Blockchain Gaming 101: Bitcoin Miner
In this edition of Blockchain Gaming 101, we go mobile with Bitcoin Miner. Bitcoin Miner is a much older game than one would think by looking on the App Store. It was developed over four years ago by a small team who saw the latest bullrush on Bitcoin and saw an opportunity to create a game about mining for cryptocurrency. We spoke to Paul West of Fumb Games about the Bitcoin Miner journey: “We’d already created a similar game called Zombie Labs, where you dug zombies out of the ground. We thought, okay, what would be cool is if we made a Bitcoin version of this”
In Bitcoin Miner, it’s your job to make as much money as possible, in the usual idle clicker way of purchasing new tools and upgrades. What starts as an underground bunker with one chap mining for Shiba Inu, becomes an empire where up to ten coins are being mined, including meme coins like Doge and powerhouses such as Ethereum and Bitcoin. Unfortunately, four years ago, things were very different and crypto wasn’t in regular conversation yet. “We went to launch it and we couldn’t” Paul laughs, “Google and Facebook, which were the main marketing channels for app promotion said ‘absolutely no, you cannot promote cryptocurrency-related products’ and of course, we replied that nothing in the game is real, it’s just the artwork which looks like crypto.”
So, the game stalled because Fumb Games couldn’t promote it to new players. The game that exists today is very similar to the one created over four years ago, however now that society is becoming more comfortable with crypto the game is seeing another big push with one new addition. Now you can earn actual crypto while you play. “We were approached by Zebedee, who are the Bitcoin payment provider, saying they’d like to work with us.” As you play Bitcoin Miner you can earn Satoshi which is a fraction of a Bitcoin, and when we say a fraction we mean it, a Satoshi is 0.000001 BTC. These Satoshi appear occasionally from your miners, along with other tappable power-ups, and once tapped they get banked in a holding area until you withdraw them to your Zebedee wallet. I’ve been playing the game since its launch a few weeks ago and I’ve banked 609 SATS, or $0.17. You’re never going to get rich, but that’s not the point. This is just a game, with the blockchain and crypto elements sown within. Paul is proud of what the game is doing, because to him, the gameplay came first, “we gave the game a bit of a facelift after Zebedee got in touch – those miner sprites are my original art from years ago! – now we’re the first Bitcoin mining simulation that actually pays you Bitcoin.”
The Satoshis will never really amount to much, even if you’re hammering the game constantly. I’ve found myself a little addicted to watching my miners unearth coins, in the same way I got hooked on other idle clickers or, as Paul calls them, “enterprise games.”
It’s the ideal game for five-minute breaks during the day; you open the game, upgrade some miners or open new mining sites, you can tap the green arrows which pump the coin price up, or there’s a purple split arrow which duplicates the coin. There are treasure chests which give pieces of coins that, when assembled, upgrade the value of your coins, and watching ads can reward bonuses. You might ask where these Satoshi come from, which is why we asked Paul: “it comes directly from our revenue, going back to the community. We want this to be ‘if we win, then you win.’” The game does feature advertisements, which Paul knows can be a contentious point to players, but he hopes they understand that the interstitial ads are creating the revenue supplying the Bitcoin. It’s all about making money, in the same way your idle theme park or bakery game is. Except here, you can see actual money being paid out. “It’s like the cherry on the top” says Paul, “the game comes first, the Satoshi is simply a bonus.” Bitcoin Miner can be seen as a proof of concept to other developers, but it should also be seen as a great example of developing alongside Web3, rather than in reaction to it. “Web3 friction points are everywhere,” says Paul as we discuss how his game can help others learn about cryptocurrency mining and blockchain, “we think this is a frictionless way to learn, you can go from knowing nothing about Bitcoin, to earning it within 3-4 minutes.” Bitcoin Miner makes everything very simple, even setting up a Zebedee wallet is a breeze. “There are a lot of games out there that are Web3, but there are so many hoops to jump through; setting up a wallet, buying an NFT or staking tokens in the game” Paul is talking about the general Web3 gaming scene, which makes it difficult for everyday gamers to jump in and try new games. With so many upcoming games, there’s little to see and play, “they’re speculative products, right? They’re investments that people are making.”
Bitcoin Miner is anything but speculative. The gameplay may have been seen many times over, underneath various facades. That’s no bad thing, it won’t be for everyone, but for those who lean towards idle clickers or those interested in how crypto works, it’s an ideal clicker. A stand out comment from Paul is one to end on: “you’re not playing to earn, you’re playing and earning” and this seems to be a path that many developers should follow if they’re to appeal to ‘Web2 gamers’.

Blockchain Gaming 101: Bitcoin Miner

May 11, 2022
Every Wednesday, we delve into the latest fintech updates from across the UK. This week sees Plum launch a new savings account; while an educational cyber-security themed escape room-style experience launches in Cardiff. Novus named the ‘Boldest Fintech’
Challenger bank Novus has been named the ‘Boldest Fintech’ at the 2022 BOLD awards despite only officially launching in the UK two months ago. The category was designed to recognise ‘fintech innovations that boost the financial health of businesses and advance financial inclusion’. Novus aims to offer a way to make a positive impact on the world through people’s everyday spending. It has committed to donate five per cent or more of revenues to its range of charitable partners. The neobank also lets users track their carbon footprint based on spending habits and can see how they can act to offset this. Bolt pipped Binance, Hokodo and Zebedee to top spot in this award category. Commission-free stock investing launched by Plum
Saving and investment app Plum has launched its new feature which lets users  invest in fractional company shares commission-free in more than 500 of the top US businesses. Companies including Apple, Microsoft, Nike and Tesla will be investable by Plum’s user-base; with another 500 firms lined-up to be added soon. The company suggested that this was an important step, with its customers now able to invest in the brands that they are most familiar with and therefore feel they can trust. The feature will act as a method for Plum to expand the number of users it has by attracting a lot of first-time investors who are looking for an introduction to that space. CEO and co-founder of Plum, Victor Trokoudes, explained the company’s decision to make the process completely commission-free: “Accessibility and simplicity are standards that we constantly strive to achieve, so we feel this was an important representation of our values. “We created Plum for people who want to better manage their finances but it perhaps slips their mind, or seems like too much time or effort to figure out.”
Zopa accumulate over £100m in deposits after launch
Sixty-five days after the launch of its newest savings account, the ‘Super Saver’, Zopa Bank has hit a significant milestone of receiving more than £100million in deposits. Just under 20,000 customers opened a Super Saver with the bank, causing Zopa to estimate that it will reach £750million in deposits by the end of 2022. The fintech’s most popular pots with customers include saving for the Christmas period, holidays and new homes. The launch comes at a crucial time in the UK, in which energy prices are drastically rising, rent prices are going up and the rising cost of living is causing issues for many. Zopa aims to help its users with their post-pandemic finances by making the “£225 billion currently sitting idle in UK current accounts work harder”. It offers a 1.45 per cent AER interest rate and doesn’t require new customers to open a current account to gain access to these rates. Cybersecurity-based escape room-style experience launches in Cardiff
IT solutions provider, CGI is bringing an escape room-style experience to Cardiff in an attempt to educate people and businesses about cybersecurity risks as well as teaching how to deal with them and ways to reduce risks. The escape room exists within a shipping container that can be transported to different events around the country. It is currently part of Techniquest’s science centre and will remain there until 13 May. Some of the specific areas taught as part of the experience include creating strong passwords, protecting their personal privacy and navigating social media. CEO of Techniquest, Lesley Kirkpatrick, said: “It’s a great opportunity to not only promote the growing importance of cybersecurity, but to help everyone learn more about it in a memorable and entertaining way.”
Bristol-based fintech helps SMEs get paid
A new UK fintech has launched in Bristol; Saltare aims to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can receive payments faster than to ensure they can continue running and support their ongoing operations. According to Saltare, one of the main reasons a smaller company fails is due to a lack of available cash funds; rather than a lack of profits. Other recent studies suggest that SMEs may be waiting on up to £200billion in unpaid invoices. Saltare tackles this issue by developing digital tools that will encourage larger corporations to pay what they owe to smaller companies faster; by offering them benefits such as discounts. Founder and chief executive of Saltare, Anthony Persse, said: “Our mission is to develop a series of tools that bring the certainty of payment, and the certainty of cash flow, that support both ends of the supply chain.”
Author

UK Fintech News Roundup: The Latest Stories 11/05

Gaming Fintech ZEBEDEE and education app creator Vestly Media recently  announced the release of the Vestly app, the “best way” for the crypto “curious” to enter the world of crypto, NFTs and stocks “with no risk and with all the educational resources they need.” With... Read More

Fintech ZEBEDEE and Vestly to Accelerate Crypto, NFT Adoption to Main Street

When the relevancy of NFTs is no longer in question , the question becomes how exactly we can get involved with this emerging technology and make the most of it today. At Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle, we have all the top experts in this growing industry ready to share their exclusive insights with us – so, if you’re looking to learn about the endless possibilities when it comes to NFTs and games, look no further. On May 9th to 10th, some 1,000 game industry professionals will be joining us in Seattle to hear from 150 of the industry’s most renowned speakers. Over the course of this two-day conference, attendees will have limitless opportunities to network with top global companies and expand both their networks and their minds through our expert-led sessions. Don’t miss your chance to secure your ticket, head over to our website and book your ticket before time runs out . Our 24-hour meeting platform is now live, so if you sign up today, you can start scheduling your meetings straight away and see who will be joining us in Seattle next week. As part of Blockchain Games NEXT , a summit at PG Connects Seattle entirely dedicated to discussing all the most relevant, current information on all things metaverse, blockchain, NFTs and Web3, we have a track called NFT Know-How. In this track, attendees will learn all about how unique digital assets are changing the way we play today. A massive thank you to our incredible track sponsor Mythical Games, a next generation game technology studio. Mythical Games is a Venture-backed next-generation game technology company at the intersection of video games and economics led by industry veterans. You can learn more about Mythical Games here . Keep reading to see a schedule detailing what this track is all about. NFT Know-How: May 9th
14:00 - We’re getting the afternoon started with a state of the industry rundown courtesy of our incredible sponsor Mythical Games. Join our keynote speaker Daniel Frank as he delves into the good, the bad and the ugly in the blockchain space. 14:20 - Next up is a session on how evolutive NFTs can create active usage of digital tokens for a more engaging user experience. Join Freeverse’s Alun Evans in this unmissable talk! 14:40 - How are in-game tokens empowering community online and offline? Sit back and enjoy this panel as Ross Krasner of Ryu Games, Christopher Stuckey of Jam City, independent games professional Patrick McGrath, Ben Cousens of Zebedee and Rui Zhang of gumi Cryptos Capital share all. 15:20 - Next up is a conversation on how good tech can empower players and player communities. Join Max Infeld of Dacoco (Alien Worlds) to learn more. 15:40 - Up next is a panel on how we can have a more people-centric approach to Web3. In this panel, we’re hearing from the fantastic Mythical Games team. Join Katherine O’Harrow, Mike Dwyer, Kate Taylor and Daniel Frank in this unmissable session. 16:20 - Finishing out the day, we have a panel entirely dedicated to how you can bring your game into the metaverse. This panel will include Toni Caradonna of Cross the Ages, Tim Richards of Aglet, Ben Cousens of Zebedee, Matt Rutledge of BAYZ and Stacy Neale of Dacoco (Alien Worlds), you do not want to miss it! Secure your seat in Seattle
See you in Seattle!

How are NFTs affecting the future of gaming? Learn this and more at Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle

Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle is just a few short days away, and we couldn’t be happier to present the most forward-gazing version of our Pocket Gamer Connects series yet. We’re packing immense value into our two days in Seattle. Next week on May 9-10, conference attendees will enjoy 36 hours of brilliant insights from more than 150 expert speakers across 16 themed content tracks, plus the opportunity to actively network with some 1,000 attendees from over 500 leading companies representing the entire games industry ecosystem. If that wasn’t plenty, we’ll also be taking a deeper dive into the future of games. Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle will host the incredible future-gazing Blockchain Games Next Summit, dedicated to exploring the future of games and the intersection of the industry with metaverse, blockchain, NFTs and Web3, and today, we’re giving you a glimpse at everything this two-day summit has to offer. If you’ve been looking to learn more about blockchain games, NFTs and the metaverse from specialised experts at the cutting edge of these fields, the Blockchain Games Next Summit is the place you need to be next week. This summit is for industry professionals that want to learn more about the immense success blockchain and new games technologies, and get their share of this growing 11.54 billion dollar market . The blockchain market is predicted to reach a valuation of 162.84 billion dollars by 2027, so can you really afford to miss out? Get yourself registered for this unmissable conference while you still can . If you already are, keep on reading to find out exactly what the tracks in the Blockchain Games NEXT Summit have to offer. Blockchain Games NEXT Summit Overview
New Market Monetiser: Make the most of new advertising formats, IAPs and other monetisation developments in this focused track. Morning of May 9th
9:30 - We’re kicking off the morning discussing what Play & Own is and how it solves the instability of Play & Earn? Join Mitch Zamara of Million on Mar Inc. for this insightful discussion. 9:50 - Next up, we’re asking the question of how the external blockchain economy affects the internal game economy. Get all the details from Guy Bar Sade of Simpool. 10:10 - Up next is an unmissable discussion on the GameFi Landscape with Arry Yu of Yellow Umbrella Ventures and Hans Hauge of Ikigai Asset Management. 10:50 - Next up is an exciting panel conversation about what key emerging technologies developers need to keep an eye on. The panel will feature Zsuzsa James of Consulate General of Finland LA, Zak Whaley of PlayEveryWare, Alex Silkin of Survios, Tadhg Kelly of Mobile Game Doctor and Jeff Tremblay of Edgegap. 11:30 - Next on the schedule is Survios’ Alex Silkin talking about how you can ensure your game succeeds in VR. 11:50 - We’re rounding out the morning talking about ads in the metaverse and what you can expect. Join Levi Matkins of Lifestreet, Justin Hochberg of Virtual Brand Group, Ash Koosha of Oorbit, Nathan Blair of Games for Love and Bailey Grady of Offbeat Media for this incredible panel. NFT Know-How: Non-fungible tokens: how unique digital assets are changing the way we play today. Afternoon of May 9th
14:00 - We’re getting the afternoon started with a state of the industry rundown courtesy of our incredible sponsor Mythical Games. Join our keynote speaker Daniel Frank as he delves into the good, the bad and the ugly in the blockchain space. 14:20 - Next up is a session on how evolutive NFTs can create active usage of digital tokens for a more engaging user experience. Join Freeverse’s Alun Evans in this unmissable talk! 14:40 - How are in-game tokens empowering community online and offline? Sit back and enjoy this panel as Ross Krasner of Ryu Games, Christopher Stuckey of Jam City, independent games professional Patrick McGrath, Ben Cousens of Zebedee and Rui Zhang of gumi Cryptos Capital share all. 15:20 - Next up is a conversation on how good tech can empower players and player communities. Join Max Infeld of Dacoco (Alien Worlds) to learn more. 15:40 - Up next is a panel on how we can have a more people-centric approach to Web3. In this panel, we’re hearing from the fantastic Mythical Games team. Join Katherine O’Harrow, Mike Dwyer, Kate Taylor and Daniel Frank in this unmissable session. 16:20 - Finishing out the day, we have a panel entirely dedicated to how you can bring your game into the metaverse. This panel will include Toni Caradonna of Cross the Ages, Tim Richards of Aglet, Ben Cousens of Zebedee, Matt Rutledge of BAYZ and Stacy Neale of Dacoco (Alien Worlds), you do not want to miss it! Mapping the Metaverse: The future starts here! Discover the cutting edge of communication and entertainment in this overview of developments in the immersive space. We map the frontiers and reveal essential jumping on points. Morning of May 10th
9:30 - We’re kicking off the track with a conversation on how AI plays into the future of video games. Get all the exclusive insights from Arry Yu of Yellow Umbrella Ventures, Rahul Sood of Irreverent Labs and David Raskino of Irreverent Labs. 10:00 - What’s hype and what’s not in the metaverse? Decipher fad from fact with the help of expert Wanda Meloni of M2 Insights. 10:30 - Next up, Houston Howard of One 3 Creative is revealing three practical ways to future-proof your IP using transmedia. 10:50 - How do you build a sports metaverse? Learn the details from Louis Castle of Green Park Sports. 11:10 - Next up is a discussion on how Hollywood, games and the metaverse are connected. Don’t miss this insightful talk by Benjamin Bertram Goldman of Ethic. 11:30 - We’re finishing up the morning with a panel discussion on whether the metaverse is inherently transmedia or vice-versa. Join Kaley Hurst of PTW, Hrish Lotlikar of SuperWorld, Jason Robar of AuthorDigital, Tom Pigott of Ludo.ai and Benjamin Bertram Goldman of Ethic for this conversation. Building on Blockchain: An introduction to what blockchain means for any developer - with insights into the technology and how crypto works with games. Afternoon of May 10
14:00 - Join our incredible keynote session with David Kim of Wax to learn all the basics for developers about blockchain and games – you’ll come out of the session knowing everything you need to get you started. 14:40 - Next up is a superstar session with Kyu Lee of Com2US. We’ll be announcing details soon, so stay tuned to learn more! 15:00 - Learn all about how programmable money can unlock more monetisation and activity in games in this insightful session with Ben Cousens of Zebedee. 15:20 - Just how sustainable are play-to-earn game economies? Get all the insights from this fantastic panel led by our very own Daniel Griffiths of Steel Media and featuring Ted Mui of Kuma Games, Mathieu Nouzareth of The Sandbox and Kyu Lee of Com2US. 16:00 - Next up, learn how Bitcoin can be used for equity, accessibility and player empowerment with Desiree Dickerson of THNDR. 16:20 - Rounding out the day, we’re answering the question: what benefits can the games industry gain from blockchain? Learn all this and more from Chris Jones of Metajuice. Book your ticket now
There’s still time to join us in Seattle! You can still buy your ticket to join us this upcoming week, we have both in-person and digital tickets available. We also have special discounted pricing available for indie developers, publishers and students. Check out our official conference website to see what ticket option best suits you . Tags:

Learn from thought leaders at the cutting edge of all things blockchain, NFT, web3 and the metaverse at the Blockchain Games Next Summit

bipa

ZEBEDEE partners with Lightning-enabled bitcoin exchange Bipa allowing players to instantly convert earned BTC into Brazil 's national currency .

ZEBEDEE Adds Lightning Off-Ramp For Bitcoin Gaming Rewards in Brazil

stattrak

Viker is a mobile studio that designs, develops and publishes games. It offers games that are based on iOS and android mobile platforms enabling users to play games online and also on mobile devices with a simple game structure. It is based in London, England.

Viker

Bitstamp is a cryptocurrency exchange for making transactions with virtual currencies.

Bitstamp

FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy.

FleishmanHillard

ZEBEDEE

Pricoa Capital Group

Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services

Royal Air Force

Companies and startups in this collection leverage blockchain technology for crypto investing and trading, decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and more.

Blockchain

Series A

ZEBEDEE develops software and infrastructure to introduce bitcoin and lightning support into digital experiences and environments.

Name	Kumar Dandapani
Firm
Work History
Other Seats	ZEBEDEE

Name	Simon Cowell
Work History	Bitstamp, Pricoa Capital Group, Moody's Analytics Knowledge Services, and Royal Air Force
Title	Founder, Chief Executive Officer
Status	Current

Wells Fargo Success Story

3M Success Story

Platform Overview

ZEBEDEE

Executives

Board of Directors

ZEBEDEE Board of Director

ZEBEDEE Management Team

1 Team Member

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