Acquihires Alex Amsel as creative lead
Crowdfunding community and game publishing site Fig has announced it’s working on a new blockchain platform called Shard.
Fig’s CEO Justin Bailey said Shard would be “offering a unique community-based approach to the funding, engagement, and cross-promotion of games.”
Shard can be used and modified by publishers, developers and gamers completely independently of Fig.
No details have been provided in terms of how Shard will work or what blockchain protocol it will use, but obvious use cases include linking crowdfunding to in-game collectibles, as well as using a token system to drive community engagement.
It could also include the investment aspect of Fig although that may be a more long term aim given current SEC concern about blockchain companies and issuing securities.
Acquihire to hit the ground running
In conjunction with the news, Fig has also acquihired UK outfit Ownage, with Alex Amsel (one of our Brains Trust) taking the role of creative lead, and other co-founder Jack Du Rose also joining.
The initial funding for the project was provided by Neopets creator Adam Powell.
Although created by Fig, any developer will be able to use the platform, whether they are running a funding campaign or other services on Fig or not.
“While Fig is sponsoring the development of Shard as an open, decentralized platform, it can be used and modified by publishers, developers and gamers completely independently of Fig,” comment Amsel.
In order to drive initial engagement, Fig is working with the estate of Dungeons & Dragons creator Gary Gygax to bring some of his unpublished works to life.
Interested parties can sign up at shardhq.com for more information.
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