In a recent one-on-one interview, Chandler Tomlinson, CEO of Sparkball, shared his journey from consulting to full-time game development. He spoke candidly about the challenges of launching a game studio, his views on the evolving Web3 gaming space, and what it takes to bring a game to life in a rapidly changing industry. Here’s a look at his story and insights.
What’s your backstory?
“Started Sparkball, which always feels crazy to say, about nine years ago. And it started as just like, a, hey, I've always, always, always wanted to make video games. Let's actually do it for once. Thought that it would take me a couple years... Have some fun making a video game. How hard can it be? And obviously, nine years later, here we are.” Chandler began his journey in game development after a decade as a consultant, including time doing “Microsoft style consulting.”
Despite having “no prior game development experience” and bootstrapping the project, Chandler’s determination led him to keep pushing forward. “It's been full time in gaming for about three years now. It's been the best three years ever.”
How did you end up in Web3?
When Chandler started Sparkball, “web three didn’t really even exist.” After years of bootstrapping and building a prototype, he pitched the game to traditional investors. The feedback? “You guys have no experience shipping a game. You have no real team to speak of. This is not a studio. This is just an idea and a prototype right now.”
Everything changed when he started exploring Web3. “I hate NFTs. I hate all these things,” he admitted at first. But within weeks, the shift to Web3 unlocked new opportunities: “It was like two weeks later, we had raised $3 million. We had all this money just being thrown at us at just multiples of valuations we were talking about in web two.”
Chandler is transparent about the initial approach: “Web three started as a means to an end for us on the fundraising front... and I think everybody knew it.”
What are the challenges of building a Web3 game?
Chandler acknowledged the complexity of creating a game that resonates with both Web2 and Web3 audiences. One of the biggest challenges he sees is managing perceptions: “If I say the word NFT in one of my gaming communities or my World of Warcraft guild, I’m gonna get laughed out of the building. They don’t know that the space has evolved.”
He also emphasized the difficulty of balancing the narrative-driven nature of the space: “We are in a super narrative-driven space right now. We are not in a product-driven space. I don’t see that ending anytime soon, crypto at all.” For Chandler, understanding the expectations and mindset of the Web3 audience is key to surviving in this landscape: “You’ve got to understand this, you 100% have to understand this.”
What makes a successful Web3 game?
Chandler believes that the key to success in Web3 gaming is providing players with an opportunity to fall in love with a game. “Web three... gives you a chance to be a successful game. It gives a chance for people to fall in love, and that's all you can really ask for as a game.”
He highlighted the importance of letting players discover a game’s value rather than forcing hype: “I think you do have to not talk about it or at least get people playing where they're telling their friends to come play and convince it kind of organically.”
For Chandler, it’s all about creating games that are fun and accessible but also recognizing that “you can’t just be like, I'm going to make a game like Fortnite and be better than Fortnite. Absolutely not. Not going to work.”
What excites you most about the future of Web3 gaming?
Looking ahead, Chandler is hopeful about the shift toward better products in the space. “I think the meta is legitimately shifting toward product focus... I think all ships legitimately do rise.” He acknowledged that there are challenges, such as the influence of quick-fix games like Telegram games. “I personally think telegram games are going to set back web three gaming from evolving for six to twelve months.”
Yet, he remains optimistic that higher quality games will emerge. “Eventually the quality of the games is just going to go up and up and up and up and someone is going to solve this model and whoever solves it first is going to be rich out of their mind.”
Chandler’s vision is clear: “I want somebody to lead by example of this, because the token pump and dumps and the memes and stuff like that is not how you get web three gaming to be taken seriously.”
Final Thoughts
Chandler Tomlinson’s journey with Sparkball is a testament to the resilience required in both game development and the Web3 space. From navigating the challenges of traditional investment to embracing the potential of Web3, his story shows the importance of adapting and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. As the space continues to evolve, Chandler’s insights remind us that while Web3 offers new opportunities, it’s the passion for making great games that ultimately drives success.
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