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RobotCache has signed 22 publishers with 700 games for its alternative PC store app based on blockchain technology. The announcement shows progress in the last year from RobotCache, headquartered in San Diego, California, that the famous game developer Brian Fargo and other veterans began in an attempt to change the way people buy games.
RobotCache plans to launch its digital PC gaming platform, just like the Valve Steam digital distribution service, starting next year. The big problem is that it plans to provide publishers and game developers about 95% of the proceeds from gaming sales, rather than just 70% of Steam and others. RobotCache will compete directly with the likes of Steam and GOG and hopes to join the main competitors.
Above: Lee Jacobson is CEO of RobotCache.
Credit image: RobotCache
The company also plans to allow users to sell their games to secondary buyers. In these offers, the publisher gets 70 percent, the player gets 25 percent and RobotCache gets 5 percent. Normally, publishers get nothing from the sales of used games.
"Resale games are huge, with publishers getting a cut and players are able to make money," said Lee Jacobson, CEO of RobotCache, in an interview with GamesBeat. "Some users want to monetize their digital library, they can play for a few months and then resell it, so they can use it to buy more games."
A year ago, this was all about talking. It is not happening yet, but it is much more real than it was.
"We're talking to everyone in the industry now," Jacobson said. "This means we will have the largest launch library in the history of video games."
The most recent editors include 1C Publishing, Bigben Interactive, Ci Games, Dankie, Devolver Digital, Headup, Hyperkinetic Studios, Imgn.pro, Libredia, Playdius Games / Plug In Digital, Revival Productions and Running with Scissors.
These publishers join the previously announced 505 games, Anuman Interactive, Entrada Interactive, Forthright Entertainment, InXile Entertainment, Maximum Games, Microids, Modus Games, Paradox Interactive, THQ Nordic and Versus Evil on the Robot Cache platform.
Most of them have been recruited in the last five months, after the company has completed many of the work on the platform.
"Most people who saw what we did came on board," said Jacobson.
Changes in the game plan
Above: RobotCache retains only 5% of the proceeds from the store.
Credit image: RobotCache
Everything turned out to be much more difficult at the beginning, as Jacobson almost said that every publisher asked which blockchain – the decentralized ledger that is transparent and secure – was. Now, he said, they understood.
But it is worth pointing out that some things have changed in the original plan. Not long ago, Microsoft, the Windows Store operator who still cut 30% of gaming sales, acquired the other company of Brian Fargo, InXile Entertainment, video game publisher. This could inhibit Fargo's ability to compete with Microsoft through Robot Cache. For now, Fargo is still president of RobotCache, but is very busy with InXile work, said Jacobson.
In addition, RobotCache demolished his plan to create his own ERC-20 criocurrency utility, which he intended to call Iron. US regulators are looking into new cryptocurrency token offerings through fund-raising processes known as initial coin offerings (ICOs).
"The United States government has [frowned] on the utility token approach, and we did not want to take this path to upset governmental authorities, "said Jacobson." So we went from the cryptocurrency ERC-20. "
Above: RobotCache allows you to buy games with Iron currency.
Credit image: RobotCache
Iron is still a virtual currency that you can win by "mining" or which allows your computer to be used for blockchain processes. You can earn Iron by mining that you can use to buy games. But you will no longer be able to buy iron as a cryptocurrency. And it's probably not that bad, because cryptography prices are craterized and this has inhibited many transcripts with these currencies.
This did not silence the RobotCache plan because game publishers said they would prefer to be paid in cash or credit cards, rather than in a cryptocurrency subject to major evaluation changes, Jacobson said.
However, it affected one part of the plan. Originally, RobotCache hoped to play its publishers much faster than other stores, thanks to the efficiency of blockchain and crypto exchanges. But now it will pay publishers using the same methods used by other stores. It will not be faster, at least for now.
Things that have remained the same: a 5% cut
Above: RobotCache retains only 5% of the proceeds from the store.
Credit image: RobotCache
But Jacobson said that the main advantage of the store is that it only takes 5% for the cut. Even Epic Games, which launched the Epic Games Store last week, is undergoing a 12 percent cut in revenue. The secondary advantage of selling games used with the approval of the publisher is also great.
These are, of course, areas where even other blockchain app stores can be competitive.
"We welcome the other stores coming to the market because for too long it was a monopoly," said Jacobson.
And, as already mentioned, the iron currency can still be used as a reward for the extraction and purchase of games. But it's more like an air mileage plan now, rather than a cryptocurrency.
"We are solving the toughest blockchain problems," said Jacobson. "We hope to be one of the largest mining basins in the world with a large user base."
The roadmap
Above: the RobotCache shop
Credit image: Robot Cache
One of the challenges that await us is that great successes come to the store.
"People have a different kind of taste for different content," said Jacobson. "There will be a combination of exclusive and great titles, as well as indie titles and good games that seem to come out of nowhere." We want to make sure we have a great playing field for everyone. "
Robot Cache intends to launch the platform next year. It has implemented its partner portal, which will be used for online registration and analysis tools. Publishers can use it as a self-service tool to post games for approval and publication.
They can also use it to provide marketing resources and manage sales and reporting through robust analytical tools.
Robot Cache is moving towards the launch of Early Access, an opportunity for early adopters of the gaming community to access the Robot Cache platform. Anyone who registers now and participates in early access will be a creator of Robot Cache, which will access the awards.
In addition to Fargo and Jacobson, the RobotCache leaders include Mark Caldwell (CTO), Laura Naviaux Sturr (CMO) and Philippe Erwin (general counsel and vice president of business development). The company has about 35 people in all in San Diego and Barcelona, Spain.
Over time, Jacobson said the company will speak more of the exclusives that come to his store.
"This topic emerges a little", said Jacobson. "We are in talks with everyone about this, we will have a lot more to announce before going live at the start of next year."
