Emerging Web3 technology has bold claims, including reshaping the game industry. Mobidictum had the privilege of interviewing Matthew Buxton, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mystic Games, a Web3 game development studio with bases in Stockholm and Berlin. A veteran in the field with experiences at renowned studios like Activision Blizzard, King, Rovio, and Miniclip, Buxton sheds light on the unique journey of Mystic Games and their flagship project, “Call of the VoYd.”
Mystic Games prides itself on being at the forefront of the Web3 gaming, creating immersive experiences that entertain and reward dedicated communities. In this exclusive interview, Buxton shares insights into the essence of Web3 gaming, the transformative potential of blockchain, and the intricate development process of “Call of the VoYd.” The game, a blend of genres and innovative gameplay mechanics, is poised to disrupt the gaming scene by introducing novel elements like the “VoYd Heart” and “VoYd Petz,” seamlessly integrated with the power of NFTs. We thank him for the interview and his answers and leave you to the interview without any delay.
Can you tell us a bit about you and Mystic Games?
We’re a leading game development studio based in Stockholm and Berlin, and we create immersive and innovative Web3 gaming experiences with our team of passionate developers, artists, and designers.
We leverage Web 3 to create games that reward communities and showcase the limitless potential of interactive entertainment – we’re always exploring new ways to reward players for their engagement and playtime.
I set up MYSTiC GAMES in 2022 with our COO, Jakob Braunish. We’re extremely passionate about mobile gaming and have extensive experience at renowned studios like Activision Blizzard, King, Rovio, and Miniclip.
We’re both passionate about the potential Web3 has for enhancing the gaming experience and rewarding our players. We have a shared vision for bringing the best games to market – we’re continuing to explore the power of Web3 and how it can maximize the experience for our dedicated community of players.
Mystic Games is described as being at the forefront of the Web3 gaming revolution. Can you tell us what Web3 gaming means and how it differs from traditional gaming?
Web3 gaming has expanded opportunities for developers like us and our dedicated players. Namely, it has opened up a world where dedicated communities of players can reap monetary rewards simply for playing the games they love. Developers experience increased engagement and retention from their players, increasing the opportunity for monetization – which then leads to even more rewards for their players.
How do you envision blockchain changing the gaming landscape in the coming years, and how does Mystic Games plan to leverage it?
Eventually, games using blockchain technology are going to be ubiquitous. It will be a means for developers to create great gaming experiences and reward players in a tangible way.
The focus has to be on the quality of the player experience – anything not made by game veterans and relying on tokenomics from 2021 are going to have a problem.
Can you tell us about the “Call of the VoYd,” the inspiration behind it, and how it fits into the broader landscape of Web3 gaming?
When we were creating Call of the VoYd, we wanted to change up the Rogue-lite/Survivor genre and develop a game with a cutting-edge and competitive edge that also leans heavily into the “every run is different” ethos.
For us, bringing in Web3 has given us the exciting ability to experiment. We’ve been able to create prizes for competitive play, and we’ve also included rare items that are verifiably limited – these are also interoperable with future titles. Essentially, this means that every player will have the ability, should they want to, to be able to sell or trade their account without the grey market risk.
Mystic Games team has veterans with extensive backgrounds at renowned studios like Activision Blizzard, King, Rovio, and Miniclip. How have your experiences at these studios influenced the development of “Call of the VoYd”?
We have been privileged to work at some of the most renowned gaming studios in the world, and with that comes the ability to learn from some of the greats in the industry. The beauty, though, of creating your own game is that you can make it completely and utterly your own. Working in other studios has made me appreciate the talent and dedication in our industry – people with a genuine passion for what they’re creating – and seeing our team put in 100% dedication today to create Call of the VoYd has been nothing short of epic.
The game offers a blend of different genres and gameplay mechanics. How did you arrive at this unique combination, and what challenges did you face in its development?
We started with the gameplay in a prototype that took three weeks to build and release. We tweaked and iterated in line with the community response on Discord.
We were lucky to start development of the full version when Unity released its Entity Component System. Utilizing this, we created the battle physics with multithreading for bullet collisions and a bunch of other stuff under the hood, which we call Catalyst that allows us to make RPG metagames and iterate on fast, performant core gameplay.
The “VoYd Heart” and “VoYd Petz” are intriguing features of your game. How do these elements enhance the player’s experience, and what role do NFTs play in them?
The VoYd Heart acts as a save file that stores the heroes unlocked and other game progress. Every player is given one when joining the game. However, being on the blockchain means they can trade them, share them, or sell them.
VoYd Petz are cute NFT profile pics we gave to our community. In the game, they are pets that follow you around and help you out with elemental damage, healing, defense, and all manner of fun things. They can also be leveled up.
Mystic Games emphasizes a player-centric approach. How do you gather and incorporate player feedback into the development process of “Call of the VoYd”?
We have a high level of engagement on our Discord, where players are constantly giving us feedback on what is working and what isn’t. We’ve taken this feedback, and we’re addressing it in the Beta version of Call of the Voyd, which is being released later this year.
We also hardened the game this time against exploits. It’s amazing what rewarded competition will do for increasing attempts to bot and hack. I heard a few estimates that the majority of web3 games out are mostly home only to bots.
Looking ahead, what is the long-term vision for Mystic Games and “Call of the VoYd” as technology continues to evolve in the game industry?
Our ambition is a catalog of interconnected games, each developed in their own cultural contexts but that are interoperable and share a common vision.
We’re kind of an incubator for game projects and teams. Both our games and teams grew out of long-held visions and existing relationships. Team Berlin and Team Stockholm are different, but the core of trust vision and entrepreneurial development are identical.
I’m a firm believer that to create a game, you need to align the ambition with the incentive. To create success, you need to share in it. You also need to have a long-held thesis. We want to take good ideas and pour oil on that fire.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
The upcoming beta, “Call of the VoYd Heartliners” from the Berlin team, will be out on the Apple App Store and Google Play soon!
