In an exclusive interview with GMGames, Will Griffiths, the General Manager of Motorverse, shares his journey from engineering to gaming and his vision for Motorverse and the future of web3 gaming. Will’s diverse background and extensive experience provide a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of digital assets and interoperability in the Web3 gaming world.
Meet Will Griffiths
Shuab, Editor-in-Chief of GMGames: Let’s kick off by letting our audience know who is Will Griffiths?
Will Griffiths, General Manager Motorverse: I have an engineering degree and started in the oil industry. From there, I transitioned into IT security, working as an ethical hacker and security consultant for Accenture. Eventually, I ventured into game development. I founded my own company in 2008 and, although my first game didn’t make any money, it was a valuable learning experience.
Shuab: That’s an interesting start. Can you tell us more about your career journey from engineering to gaming and crypto?
Will Griffiths: After my initial stint in the oil industry and IT security, I moved into game development. I joined NaturalMotion Games, where I was a producer on five different games, including “Clumsy Ninja,” which was featured in the iPhone 5 keynote. After that, I joined a free-to-play casino startup, which grew significantly under my tenure.
I then ventured into the crypto space, working for a fintech startup that dealt with roundup transactions into crypto portfolios.
Working with Industry Giants
Will Griffiths: Eventually, I joined Codemasters, a renowned video game company, as the head of live service. I was responsible for rolling out analytics, monetizing games post-launch, and handling customer service. My work primarily focused on Formula One and rally games, which are central to Codemasters’ portfolio. When EA acquired Codemasters in 2020, I transitioned to the EA strategic growth team. My role there was to help the team relate to the metaverse, NFTs, and the future of sports gaming, which was an exciting and forward-looking position.
Shuab: You’ve had quite a diverse career. What are some key milestones and achievements you’ve had along the way?
Will Griffiths: One of the key milestones was definitely my time at NaturalMotion Games, working on “Clumsy Ninja” and other top-10 games that were quite successful. My role involved overseeing animation tech and ensuring that our games delivered a high-quality experience to players. A significant achievement during this time was the consistent performance of our games in the top charts.
Working on “Clumsy Ninja” taught me a lot about creating engaging and interactive experiences for players. I also learned the value of having a strong, cohesive team and the impact that good animation tech can have on a game’s success. These experiences have been invaluable in shaping my approach to game development and management.
Another significant achievement was at the casino startup, where we scaled from a small team making modest revenues to a substantial operation generating nearly a million dollars daily. In the crypto space, launching Bamboo, a fintech startup, was another highlight. At Codemasters, overseeing live services for Formula One (F1) and rally games was a pivotal role, and joining EA’s strategic growth team to explore the future of the metaverse and NFTs was incredibly exciting. Now, as the General Manager of Motorverse, I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries of web3 gaming.
Joining Animoca
Shuab: How did you end up joining Animoca Brands, and what is your role there?
Will Griffiths: Joining Animoca Brands was a natural progression given my background and interests in gaming and emerging technologies. At Animoca, I am the General Manager of Motorverse. This role involves overseeing the development and integration of various racing games within the Motorverse ecosystem. Animoca Brands is like a giant startup, with a dynamic and collaborative environment. It’s exciting to work in such an innovative space where we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in web3 gaming.
Shuab: What insights can you share about working with Animoca Brands?
Will Griffiths: Working with Animoca Brands is a unique experience. Despite being a large organization, it operates with the agility and innovation of a startup. One of the coolest aspects is the Animoca Slack, where you can interact with over 450 other web3 companies. This collaborative environment fosters a lot of innovation and knowledge sharing. There’s a strong focus on interoperability and creating open ecosystems, which aligns perfectly with my vision for Motorverse. It’s an exciting place to be, especially as we explore the future of gaming and digital assets.
Inside the Motorverse
Shuab: Can you explain the concept and vision behind the Motorverse?
Will Griffiths: The Motorverse is an ecosystem of racing games that allows players to own and use digital assets across multiple games. The core idea is to create a lasting relationship between players and their cars, rather than having assets tied to a single game. This is fundamentally different to what is available in traditional games.
We believe in the subtle integration of web3 elements into a web2 gaming experience without overwhelming our players. Instead of forcing web3 onto web2 audiences, which we’ve seen doesn’t work, we focus on creating games that are familiar and enjoyable to traditional gamers, like driving games with amazing environments and activities such as drifting and go-karts.
The real innovation comes when players choose to engage with web3 elements. For instance, players can purchase NFT versions of cars from the Motorverse store. These NFT cars are not limited to a single game; instead, they can be used across multiple games within the Motorverse ecosystem, like Torque Drift 2 and Rev Racing, as well as future games developed by us and other developers.
We are focusing on creating a comprehensive ecosystem where players can buy cars on the Motorverse site and use them in games like Torque Drift 2, Rev Racing, and more. Additionally, we are working on bringing real-world car brands into the Motorverse, allowing players to own digital versions of their favorite models. Our goal is to continuously release new models, potentially in sync with real-world car launches, creating a vibrant and ever-evolving marketplace for digital assets.
Shuab: How does interoperability enhance the gaming experience in the Motorverse?
Will Griffiths: Interoperability is a game-changer for the Motorverse. Interoperability means that players form a lasting relationship with their cars, going beyond individual games. A car’s history, customization, and achievements are tracked and preserved across all these games. Whether a player takes their car for a drive in the Grand Canyon, participates in a drag race, or competes in a kart race, all these experiences are recorded, creating a rich narrative and provenance for each car. By enabling this kind of cross-game functionality, we aim to recreate the emotional connection people have with their real-world cars, capturing the memories and adventures associated with them.
We’re heading towards a model where we regularly publish new cars on our site, much like releasing new models in the real world. These cars can come in various rarities and can be used in multiple games within our ecosystem. We’re also working on establishing standards that allow these cars to be used in games developed by other companies. This open standard ensures that the cars are not confined to Motorverse games alone but can be a part of a broader gaming universe.
By building these standards, we create an open and interconnected gaming ecosystem, distinguishing us from traditional web2 gaming’s closed systems. This approach enhances player engagement, increases sense of community and belonging whilst providing an interconnected gaming experience. Interoperability in web3 gaming for us means assets are truly ownable and transferable across different games and platforms.
Shuab: What about if the car is set up for a drifting game, but then there’s a track game, and you own that car, how would the asset or NFT behave in those situations?
Will Griffiths: We built a standard that functions like the “seed” of the car, containing all the essential information needed to understand how a car should perform. This standard includes details about the car’s model, engine, drivetrain, and other specifications in an agreed format. This ensures consistency in how the car behaves across different games.
For example, if a car model is faster than another in real life, those specifications are mirrored in our digital assets. When you take your car into a highly realistic simulation game, it will perform as it would in real life. However, in a more arcade-style game, the top brands might still be faster, but the handling might be designed for simpler, more accessible gameplay.
Regarding customizations, the initial focus is on interoperability at a basic level. If you customize your car in one game, that specific customization might not carry over to another game right away. However, the record of those customizations exists in the data, and our goal is to eventually allow detailed configurations, like suspension heights and other tweaks, to transfer across games.
In the early stages, the “wow” factor comes from owning a car and being able to take it to different places within our ecosystem. Imagine buying a car, seeing it in your garage on the Motorverse website, and then being able to use it in various games. This kind of interoperability is a game-changer and something that hasn’t been done before. It’s an absolutely unique experience we’re excited to bring to our players.
GMGames.gg Panel of Experts View On Interoperability
We reached out to our gaming experts for their views on how they saw the role of interoperability.
Mel from The Block Chain Gaming Alliance shared her insights:
Interoperaibiulity benefits both players and devlopers. Those who produce games can provide a more diversified player experience, targeting new audiences and communites.
Separately players can benefit by using their favourite assets across games and platforms creating a more personal gaming experience. Interoperability is one of the key features of blockchain and utilising the capability can greatly enhance gameplay.
We have to agree with Mel from The Blockchain Game Alliance, game interoperability is no doubt a paradigm change. The capability of frictionless asset movement across virtual worlds and platforms gives gamers greater personalization and allows developers to establish integrated gaming environments. Interoperability can inspire developers to rethink game design and user involvement in new ways.
Regarding developers, Juan Rivera Perez–JRP shared his thoughts
Devs don’t really know what they need to make this [interoperability] happen. They are focused on getting hype or raising funds. Sometimes using the right tech isn’t apart of that [activity].
We can understand JRP’s view on developers not knowing what to do. The lack of (agreed and adopted) standards is still in its infancy. Hopefully, as the industry matures and teams like the Motorverse who continue to shape and push standards forward, we will get there faster.
Digital Assets in the Motorverse
Shuab: Can you give us an overview of the types of digital assets available in the Motorverse?
Will Griffiths: Absolutely. In the Motorverse, digital assets mainly include car models and Profile Picture (PFP) collections. Our flagship PFP collection is the Torque Squad, which features a mix of futuristic soldiers and motorsport drivers, created by an artist who worked on Halo. These PFPs are more than just digital art; they serve as a VIP pass within the Motorverse, providing access to exclusive rewards and competitions. On the other hand, our car models range from everyday vehicles to high-end, branded cars, which players can buy, customize, and use across multiple games. We’ve made the game and ecosystem accessible to everyone; you don’t have to own a digital asset to get playing within the Motorverse.
Shuab: How do you ensure that these digital items maintain real value?
Will Griffiths: I can’t guarantee that these digital items will maintain their value. If I could guarantee the value of these assets, it would be pretty good news, right? And I probably wouldn’t be doing this. However, I can share how we’ve observed market dynamics and how we approach this challenge as a team.
Imagine we partner with a big brand and decide to sell NFTs of a particular car model that works in multiple games. When people buy these NFTs, they can view them on platforms like OpenSea, use them in different games, or show them off in their virtual garages and to friends on their phones. At this point, those who own the NFTs genuinely own them.
The value of these items is driven by demand. For example, web2 audiences might encounter these assets in games and get curious when they lose to an NFT holder. This kind of exposure can spark interest as people start to see the benefits of owning these digital items. They might think, “If I spend a bit more on a car, I can keep and use it across different games. That’s cool!”
This journey creates funnels of web2 users gradually getting introduced to and educated about NFTs. As more people come into the Motorverse, the user base grows. So, if we initially sold 2,000 units of a particular model and our user base expands from a few thousand to 100,000, the demand for those early models increases because more people want them.
And, as new games adopt our standards, older NFTs become compatible with these new games. For example, imagine a game like Forza (just as an example; we’re not working with them) integrating our standards. Players in Forza might then want a specific model from our original collection, driving up its demand and value.
The key to maintaining and potentially increasing the value of these digital items lies in the growing audience and awareness among web2 users. As more people appreciate the benefits of NFTs and more games support them, the demand for these assets should rise. This increased demand can drive a secondary market, where people seek out specific models from earlier collections.
By increasing audience size and educating web2 users about the benefits of NFTs, we aim to drive demand and allow the market to determine the value of these digital items. While I can’t guarantee their value, I believe this approach provides a solid foundation for maintaining and potentially increasing it over time.
Shuab: Are you able to shed any light on upcoming car brands and models?
Will Griffiths: We’re very excited about our upcoming car brands and models. We have signed agreements with some very cool car brands, and we’ll soon be launching their digital counterparts in the Motorverse. While I can’t disclose specific names just yet, I can say that these brands will appeal to a wide range of car enthusiasts. Our aim is to frequently release new models, potentially even aligning with real-world car launches, to keep our marketplace vibrant and exciting for players and collectors alike.
Shuab: To help our audience get ahead, what were the first three collections, or we too late already?
Will Griffiths: If you’re asking about today, in terms of the cars we’ve launched, there are already cars inside Torque Drift 2 that players can buy. We’re currently in discussions to make them work more widely. However, if you’re looking to get in on the ground floor with the first interoperable cars, you haven’t missed out yet. We haven’t launched the first interoperable cars yet, but they are coming in the next couple of months.
This is why we’re talking to you—because we’ve only just rebranded, brought all this IP together, and integrated these brands. We’re getting ready to demonstrate interoperability for the first time. So, the first interoperable cars will be available soon. I don’t like to use the word “soon” without specifics, but I can definitely say it will be this year.
To get involved, you can stake some $REVV to start earning points. Stay updated across our socials on what’s happening in the ecosystem. This way, you can secure allowance spots for these upcoming releases. Additionally, PFP holders will get whitelist capability, with the specific details to be announced soon.
The Role of $REVV Token
Shuab: Can you give us an overview of the Revv token and its functionality?
Will Griffiths: The $REVV token is the cornerstone of the Motorverse’s economy. It is used for a variety of purposes, including purchasing digital assets, staking, and governance. Players can use Revv tokens to buy cars, upgrades, and other in-game items. By staking $REVV tokens, users can earn motor score points, which act like a loyalty scheme, providing various benefits and rewards. Additionally, $REVV tokens play a crucial role in governance, allowing token holders to have a say in key decisions affecting the Motorverse.
Shuab: Is there a token and an in-game economy?
Will Griffiths: Yes, we have a token called the $REVV Token. However, thinking of it merely as an in-game economy might be too narrow. $REVV is available on multiple centralized and decentralized exchanges and has been around for a while. Now that we’ve consolidated everything under one roof, it’s time to leverage its full potential.
We recently launched a white paper detailing all the different ways we plan to use $REVV. It serves as a store of value and a means to engage with other communities. For example, we’ve done token swaps with other motorsport projects that have web3 fungible tokens. We recently collaborated with $TURBO, a meme coin, for a token swap, and we have more of these planned. These swaps bring attention from one ecosystem to another. So, Turbo users check out Motorverse, and vice versa, creating a rising tide that benefits both ecosystems.
Our focus is on finding synergies, particularly within motorsport and vehicle-related projects. We aim to appeal to racing gamers, motorsport fans, and petrolheads, offering something unique and better than what’s currently out there. In our ecosystem, $REVV is used for all transactions, including purchasing vehicles and products. It will also play a role in governance, allowing token holders to have a say in the development of Motorverse.
We also offer staking for $REVV. Unlike typical web3 staking, which often feels like a yield play for investors, our approach to staking is about becoming part of our growth story. When you stake $REVV, you’re supporting us, which can help increase the token’s value. A higher token price enables us to engage in more projects and bring more value into our ecosystem. Staking is a way to show that you believe in our vision and want to be part of our journey. It’s like becoming one of our OG founding members.
We haven’t officially created a badge for this yet, but it’s something we’re considering. We want to bring in people who truly understand the potential of interoperability for the mass market, stake $REVV, and be part of our story and community.
Shuab: Are players rewarded in $REVV tokens in any way?
Will Griffiths: Yes, players can be rewarded in $REVV tokens. Historically, we’ve had some play-to-earn games, but now we describe it more as play-and-earn. The short answer is yes, we definitely use $REVV as a reward. However, it’s not a straightforward “finish level one, get 2 $REVV” kind of system.
We often host competitions where we invite players to race for a big prize, which can be $REVV tokens. These events help increase awareness and add value to the ecosystem. However, giving away $REVV indefinitely isn’t a sustainable model for us. Instead, we use it strategically to reward players in ways that make sense and contribute to the overall value and growth of our ecosystem.
Future of Web3 and Gaming
Shuab: Where do you see the future of web3 gaming and are there any trends that you are seeing?
Will Griffiths: The future of web3 gaming is something everyone has a different view on, even within Animoca. There are so many projects, and people are doing different things. For me, I often describe it like this: you have a game designer who’s been designing games for 10 years. They have all these tools in their toolkit—core loops, subscription models, cooldown timers, and so on. These are the standard tools they use to design games.
But with web3, it’s like rolling out a new set of tools. Now we have tradable assets and interoperability, which are enabled by blockchain technology. These are extra tools that open up new possibilities. The technology underlying the games becomes almost irrelevant—what matters is what kind of cool games we can create if assets are tradable and items are interoperable.
I believe the secret lies in adapting these new tools for the mass market. There are lots of innovative things emerging, like different variations on financial products turned into video games. However, many of them don’t feel very mass-market to me. They cater to a specific group of people who get them and enjoy them. I’m looking to find ways to use tradability and interoperability in a way that’s useful for everyone while protecting players from the volatility of the crypto markets.
Crypto markets are interesting and offer ways to generate money, but when you think about a video game company, the focus should be on making great games, not just how they raise money. I believe in creating games where, if you buy assets, you can sell them when you’re finished, and they accrue value. In contrast, traditional games don’t offer this. If you have two identical games, but one allows you to sell your assets and the other doesn’t, the choice is clear.
It’s a difficult path to navigate, but I’m focused on using the new toolkit and standards to create games that offer real value and appeal to a broad audience.
Personal Insights
Shuab: On a lighter note, can you tell us about your favorite car, the one that you’d like to see across the Motorverse ecosystem?
Will Griffiths: Absolutely. My favorite car has to be the Audi R8. It’s an understatedly awesome car that combines power and elegance perfectly. It’s flashy enough to turn heads but still maintains a level of sophistication that I really appreciate. The R8 represents a perfect blend of performance and style, which is why it’s my top pick.
Shuab: That’s a great choice! Your work load must be hectic. As General Manager for Motorverse, how do you balance your demanding career with your personal life?
Will Griffiths: Balancing work and personal life can be challenging, but I make it a priority. I’m married to an Aussie and have two daughters, aged six and seven, soon to be eight. We’re quite an outdoorsy family, enjoying sports and various activities together. It’s important for me to disconnect from work and spend quality time with my family. I also have a passion for science fiction and philosophy, which I indulge in whenever I get some free time. Having interests outside of work helps me maintain a healthy balance and keeps me grounded.
Shuab: It sounds like you have a well-rounded life. What are some of your other interests and hobbies?
Will Griffiths: Besides spending time with my family and enjoying the outdoors, I’m really into technology and gaming, of course. I also love science fiction and philosophy, which provide a great mental escape and often inspire my work in the gaming industry. I enjoy reading, discussing new ideas, and staying connected with friends from the UK, Australia, and the US. Traveling and exploring new places is another passion, and I try to incorporate that into our family life as much as possible. All these interests keep me engaged and balanced, both personally and professionally.
Final Thoughts
The future of gaming is on the cusp of an extensive transformation driven by the components and toolset available within web3. At the forefront of this shift is Motorverse, an ecosystem designed to redefine how players interact with their digital assets. As the General Manager of Motorverse, Will Griffiths is super bullish about the potential of web3 technologies to fundamentally change the gaming landscape.
The vision at Motorverse is to build a vibrant, interconnected ecosystem where players have unprecedented control and ownership of their in-game assets. By enabling players to own and use digital assets across multiple games, the team is creating a seamless and immersive gaming experience that extends beyond traditional boundaries.
The journey ahead promises to be thrilling, filled with continuous innovation and growth. We at GMGames get a sense that the best is yet to come.