Planet Digital Partners Brings Gaming Industry Heavyweights Together

Planet Digital Partners Brings Gaming Industry Heavyweights Together

“We think blockchain could be more compelling within the video game space by adding more creativity, more interactivity,” says Kelly Sumner, board advisor to the “all-star” Planet Digital Partners. The new project is promising three new games by Christmas 2019 — and it may have the experience to deliver on that promise.

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Planet Digital Partners’ Gaming Credentials

Sumner tells us he’s been in the computer industry for 40 years, working with the people who produced the PET, Vic20 and Commodore 64, before moving onto video games. He was CEO of RedOctane (Guitar Hero) and Take-Two Interactive (Grand Theft Auto, Read Dead)

Planet Digital Partners has a team that has overseen development of several other well-known titles. CEO Steve Grossman was the executive producer of Nintendo World Championships, plus there are two founders from Saber Interactive Halo, Quake, NBA Playgrounds) and former president of PlayStation Europe Chris Deering.

Watch the interview above to hear more about the new company’s plans.

Now, How About Blockchain?

The team certainly has the credentials to release games — but where does blockchain come in?

Sumner says “there’s a trick” to working blockchain technology into video games, and that is “the big guys are not going to do it”. They’re already firmly established with top-selling games and blockchain is too small for them to consider… at the moment. Meanwhile, smaller players are just trying to survive.

He thinks his team — a startup but with seasoned gaming industry players in charge — will be able to compete and is a good mix to try something new, with the know-how to actually deliver the games.

But how does it work? Sumner gives two examples here; one where players can trade assets with each other mid-game, and another where the game records a player’s playing history and adjusts their experience accordingly. Blockchain tech allows these asset holdings and player records to move beyond just the game being played, even off the platform entirely and into the commercial world.

“I think there’s a tremendous opportunity there,” he says.

Game producers (and social networks) have in the past shown reluctance to develop any method for users to move data to other platforms or economies. A blockchain-based standard could see that change in the future, so it will be interesting to see just how flexible Planet Digital Partners’ system can become.

How would you build games around a blockchain economy? Let’s hear your thoughts.

Images and video via , George Levy