Kanessa Muluneh on Rise of Fearless, play-to-earn mechanics, and tapping into Africa’s mobile audience
Entrepreneur Kanessa Muluneh has had a remarkable journey over the past few years. What began as a TikTok channel to reconnect with her roots and teach Amharic quickly evolved into a thriving web3 community focused on blockchain education and empowerment.
That momentum soon sparked the idea for Rise of Fearless, a mobile battle royale game inspired by the historic Battle of Adwa – one of Africa’s defining moments of resistance and victory.
To learn more about the game’s development, we sat down with Kanessa to discuss her vision for the project, raising funds, tapping into the African market with Rise of Fearless and her plans for the future.
PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about Rise of Fearless. When did you come up with the idea, and why did you choose the Battle of Adwa as a key narrative?
Kanessa Muluneh: Rise of Fearless actually began as a simple idea born from my TikTok community. I had started a TikTok channel to practice my native language, Amharic, and I needed a topic to keep the content engaging.
At that time, I was deeply involved in blockchain, crypto, and NFTs, so when people began asking me to teach them about these topics, I ran with it.
I started creating videos, going live, and explaining how blockchain works and how people, especially Africans, could use it to their advantage. That eventually led me to launch an NFT project as a hands-on way to teach the community how everything works.
Once the community grew, people started asking, “What’s next?” One idea was to build an Amazon-like marketplace for Africa. But logistically, that wasn’t realistic at the time. So we pivoted and focused on something digital, and that’s how the concept of the game came to life.
We decided on a battle royale format and needed a powerful storyline. That’s when we chose The Battle of Adwa, a monumental chapter in Ethiopian and African history, where Ethiopia successfully defended itself against colonisation and defeated the Italians. It’s one of the few stories where Africa is not portrayed as the victim but as the victor.
Can you share more about the game's development process? How many staff do you currently employ, and where are they based?
The entire development of Rise of Fearless was done remotely. Since the technical expertise I needed wasn’t readily available in Africa, despite the game being made for Africa, I had to look beyond the continent.
That’s when I came across Axie Infinity, a massively successful game from the Philippines. It had exactly the kind of impact I envisioned for Africa, engaging and community-driven.
I knew then that I needed the people behind that kind of success. The video games scene in the Philippines has become a major part of their culture, and that’s where I found the right talent. After reaching out to several contacts, I eventually partnered with a company that had solid experience in building web3 games. The project was managed entirely online.
We had weekly calls and I even hired a dedicated remote team in the Philippines to oversee operations and keep the process on track. They were salaried, fully integrated into my workflow, and essentially worked as virtual employees.
In addition to them, the game development itself was handled by a separate company. Altogether, more than 15 people were involved in this project. It wasn’t a massive team, but it was the right size to keep things agile and communication smooth. We worked on it for over a year, longer than planned, but that’s what it took to get it right.
Are there specific blockchain technologies or platforms you're planning to use for the web3 integration? If so, which ones?
The blockchain technology we plan to use is currently still under research. What we do know for certain is that, since we're working with the African continent, transaction costs must remain low, and the platforms we integrate need to be accessible.
Binance, for instance, is widely used and provides a solid entry point for many users across Africa. It's a straightforward process.
The key to all this is education. Once people have the right knowledge, it becomes easily accessible, even from rural areas. That’s an important advantage. So we plan to introduce Binance as part of the ecosystem and guide users through the learning process.
As for the blockchain itself, we’re still exploring options. Solana is currently a strong contender since it’s popular across the continent and aligns well with our goals.
That said, we're keeping an open mind. We're also taking community feedback seriously and are open to suggestions from the players themselves.
While the game draws heavily from African storytelling, will your initial launch focus specifically on African markets, or are you targeting a global audience from the start?
Yes, the game is rooted in African history, but my focus isn’t limited to those living on the continent. The African diaspora is one of my main audiences. I’m especially focused on reaching Africans living abroad, as well as African Americans, those who may be generations removed but still feel a connection to Africa.
“In many parts of Africa, opportunities can feel out of reach, and I want this project to bring new doors that were never open before.”Kanessa Muluneh
Anyone with a link to the continent, whether through heritage, culture, or curiosity, is someone I want to reach with Rise of Fearless.
You mentioned using “open-source smart contracts” for transparency. Could you tell us more about these contracts and how they work in the game?
Transparency is key. Many people across Africa aren't yet fully familiar with investments or how to build financial security, especially when it comes to online platforms. Unfortunately, it’s a space where a lot of scams have taken place, and that’s made people cautious and rightfully so.
To earn their trust and show that our intentions are honest, we’re committed to being as open as possible. We plan to share key details publicly and keep the process accessible to a certain extent, so people can see exactly what we’re building and how we’re doing it.
Aside from driving knowledge, you also spoke about job creation. Are there specific programs, workshops, or partnerships you’re planning to help nurture African talent through the game?
Oh yes, Rise of Fearless is designed as a web3-based game, which means it follows a play-to-earn model, similar to what we’ve seen with platforms like Axie Infinity in the
Philippines.
But it’s more than just a game; it’s a tool for empowerment. Players will be able to earn through gameplay, and my focus is especially on the youth. In many parts of Africa, opportunities can feel out of reach, and I want this project to bring new doors that were never open before.
The game will also feature a trading platform where users can buy, sell, and trade in-game assets. Multiple elements in the game will also serve as income-generating activities, essentially functioning like jobs for young players across the continent. And beyond the digital space, we plan to host tournaments and live events at a later stage to build community and further engagement.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in the localisation process? And how has the game been received internationally outside of Africa?
To be honest, the localisation process didn’t come with many major challenges. In the early stages, yes, I lacked some knowledge, and that made things a bit tricky, but I had already done the hard part: I’ve built an audience.
I had my TikTok community and direct access to the people who needed to hear this story. Even the marketing came naturally because of the trust I had already built.
One of the smartest things I’ve done was to focus on growing a community first, before publicly working on the game and taking people along for the ride. That made all the difference.
In addition to that, one of the most surprising and exciting developments since launching is the overwhelming interest from the Western world. There’s real curiosity about the African market. A lot of people want in, but they just don’t know how to approach it or where to start.
“One of the smartest things I’ve done was to focus on growing a community first, before publicly working on the game and taking people along for the ride.”Kanessa Muluneh
So, to see this level of attention has been unexpected but definitely encouraging. As for the African community’s response, it's been mostly positive, but also very honest.
It’s a tough audience because they hold certain expectations, and I respect that. But the overall energy is one of pride. This game reflects something meaningful to them, and that’s exactly what I hoped for. With Rise of Fearless, I want to unlock doors that have never been opened before.
Africa has a vast number of mobile users. What do you think is the key to tapping into this audience? And why do you think some still overlook the market despite its growth potential?
Africa has one of the largest and fastest-growing mobile user bases. That’s exactly why we chose to develop Rise of Fearless as a mobile game rather than a PC title. We wanted it to be accessible. But to be honest, consistent access to high-speed internet isn’t always a given in many parts of Africa.
So, we made a conscious decision to go with a low-poly graphic style. It’s lighter, more efficient, and plays smoother on a wide range of devices, even with limited internet access.
The real challenge and opportunity is understanding this audience. You have to truly tap into what interests them. And unfortunately, there’s a huge knowledge gap. Not many people know how to serve this market properly.
The African market is complex. It’s not a one-size-fits-all. We’re talking about a continent made up of many communities, cultures, and countries, all with their dynamics. It’s fragmented. Even Africans themselves often struggle to serve their own people. So, imagine how much harder it is for outsiders.
Political instability doesn’t help either. It creates hesitation and scepticism, which makes long-term investments feel risky. But the diaspora. We get it. We know the culture. We’re just figuring out how to navigate the landscape in a way that makes sense. What we need more of is patience. That’s the real key.
I understand why outsiders might not have it, but for us, whether we're part of the diaspora or living on the continent, we need to practice patience.
Too often, people overlook Africa because they don’t really know Africa. And that’s part of the problem. The narrative around Africa is rarely positive, and that needs to change.
What are your thoughts on emerging technologies such as AI, AR and VR in games? And do you have plans to incorporate AI into your game development process?
We’re definitely open to incorporating AI into Rise of Fearless, but we believe in taking it step by step. While AI is gaining traction in Africa, it can sometimes feel overwhelming and, more importantly, it can distract from the core purpose of the game.
When you're building a game, the priority should always be giving people a strong reason to play and, just as importantly, a reason to keep coming back. AI is powerful, but it shouldn't take the focus away from establishing that foundation.
Right now, I want to focus on building the brand and making sure the game has a solid base, something that’s memorable, consistent, and meaningful. Once we’ve nailed that, then we can explore exciting extras like AI without compromising the heart of what the game is about: the why behind why we play.
That said, AI has the potential to bring in some very cool elements in the future. And when it comes to AR and VR.. We’re absolutely open to those, too, once they’re more widely adopted. From there, the possibilities are endless.
In terms of funding and support for gaming studios, what has been your experience navigating the funding landscape? And how do you think the African games market could attract more investment?
Marketing is everything, especially when it comes to fundraising. Before I even announced that I was raising funds for Rise of Fearless, I had already built interest and momentum.
By the time I officially started fundraising, investors were already lined up. That gave me the luxury to choose who I wanted to partner with. That said, finding African investors who truly align with my goals, values, and the target audience has been one of the more challenging aspects.
Most of the interest tends to come from outsiders, not just from the West, but from people who see the potential in Africa for reasons beyond profit.
Still, marketing has always been my strongest tool. I’ve learned how to market myself and my products in a way that makes people pay attention, and I believe that’s something Africa still lacks across many industries. You have to promote the story first. People connect with stories.
They align with values, with missions, and then they’re ready to support the cause. You don’t start by asking. You start by engaging. You entertain, you connect, and then you open the door for support or investment.
Business today is about meaningful involvement. People want to know why they should care, and once they do, the rest follows.