Runiverse and Cross-Metaverse Experiences – Interview with Gip Cutrino

We got a chance to sit down with Gip Cutrino, COO of Runiverse and discuss their project, Run-To-Earn, social competitions and cross-metaverse experiences.

Here’s is a full transcript of our conversation, as we delve deep into what Runiverse seeks to achieve within the industry.

Tom France: Hi Gip, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

Could you first introduce yourself to the readers at home?

Gip Cutrino: Hello there! My name is Gip Cutrino and I am the COO of Runiverse, a leading gameFi platform in the metaverse. I’m from Switzerland and have a deep background in both blockchain and gaming, having worked on numerous experimental IT projects and provided creative consultancy to international companies. In the past, I collaborated with the Poseidon Group, specifically Eidoo SA, during the first ICOs. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with the legendary PewDiePie to promote crypto-gaming projects, recently I’ve worked for the entrepreneur and influencer  Gianluca Vacchi advising him on a crypto project focused on telecommunications.

What is Runiverse for those who have not heard of your game and what makes it different from other Web3 games?

Gip Cutrino: Runiverse is a unique combination of blockchain gaming and crypto knowledge that engages players to delve into blockchain space by understanding the performance of the crypto market and acting accordingly to win. By leveraging real-time data from Binance and Chainlink, the platform offers a run-to-earn experience in immersive metaverse tracks where players’ speed is determined by market performance. Players can earn rewards through rallies and by holding Runiverse’s Player Skins and Tracks NFTs. At Runiverse, we take a strategic approach to everything we do, strongly focusing on community building and expanding our target audience. We believe that creating a strong community is the key to success in the metaverse, so we are constantly looking for new ways to engage with our users and build a loyal fan base. The ability that Runiverse has to adapt to tournaments built around the communities of our partners, allows us to create specific events that actively involve the different communities. Soon we will announce the first official tournament.

Tom France: ‘Run -To-Earn’ is a fundamental part to Runiverse.

What does it mean and what makes it different to the more known ‘Play-To-Earn’ concept that has been adopted within Web3 gaming?

Gip Cutrino: We want to create a unique approach focusing more on incentivizing players and strengthening brand engagement. Unlike Play-to-Earn (P2E), which focuses on cryptocurrency rewards for in-game tasks, Run-to-Earn (R2E)  leverages the competitive nature of gaming to encourage community building and social competition. R2E competitions allow users to join communities and compete against each other, incentivizing social interaction and bridging the crypto and gaming communities. Psychologically, rewards, achievement, and competition fuel motivation, and R2E expands on this idea by introducing new forms of engagement with consumers.

Tom France: It cannot be denied that there is a lot of speculation around NFTs.

With them being a feature of Runiverse, do you aim to change the status quo on NFTs with your project?

Gip Cutrino: Absolutely! Our aim with Runiverse is to create real utility and value for our users through our NFTs. We understand that many NFT projects need more real utility, ultimately leaving the end consumer unsatisfied. That’s why we’ve integrated NFTs to serve a specific purpose. Our NFTs represent the competitors and the places where contests occur, where holders of skins and tracks receive a 6% percent from the prize pool. This provides tangible benefits to our users and creates a more dynamic and engaging experience for them. NFTs also allow our users to feel like a closer part of our community and demonstrate involvement in the Runiverse ecosystem. We have chosen not to sell our NFTs on the primary market but to distribute them for free through the channels of our partners. This is because we strongly believe in the organic market that will soon be created around Runiverse NFTs, precisely because they involve players and holders in active mode generating a passive income proportional to the Runiverse engagement.

Tom France: Many crypto games are sadly not sustainable for a number of reasons. However, Runiverse seems to be moving away from this.

Can you explain where the idea of tracking the crypto market performance to enhance the gameplay came from?

Gip Cutrino: When creating Runiverse, our approach to sustainability is rooted in the idea of expansion and scalability. In order to ensure long-term viability, everything must be adaptable and flexible, from the speed of the game to the skins and tracks. We have leveraged this philosophy by using market performance data to enhance gameplay and provide rewards for users. By integrating market analysis into the game, players are incentivized to stay informed about market trends and can be rewarded for their knowledge and expertise. This enhances the overall gameplay experience and helps create a more sustainable ecosystem for the game. A fundamental piece of the Runiverse ecosystem puzzle is the Runy token. Which utility allows Runiverse players to use any token on the platform, even if it is not owned in their wallet. It breaks down barriers to entry for players from Web2 and increases game adoption.

Tom France: Esports has slowly crept its way into Web3 gaming.

With that in mind, can you tell us more about ‘Social Competitions’ and if there are any plans to push this into the competitive Web3 gaming space?

Gip Cutrino: We see social competition as a key component in the future of Web3 gaming and that requires improving your ecosystem with strong collaborations. We are in the midst of finalizing our upcoming social competition, which will bring together dynamic communities of gamers in an esports-style format. We recently announced our collaboration with Polygon to bring more development to the gaming community, and we’re looking forward to announcing more details in the near future.

Our aim is to create a space where players can compete against each other while building and strengthening their communities. More Class A partner collaborations and tournaments are on the way, stay tuned on our Twitter page for more updates and exciting announcements.

Can gamers experience Runiverse in other metaverse experiences? If so, which ones and what exactly can they do in them through Runiverse?

Gip Cutrino: Our focus on interoperability and cross-metaverse experiences is the next move after our recent collaboration with Polygon. The gaming industry is currently limited by the lack of options available to end users in most metaverse platforms. We see the potential in bringing a seamless cross-metaverse experience from Runiverse to other metaverse platforms to not only provide our users with an experience that can be enjoyed across different platforms and provide the users of the metaverse with a brand new experience that they would not have expected.  We are currently exploring the possibilities of creating a bridge between different metaverses involving major market leaders.

What can gamers expect from Runiverse this year, are there more plans for the games development?

Gip Cutrino: Gamers can expect big things from Runiverse this year, including exciting tournaments and collaborations between established communities. Our platform always looks toward the future, and we have impressive plans. In the next few months, we’ll be rolling out a range of new features and updates to the game, such as achievements, Binance Smart Chain integration, and more tournaments.

And that’s just the beginning!

We’re thrilled to announce that our mobile version will launch in Q4 of 2023, so players can enjoy Runiverse on the go. Our focus on scalability means there will be even more development to come, and we can’t wait to share it with our Runners!

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