Pocket Gamer Connects Hong Kong 2019 will take place on July 17th to 18th. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.
For more details on PGC Hong Kong and to book a ticket, head to the website here.
Today we're speaking to WAX strategic advisor Malcolm Caselle, ahead of his talk on the first Blockchain purpose build for digital goods and NFTs. The session will cover how digital goods will disrupt physical goods e-commerce using the lessons learned from Amazon, Steam and Paypal.
Prior to WAX, Malcolm was chief technology officer and president of New Ventures. He has also been an active early stage investor in companies including Facebook, Zynga, and most recently Bitcoin-related companies.
PocketGamer.biz: Could you tell us a bit about the company?
Malcolm Caselle: WAX describes itself as a purpose-built blockchain and protocol token designed to make e-commerce transactions faster, easier, and safer for all participants. The WAX Blockchain uses delegated proof of stake as its consensus mechanism and is meant to be fully backwards compatible with EOS.
The custom features and incentive mechanisms developed by WAX are designed to optimise the blockchain’s usability in e-commerce, and encourage voting on guilds and proposals.
What does your role entail?
I look after all of the firm’s strategic partnerships and help with analysing and plotting out the company’s strategy.
Why did you want to work in the games industry?
I am naturally attracted to expansion and growth. Games are the most immersive and compelling entertainment experiences available that advance in direct proportion to our rapidly evolving technological capabilities.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?
The easiest way is to start small. Try to build things that people use or want to use. Most importantly, know your product and target audience inside out.
What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?
NFTs have become a trend that have caught the indie game devs like wildfire. It is impressive to see the interest while also waiting for real winners to emerge.
What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?
There will be at least one breakout hit game that uses NFTs effectively.
How has the games industry changed since you first started?
Native mobile apps became a revenue powerhouse and free-to-play turned into the dominant revenue model.
Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?
I love to hear what developers are working on and hope to innovate with them.
Find out more about Pocket Gamer Connects Hong Kong 2019 on the website.
