Firstly, thanks to everyone involved in crafting, contributing, and critiquing this proposal. The discussions at ETH Denver and in the Arbitrum Gaming telegram group over the last few weeks have been invaluable.
Here are my key points regarding this proposal from the perspective of a Gaming Studio on Arbitrum (we have been building Footium, a multiplayer football management game, for the last 2 years):
Efficient Runway Extension : Startups often face runway concerns. The GCP offers a streamlined way to access capital, removing the need for extensive fundraising efforts which really can be entirely consuming for months at a time for studios which receive funding through the GCP. This frees up founders to focus on shipping good games and marketing them, which is what they really should be doing.
Accelerating Game Development : Additional capital can expedite game development and improve its quality. The team building Footium is currently 7 people, and we are all stretched across multiple roles. Hiring more developers, a game economist, and marketing personnel would enable us to deliver a better game faster, as well as grow more rapidly, all of which bring benefits for the wider Arbitrum ecosystem.
Onboarding web2 Users: Gaming presents an effective pathway for introducing web2 users to web3 due to the familiarity of gaming. The proposal’s focus on infrastructure + seamless onboarding is crucial for facilitating this transition and it is great to see it included here. User acquisition through gaming is more efficient than through other channels such as financial apps, and will allow the entire Arbitrum ecosystem to grow and benefit from the effects of that growth.
While the proposal could be refined, speed is essential given market dynamics and competition. Acting decisively is crucial to ensure timely access to funding for game studios.
Competitors are actively seeking to attract games to their platforms, and we receive at least one message each week currently from an Arbitrum competitor who are trying to attract games to their chain via lucrative grants + .
We are committed to building on Arbitrum, but I can absolutely see how these offers could be enticing for those studios in need of capital right now. This further highlights the need for swift action to maintain Arbitrum’s position as the market leading L2. Maximising network effects within Arbitrum gaming and the broader ecosystem is vital, and the GCP can significantly contribute to this goal.