Could Gaming Platforms Be the Future Social Media Titans?
Desiree Dickerson, the co-founder and CEO of Thndr Games, has posited that "value transfer is intrinsically a social activity, woven into the very fabric of society. Given that gaming is also a social phenomenon, it's only natural for value transfer to find its way into the games we play." Dickerson predicts that gaming platforms could very well become the next Facebooks and Twitters. Is she onto something?
The Landscape: Gaming vs. Social Media
As we have discussed in earlier articles, the gaming industry is a behemoth, projected to be worth $256.97 billion by 2025. While Facebook remains a social media juggernaut with nearly 2.9 billion monthly active users, Discord—a platform favoured by gamers—is catching up, boasting 140 million monthly active users as of August 2023. That figure having doubled since 2021. With an estimated 2.9 billion gamers globally, the transition to a gaming-centric, Bitcoin-native ecosystem seems well within reach.
The Mobile Revolution
Smartphones have altered our interaction with games; a significant number of users now engage via mobile devices. Thndr Games, established in November 2019, is pioneering this shift by integrating Bitcoin and play-to-earn mechanisms into their offerings.
Thndr's Mission
The company's core focus is not merely to develop games, but to utilise them as a conduit for introducing people to Bitcoin. By creating a fun, frictionless experience that doesn't necessitate the conversion of fiat money, Thndr enables users to earn Bitcoin while enjoying games they love.