From: thepipeline_xyz
The core of Web3, especially in the gaming and NFT sectors, relies heavily on building a community-driven ecosystem. This approach differs significantly from traditional business models, emphasizing collective engagement, shared identity, and organic growth over conventional metrics like revenue or direct monetization [02:27:00].
The Announcement: Sappy Seals and Play Ember on Monad
A significant development in the Web3 space is the upcoming integration of Sappy Seals and Play Ember onto the Monad testnet [01:43:00]. This collaboration originated from a gaming/NFT meetup where Wob, founder of Sappy Seals, and John Hook, co-founder of Play Ember, connected [02:08:00]. Their shared vision for gaming and community led to the development of a game concept, currently code-named “Sappy Quest,” which will be an RPG-style dungeon crawler [03:36:00].
The Significance of Community in Web3
In the Web3 paradigm, community acts as the “main glue” that holds projects and ecosystems together [02:49:59]. Unlike traditional investments driven by fundamentals, crypto participants are often motivated by speculation and a desire to be part of something they deeply care about [02:59:00]. This fosters a unique dynamic where:
- Culture is Sacred The cultural aspect of a project becomes paramount. People want to understand “why this thing matters” and “what it is doing for the world” to invest their time and loyalty [02:52:00].
- Identity and Lifestyle For many, their Web3 identity, such as an NFT profile picture (PFP), becomes an extension of their real-world self [02:57:00]. This “passport” reinforces their belonging and investment in the community [02:16:00].
- Network Value The valuation of a crypto project or NFT collection is often derived from its “total network value” – the collective worth and contributions of its individual members (nodes) [02:44:00]. This includes tangible contributions like financial backing and intangible ones like meme creation or community engagement [02:56:00].
The importance of community in crypto projects cannot be understated, as it underpins the long-term viability and success of decentralized initiatives [02:41:50]. The importance of community and engagement in crypto projects extends to attracting and retaining users, even beyond initial speculative interest.
Community Curation and Growth
Building Communities in Crypto involves more than just attracting large numbers; it requires deliberate curation and nurturing of specific “user personas” [02:30:00].
- Attracting “Value-Add” Individuals Founders seek out individuals who can contribute meaningfully, creating things the core team might not be able to, and who genuinely care about the project [02:07:00]. This isn’t about hand-picking but about creating something so compelling that it naturally attracts like-minded, talented individuals [02:26:00].
- Organic Evolution A community’s character often evolves organically, reflecting the initial interests and persona of its founders. For Sappy Seals, the founder’s background in gaming naturally led to a community with a strong gaming affinity, capable of creating memes and engaging in similar online behaviors [03:19:00].
- “Cultish” Appeal While sounding negative, the “cult” analogy in Web3 refers to a tightly-knit, passionate, and loyal group that deeply identifies with the project’s values and mission [04:00:00]. This strong internal culture is crucial for sustained engagement and growth.
- Cross-Community Collaboration Collaborations between different Web3 communities (e.g., Sappy Seals, Monad, Play Ember) amplify reach and consolidate diverse strengths, helping to “escape the crypto bubble” and attract broader attention [02:39:00]. Sappy Seals, for example, has shown high retention rates in gaming collaborations with other projects like Nifty Island and Pirate Nation, demonstrating the power of their engaged community [02:18:00].
This focus on building community within blockchain ecosystems and building and engaging community in crypto spaces is a key differentiator from traditional business models, where marketing often focuses on external consumers rather than internal co-creators.
Gaming as a Key Use Case for Community
Gaming is identified as a natural and logical use case for blockchain technology, especially for tokenized assets and digital economies [04:51:00].
- Natural Fit for Digital Economies Gaming inherently involves digital asset exchange, making it a seamless fit for blockchain integration [05:05:00].
- Onboarding “Normies” Casual gaming provides an accessible entry point for non-crypto users to engage with blockchain-powered experiences [07:28:00].
- Scalable Entertainment Web3 games can captivate users, offering an enjoyable way to interact with an IP that has history and culture [06:20:00].
- Proof of Concept Previous crypto gaming successes, like Axie Infinity, albeit with challenges, have demonstrated user engagement and activity [05:37:00].
This highlights the importance of community building in crypto and gaming, as a strong community can drive adoption and sustained interest in games. It’s not about making every player a crypto maxi, but about providing interesting on-chain activities that eventually expose users to the broader crypto ecosystem [11:00:00].
Evolution of NFTs and Community
NFTs, initially seen as unique identifiers for digital assets, have evolved beyond simple art pieces [31:51:00]. While their speculative appeal might fluctuate, their importance in importance of community building in NFT projects remains due to:
- Finite Supply and Identity The limited nature of NFTs adds to their value, particularly for identity and a sense of belonging to a specific group [32:30:00].
- Emotional Attachment Unlike meme coins, NFTs often foster a stronger emotional attachment, leading to more resilient communities even during market downturns [33:00:00].
- Beyond Financialization While some view NFTs purely as investment vehicles, others see them as cultural statements, a means of collective action, and a way to express shared values [37:00:00]. This philosophical aspect is a “missing piece” that needs to be further explored [38:31:00].
The strength of an NFT community lies in its network of individuals actively contributing and creating. This role of community and collaboration in crypto projects allows for organic growth and authentic engagement that cannot be faked or bought with money alone [50:38:00]. Authenticity becomes a valuable currency in a world saturated with manufactured attention [51:37:00].
Web3’s Unique Growth Model
The growth model in Web3, especially for community and application development in the blockchain space, fundamentally differs from Web2:
- Reverse Engineering Engagement Instead of building a product and then finding users, Web3 often starts by cultivating a dedicated community (early whales) and then building products in collaboration with them [48:33:33].
- Direct Access and Co-Creation Web3 enables direct access between builders and their communities, allowing for real-time feedback and co-creation of the brand and IP [48:49:00]. This allows for genuine brand building that is not meticulously researched for years like in Web2, but rather freestyled with the community [48:58:00].
- Beyond “Activision Status” Achieving success in Web3 (the “Activision status”) will not look like traditional corporate growth. It will be characterized by highly engaged “power users” and a web of interconnected communities contributing value, which is difficult to quantify by conventional metrics [44:47:00]. This means the next “mainstream” crypto game will likely be a completely different concept, not just “Call of Duty with coins” [46:27:00].
- Tolerance for Innovation The industry needs to grant talented developers time to experiment and iterate, as groundbreaking innovations may take years and multiple attempts to fully manifest [49:50:00].
Future Outlook
Despite periods of market burnout and competition for attention, the unique psychological attachment people have to NFTs and the power of authentic community suggest a resilient future. The ability to create “raw and real” engagement, distinct from traditional advertising, is a significant advantage [51:55:00]. Reinvigorating the NFT market will require continued innovation that offers unique value to the world, rather than just financial incentives [55:05:00].