POW with Aron Beierschmitt

Aron Beierschmitt is the CEO of Laguna Games, a world-class game development and R&D studio specializing in blockchain technology.

The said company is the one behind Crypto Unicorns, Gods of Olympus, and many others.

 What were you doing before Web3?

Before Laguna Games, I was focused on bringing gaming into the mobile space. I founded my first game company, Foundation Games, at 19 years old.

And later served as the CEO at Beyond Games where we built, launched and live-operated Battle Strike Force with Sylvester Stallone as the face.

 How did you get into Web3?

I have been trading crypto since 2017, after learning more about self-custody and realizing the paradigm shift of being able to seamlessly migrate your identity and data between interfaces.

In 2021, I moved some of my trading operations to Polygon as a way to escape the fees on ETH that were crushing the profit on a lot of trades. I felt we could build a scalable kind of hybrid gaming experience on top of that.

In August 2021, I decided to build a game called Crypto Unicorns that would finally combine my passion for crypto with my passion for gaming.

 What was your first crypto or NFT project?

I first purchased ETH in 2017 to begin using various dapps. Shortly thereafter, I discovered Decred, which took me down the DAO rabbit hole. Since then, I’ve been participating in a wide variety of projects in the space.

 How would you explain what you do to someone outside of Web3?

Web3 is this open design space that no one has really figured out yet but favors companies that get in early, experiment, learn and move quickly.

In web3, you can buy an asset, prove that you own it, and it immediately gives you access to a community, giving people that sense of belonging.

 Which creator or thought leader do you enjoy learning from?

Vitalik Buterin is one of my favorites.

 What is the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Witnessing the speed and efficiency at which the Laguna Games team has pivoted and built the open economic networks around community-owned IPs that they have is the biggest highlight of my career.

Laguna Games seeks to build a generational IP, not just a game or set of games. We are building an entertainment empire that starts with games but will branch into toys, comics, movies, and much, much more.

 What tech or crypto trend are you watching this year?

I have been embracing the full ethos of web3 and have been watching what the future of communities in web3 will look like.

Building economic networks around community-owned IPs will create a shared sense of belonging and happiness in web3 communities, where everyone can feel as though they are a part of something larger than themselves.

Progressive decentralization will also help put ownership into the hands of the community and put their needs first as we continue to build products and features that gamers want.

 What advice would you give someone starting out in Web3?

Community is so important and at the heart of the web3 ecosystem.

Blockchain technologies offer the potential to create decentralized, self-governed and more engaging communities for people to interact, socialize and connect.

In web3 gaming, it’s important to create gameplay that is fun at its core and enjoyable for its players. This helps to onboard players who are more passionate about the game rather than its potential to turn a profit.

 If you could do a TEDtalk on any topic, what would it be?

I would love to do a TED talk discussing crypto’s potential to drastically reshape how we coordinate and interact as a society.

 What is the one thing you would bring if you were stuck on a deserted Island?

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POW stands for “Proof of Work.” It is a new feature article series in The Mega Maxi to highlight the savviest builders in the Web3 space.