can overcome the challenges that lay when entering the Web3 gaming space. He said that if someone is completely new with no past experience in Web3 games, it can be hard to face the hurdles that come one’s way.
A company or individual might come across three main challenges:
- Financial funding
- Team
- Building Relationships
For anyone to succeed in the industry, it’s important that they overcome the above-mentioned challenges, even if they’re a veteran.
Bussey recommends joining communities such as the Blockchain Game Alliance, an organization dedicated to promoting blockchain technology in the gaming industry by gathering a community of expert individuals and companies.
“Try to get as many opportunities as you can, get as much interaction with people in the space as you can.”
Since this community is relatively small, people are motivated to help others join and improve themselves by giving them a good balance of advice. He says that sometimes developers are blinded by their project ideas but don’t take reviews from the experts, associations like BGA can help them develop their ideas better or give their valuable feedback.
MasterBrews NFT Drop and Its Utility
NFTStudio24 asked Bussey about the latest NFT drop to which he shared that this project aims to onboard artists and creators, particularly from developing nations who might not know about the existence of this technology and how it can benefit them.
“Working with them has been life-changing. We have people from many parts of Africa, Asia, and South America,” he said.
MasterBrews has introduced “Fairness and Compensation” which a lot of artists have liked. This model proposes that all artists create pieces for the company’s collection for the same price; this gives the small artists an equal chance, regardless of their country or origin, to participate and showcase their talent in the space.
In reference to utility, Bussey shares he initially wanted to focus on tech services but his team along with the community members is exploring different possibilities. Nonetheless, he’s quite grateful to the people who still remain and are contributing to the community.
Gaming tools for creators
Master Brews have developed simple creator tools that don’t require the knowledge of coding in hopes to bring artists into the space.
“We want everything to have a low barrier of entry.”
Bussey shared that the company is known for its specialized projects like they built a blockchain-as-a-service API that people can plug in minutes if they want to make their own Dynamic NFTs.
He also said that a lot of ideas still haven’t been done but they plan to create a package and offer it as a service to small artists and game studios.
Future of Web3
Bussey says Web3 won’t be a term used commonly in the future and blockchain is going to be the standard but won’t stand out like now. He gives the example of current traditional games where gamers don’t know what database it is built upon, similarly, no one would care whether it’s operating on a blockchain or not.
“It’s going to be, in my and MasterBrews’ opinion, the de facto standard for everything related to the internet. It’s the next phase,” he said.
Networking with BGA
MasterBrews is an official member of the Blockchain Game Alliance. For Bussey, this association is a great place for networking, meeting new people, following trends, and understanding the space.
He believes BGA is the hub of Web3 right now. He has been part of other organizations but he thinks that this community has given them immediate value and opportunities. “From day one we saw immediate returns and it facilitated in connecting a lot of people, we otherwise wouldn’t have reached.”
Message to aspiring developers and creators
Bussey shared his message with aspiring developers, creators, and the NFTStudio24 community.
“Don’t give up. Even though I would consider us a successful company we’ve gone on a rollercoaster ride of very high highs and very low lows. A lot of people we know including some former clients and friends thought everything is over and jumped out, and went back to Web2 but I think if you have a passion or find something you like and you think your idea is valid, stick with it, keep with it.
We’re in a bear market right now but if you’re able to build things now, you’re gonna have a major chance of success around 2024 or when things fully shift to Web3.”
Rapid-fire questions
The interview wrapped up with rapid-fire questions with Bussey.
Q. What are your predictions for Bitcoin prices in 2023?
A. I think it is going to be 15,000 USD plus or minus 20%.
Q. What would the metaverse look like in 2050?
A. There will be a lot of AI-generated content and people will be hooking in as you see in Sci-Fi movies; a really advanced VR.
Q. Do you think Web3 will be massively adopted in the next five years?
A. Absolutely.
Q. Do you think the utility of NFT will change in the next decade?
A. Absolutely. I think right now it’s just scratching the surface.
