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Why we’re launching the Polemos Pharos newsletter

The Pharos of Alexandria, pixel art style, is the emblem of Polemos Pharos

At Polemos, we are building a community and business around blockchain gaming. We see the promise of using the blockchain to develop worlds beyond the bounds of a single game, and we’re not the only ones. Globally billions of dollars and millions of development hours are being poured into blockchain games. The breakthrough game is on the horizon.

The point is, we don’t know exactly which game, or games, that will be, and when exactly the breakthrough will happen. We’ve started up a news service, called Pharos, to keep track of the best games in this space, and to paint a vibrant picture of the people who are making them. After all, when you back out and take in the big picture, this is all about people: what they enjoy, and what they believe in.

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Here’s a taster:

Shrapnel’s creator on timetable and “gunfeel”

Mark Long

I spoke to Mark Long for an hour: the CEO of games studio NEON is open, infectiously enthusiastic and totally practical. He gave me the best indications of release timetable for his AAA shooter Shrapnel that I’ve seen. He also gave an insight into what it’s going to take to make a fun game. He agrees, along with everyone smart, that the blockchain per se isn’t a selling point. It’s a just a means to an end. READ

What it’s really like to play Illuvium Overworld

The Crimson Gallery in Illuvium Overworld

For a long time the Illuvium faithful, including my Pharos colleagues Caveman and Mogglin, have been hanging out to play Overworld. They finally got their chance, and this is our first impression piece. Illuvium is not a single game, it’s several, linked together by a shared world and the blockchain. The verdict? READ

A smart bloke tells us why you should hide the blockchain

Sam Peurifoy speaks with Hal Crawford on what it will take for a Web3 game to breakthrough to the mainstream.

The problem with crypto is that most people don’t trust crypto. And the problem with blockchain gaming is that most mainstream gamers associate the blockchain with “play to earn” and games that just aren’t that much fun to play. In my interview with studio founder and Hivemind fund partner Sam Peurifoy, I discovered one solution: boil the frog nice and slow. READ

Hands on with Star Atlas

Star Atlas demo

Our two game experts, Moggy and C-man (I have created nicknames for people who are already using nicknames – it’s an Australian compulsion) signed up for the Star Atlas pre-alphas. What I can tell you from watching the video in this piece, is that it’s beautiful, and may yet prove worth the wait. READ

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Thanks for reading,

Hal


Hal Crawford

Hal Crawford is an experienced journalist and newsroom manager, and the head of content at Polemos.