Manel Sort, CEO of Games for a Living — Interview Series

Games for a Living (GFAL), a gaming ecosystem that aims to combine “ownership, seasonality, and standardization to innovate within the gaming space” through the power of Web3 technology, is making moves to create everlasting experiences that are both rewarding and sustainable. To learn more about these goals, as well as how GFAL will look to reshape the blockchain ecosystem over the coming years, I spoke with GFAL CEO, Manel Sort.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Manel. Before we touch base on your forthcoming endeavors with Games for a Living, please could you tell us a bit about yourself? How did it all start for you, and what brought you to the world of web3 gaming?

Manel: I’ve been in the video game industry for 25 years, during which I’ve released around 70 games. My passion has always been to stay ahead of the trends and revolutions shaping the gaming landscape – from the early days of premium PC and console games to the emergence of free-to-play models, and the evolution into mobile gaming and games as a service, including battle pass systems. I’ve witnessed and contributed to it all. The games I’ve developed under my leadership have collectively generated over a billion dollars in EBITDA. I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the industry’s most respected companies, including Codemasters, Team17, King, and Activision Blizzard. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with industry legends such as Trip Hawkins, the current Chief Strategy Officer at GFAL and founder of EA, Ilkka Paananen, CEO of Supercell, and many other key figures in the industry.

In 2016, I began to notice a shift where acquisition costs were rising, and lifetime values were declining, primarily due to market saturation. By 2021, this trend worsened significantly with the increasing impact of privacy policies from companies like Apple and Google. It became clear to me that we needed to rethink our approach to game development. This realization drove me to explore a new model: Ownership Games as a Service (GaaS), which led to the founding of Games for a Living in 2021. The company’s name holds personal significance, as my father once doubted that I could make a living in video games back in the ’90s—now, I’m proud to say that I truly am making games for a living.

This new Ownership GaaS model focuses on three key features: ownership, seasonality, and standardization. Ownership means that players genuinely own their in-game assets—not just within the game but also legally, allowing them to exploit intellectual property (IP) rights and trade with other players. Seasonality addresses a critical issue with ownership games, which traditionally haven’t been as effective as GaaS, so that they can be played indefinitely. Standardization ensures that attributes like rarity, level, and item tracking are consistent across all games within our ecosystem, making it possible for players to move collectibles from one game to another. The integration of Web3 was crucial in enabling seamless player-to-player transactions, something that traditional technologies couldn’t achieve as effectively. Thus, Web3 became the perfect fit for bringing this vision to life, particularly with our $GFAL Token.

Let’s talk about Games for a Living (GFAL) and its place in the blockchain space. Could you tell us a bit about how the company came together, and what it is that you’re aiming to achieve?

Manel: Games for a Living (GFAL) was founded in July 2021 by a group of industry veterans with over 140 years of combined experience. We came together to tackle the significant challenges facing both Web2 and Web3 gaming models. In the Web2 space, market saturation has made it increasingly difficult for companies to thrive, leading to job losses and economic struggles. On the other hand, Web3 has yet to develop a sustainable business model that makes games both enjoyable and economically viable. Many Web3 games experience rapid growth but then fade away without lasting success.

Our approach at GFAL is designed to address these issues head-on. We believe that by rethinking the foundation of games, we can create experiences that are not only more entertaining but also sustainable in the long term. Our model combines ownership, seasonality, and standardization to innovate within the gaming space. This ensures that the games we develop are true services that can be played indefinitely, offering players fresh experiences while maintaining long-term viability.

With the $GFAL Token at the core of our ecosystem, we’re building a gaming environment that supports both player engagement and economic sustainability, setting a new standard in the blockchain gaming space.

Your GFAL ID is your key to unlocking the full potential of our ecosystem. One ID, endless possibilities. Simplify your gaming experience today! 🎮🔑 pic.twitter.com/V63fb1QhIV

— GFAL (@GFAL_Official) September 9, 2024

GFAL has quite the library of titles under its belt, too, with titles ranging from Elemental Raiders to Dead Zombie. Could you tell us more about some of these games that you host on the platform, as well as the in-game rewards that players might be able to obtain?

Manel: Games for a Living (GFAL) is more than just a collection of titles – it’s a cohesive gaming ecosystem. When we designed GFAL, we recognized the need for at least three games, each representing a significant genre within the gaming world. This led to the development of Diamond Dreams, Elemental Raiders, and Dead Zombie. Elemental Raiders is our pioneering title, breaking initial barriers, while Diamond Dreams is designed to capture the mass market.

We’re in the final stages of developing these games, with some already available for beta testing to ensure everything runs smoothly before the full launch. Our ecosystem platform will soon introduce various social features to enhance player communication and interaction. We plan to fully showcase and market this ecosystem by the end of Q1 2025.

Our in-game rewards system revolves around “collectibles,” which are standardized across all our games. These collectibles have rarity, can be leveled up, and carry a history of their achievements. What sets them apart is their ability to be transferred and used across different games within our ecosystem, making them valuable assets for players. This interconnected system is designed for perpetual play, with the complete experience available to players by the first quarter of 2025.

Digital ownership is becoming increasingly popular amongst gamers and fledgling collectors these days. Tell us, how do you think NFTs will impact the web3 ecosystem over the coming years?

Manel: NFTs in video games have great potential in the Web3 ecosystem, but their impact will largely depend on the level of decentralization that games are able to achieve. Ideally, NFTs would be most effective in fully decentralized games, where 100% of the game’s code and assets are on-chain. However, as of today, there isn’t a single game that is fully decentralized. While some games, like Dark Forest, come close by decentralizing core mechanics and game state, they still rely on off-chain components for things like assets and user interfaces. Similarly, CryptoKitties—often cited as an early example of blockchain gaming—still involves centralized elements such as artwork and certain gameplay logic, making it not fully decentralized.

In the current gaming landscape, NFTs in centralized games don’t provide true ownership protection, as they depend entirely on the issuing company, which can alter the NFT at any time. The primary value NFTs offer in video games today is interoperability between marketplaces, allowing assets to be traded across different platforms.

Given these limitations, our approach at GFAL focuses on digital collectibles with real ownership, where users acquire licenses to exploit the IP rights associated with the collectible. This allows players to potentially earn money outside the game by leveraging these rights. As technology advances, and if games can eventually achieve full decentralization, NFTs could play a much more significant role in gaming. For now, simple games like Tic-Tac-Toe implemented entirely in smart contracts could be considered fully decentralized, but they remain quite basic due to current blockchain constraints.

📈 Our ROAS strategy will fuel the growth of the $GFAL token and ecosystem. By optimizing every marketing dollar, we’ll drive maximum impact and value for our community. With a proven track record in successful game launches, the best is yet to come! 🚀 $GFAL #MarketingStrategy pic.twitter.com/d2PeXMXTj3

— GFAL (@GFAL_Official) September 8, 2024

Are we right in thinking that GFAL is also working to bring enhanced realism to NFTs through the power of 3D ray tracing technology, too? Diamond Dreams? Tell us a bit about that. What are you aiming to accomplish here?

Manel: Yes, you’re absolutely right. At GFAL, we’re pushing the boundaries of realism in digital collectibles, particularly through the use of 3D ray tracing technology in our game Diamond Dreams. This technology allows us to render diamonds and gems in real-time with stunning detail, capturing the intricate way light interacts with these materials. Our goal is to create a visual experience that’s as close to seeing real jewels as possible, making each collectible not just a game item, but something truly impactful.

Diamond Dreams is a 3D match-three game, but it’s far more advanced than what you typically see in this genre, like Candy Crush or Royal Match. We’ve designed it to be innovative and visually striking, with features that allow players to craft, collect, and even sell their jewels. You’ll also be able to join clubs and compete with others to see who can build the most valuable collection. And we’re bringing this experience across platforms, including consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.

What’s particularly exciting is the competitive PvP mode we’re introducing to Diamond Dreams. In this mode, players will race to complete levels with the highest score, and the winner’s jewel will be displayed in the game with the same level of realism you’d expect in the real world. This connection between the digital and physical worlds is something we’re really proud of, and we believe it will add an extra layer of excitement, especially in the context of e-sports. There’s something incredibly compelling about seeing a jewel in the game that looks and feels just like one you’d see in reality—it taps into our natural fascination with these beautiful objects.

Do you have any words of advice for those who’ve yet to embark on their own dives into the blockchain? Also, what’s the best way to get ahold of $GFAL?

Manel: My advice for those looking to dive into blockchain is that it’s an exciting world full of potential and one that’s constantly evolving. Blockchain technology and its underlying infrastructure are improving every day, making it increasingly relevant, especially in the gaming industry. While the technology still needs to mature to become more fully integrated with video games, it offers a unique opportunity to create experiences that are not just new, but more engaging and entertaining than anything we’ve seen before. As creators of entertainment, it’s crucial to think about how we can leverage this technology to craft experiences that players will truly enjoy, perhaps even more than what’s available today.

As for getting hold of $GFAL, the easiest way is through our marketplace at gfal.market. You can create an account with a GFAL ID, and from there, you can purchase $GFAL just like any other premium currency using a credit card. Once you have $GFAL, you can dive into our games, buy collectibles, and decide whether to keep or trade them. Interestingly, in our early tests, we’ve noticed that players often prefer to hold onto their collectibles, valuing the time and effort they’ve invested in them. This is a fascinating trend, and while it might change as we scale and reach a broader audience, it shows just how much players value their achievements in the blockchain gaming space.

For the first time, players can buy and sell in-game items directly with each other. Dive in now to explore the new trading features and dynamic pricing system. https://t.co/txdfaP5Ihj pic.twitter.com/hxkKOyaiXX

— GFAL (@GFAL_Official) July 11, 2024

With 2024 edging towards its final quarter, it seems only natural that we cast our focus on the forthcoming year. How’s it shaping up for you? Do you have any plans to broaden the GFAL network over the coming months?

Manel: As we approach the end of 2024, we’re incredibly excited about what the next year holds for us. We’ve been working on the GFAL project since 2021—three years of hard work, innovation, and development—and the official launch is finally set for next year. We’re eagerly anticipating how players will respond to the games and the ecosystem we’ve built.

We’re looking forward to seeing if this new experience resonates with players, potentially setting a trend towards a more interconnected and socially immersive gaming environment that also incorporates elements of ownership. It’s an exciting time because we’ll finally see whether our vision of creating something more engaging and socially connected than traditional, more isolated gaming experiences will catch on, or whether we’ll need to make further adjustments to enhance player connection.

Internally, there’s a lot of optimism. Our team is made up of passionate gamers, and we believe in what we’re doing because we genuinely enjoy the experiences we’re creating. We feel that what we’ve developed makes the games better, more immersive, and more fun. So, as we move into the new year, we’re eager to expand the GFAL network, grow the project, and share everything we’ve been working on with the world.

So, where’s the best place to find all the latest updates on Games for a Living? Are there any social channels, events, or newsletters that we could share with our readers?

Manel: To stay up-to-date with all the latest news and updates from Games for a Living (GFAL), the best places are our social channels. You can join our vibrant community on Discord, where we share real-time updates, host events, and engage directly with our players and fans. Follow us on X for the latest announcements, game news, and insights. Additionally, our Telegram channel is a great place to get quick updates and participate in community discussions. We also encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter to get regular updates delivered straight to your inbox!

Is there anything you would like to add before we close the book?

Manel: Before we wrap up, I’d like to emphasize what truly drives us at Games for a Living (GFAL): our unwavering commitment to creating high-quality games that deliver genuine entertainment. While innovations like Web3 and AI offer exciting new possibilities, our primary focus remains on the gameplay, storytelling, and the overall joy of the experience. We believe that technology should serve the game, not the other way around.

At GFAL, we make games for gamers—real people who seek fun, engaging, and memorable experiences. We’re dedicated to crafting games that resonate on a personal level, ensuring that player enjoyment is always at the forefront of what we do. As we move forward, we’ll continue to listen to our community, learn from their feedback, and refine our work to create something truly special. I’d like to thank them for joining us on this journey. We’re excited about what’s to come, and we can’t wait to share it with all of you!

Thanks for your time, Manel!

For more information on Games for a Living, be sure to check in with the team over on their official social channel here. Alternatively, you can visit the website for additional details and coverage here.