Adam Gomez, co-founder of Portals, joins to break down how a lean team with ~$5M outlasted studios that raised $50–$100M—by focusing on revenue, sustainability, and player-first design. We get candid about crypto vs. Web2 VC incentives, why “just make a better AAA game” is an oversimplification, and how Portals’ browser-based, no-code creator tools are powering a new wave of crypto-enabled games. From an Atari game jam to a consolidation thesis for profitable studios, Adam maps where real businesses are emerging in Web3 gaming.
Adam Gomez, co-founder of Portals, joins to break down how a lean team with ~$5M outlasted studios that raised $50–$100M—by focusing on revenue, sustainability, and player-first design. We get candid about crypto vs. Web2 VC incentives, why “just make a better AAA game” is an oversimplification, and how Portals’ browser-based, no-code creator tools are powering a new wave of crypto-enabled games. From an Atari game jam to a consolidation thesis for profitable studios, Adam maps where real businesses are emerging in Web3 gaming.
This episode covers:
- Why revenue > narrative: the survival playbook in crypto gaming
- Crypto VCs vs. Web2 VCs: incentives, timelines, and exits
- “AAA or bust” is a trap: alternative models that actually work
- The play-to-earn hangover and how to avoid extraction loops
- Portals = “crypto-powered Roblox”: no-code tools, WebGL, instant multiplayer
- Creator economy unlocks: turning non-coders into full-time devs
- Atari x Portals Blocktoberfest game jam & using legacy IP the right way
- RWA parallels: why physical card/board games are growing and what crypto can learn
- The path back for big studios
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