Today we have the pleasure of exploring the fascinating world of Altura, a pioneering company in the realm of web3 gaming infrastructure. Altura provides game developers with the tools and technologies necessary to integrate blockchain-backed assets and web3 functionalities into their games seamlessly.
In this Q&A session with Majd Hailat, co-founder and CEO of Altura, we will delve deeper into Altura’s journey, explore the unique features of the Cronos chain, highlight the benefits of their partnership, unveil new features being offered, and catch a glimpse of Altura’s future plans. So, join us as we unravel the intricacies of Altura’s groundbreaking work in the world of web3 gaming infrastructure.
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Can you tell us more about Altura and how it got started?
Altura provides web3 infrastructure for games. We make it easy for game developers to integrate blockchain-backed assets and web3 technologies into their games seamlessly. Our API and SDKs allow developers to read, update and transfer NFTs in-game, our marketplace solutions allow developers to build their custom-branded marketplaces seamlessly, and Altura Guard enables developers to authenticate both web2 and web3-savvy users to their games.
In our two years of operation, we’ve done 900k in revenue, onboarded 85+ studios to develop on our platform, onboarded 40k+ total users to transact on our marketplace, and amassed a passionate community of over 130k individuals.
We’ve also been selected by Unity (NYSE: U) to be 1 of 13 web3 companies to join the Verified Solutions program. Other companies include Metamask, Tezos, and Solana.
Regarding how Altura got started, Majd, the founder, used to play Counter-Strike, a popular first-person shooter. Counter-Strike had a booming in-game economy of virtual weapons which could be traded on the secondary market. These secondary markets were often shady and involved the loss of a significant portion of the items’ value to the facilitator of the transaction, which was not ideal. When NFTs began gaining traction in late 2019, Majd identified that the best application of this technology would be in gaming and set out to build a platform that allowed game developers to tap into the value of lucrative secondary markets. Majd had been programming for five years leading up to this point and built the initial version of Altura; shortly after, he dropped out of the University of Toronto to pursue Altura full-time.
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Tell us a little more about your very new partnership announcement with Cronos. How long has it been in the works?
Cronos, the leading EVM-compatible layer-1 blockchain network built on the Cosmos-SDK, announced today their partnership with Altura, a Web3 gaming infrastructure provider which supplies developers with the tools to create, update, and transfer NFTs in-game.
The integration will grant developers access to Altura’s Gaming Software Development Kit and APIs, allowing them to expedite technical complexities, such as the management of blockchain nodes and Solidity. The partnership aims to decrease the often lengthy lifecycle of gaming development by helping developers build, scale, and monetize games more efficiently.
In addition, developers on the Cronos Chain will be able to utilize Altura’s offering for selling NFTs on its own marketplace and through custom, branded storefronts via Altura’s white-label solution.
The partnership has been in the works for two months and was announced on May 2nd!
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What makes the Cronos chain different from others? What made it different from others that made Altura want to partner up?
Cronos (cronos.org) is the leading EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain network built on the Cosmos SDK, supported by Crypto.com, Crypto.org, and more than 500 app developers and partners. Cronos is building an open ecosystem where developers can create their own DeFi and GameFi applications, targeting a base of 80+ million users globally. In June 2022, Cronos Labs launched a $100M-funded Accelerator Program to help developers build new projects and the future of Web3 within the Cronos ecosystem.
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How does this new partnership benefit gamers?
By collaborating with Altura, Cronos Labs is able to offer its developer community access to cutting-edge tools and technologies that will enable an expedited creation of games that are more immersive, engaging, and profitable.
When developers build on Cronos, they can leverage all Ethereum developer tools (i.e., Solidity, Truffle, Hardhat, OpenZeppelin, Web3.js, ethers.js, ChainSafe Gaming SDK); leading crypto wallets (i.e., MetaMask, Crypto.com Defi Wallet, Trust Wallet); wrapped versions of the world’s top 50 cryptocurrencies; Cronos Play, a suite of developer tools for Unity, C++, and Unreal engine; inter-blockchain communication (IBC) cross-chain connectivity to Cosmos chains; and a rich ecosystem of composable DeFi and GameFi dApps.
The partnership between Altura and Cronos means building powerful web3 games is easier than ever, which will result in better and larger web3 games for gamers to experience and immerse themselves in.
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Are there any new features being offered?
As part of the partnership between Altura and Cronos, game developers will gain access to Altura’s Gaming Software Development Kit (SDK) and APIs. These tools will allow developers to expedite the technical complexities of building on the blockchain, such as managing blockchain nodes and Solidity. Additionally, developers on the Cronos Chain will be able to utilize Altura’s offering for selling NFTs on its own marketplace, as well as custom-branded storefronts through Altura’s white-label solution. These new features will enable developers to create, scale, and monetize games more efficiently, ultimately benefiting gamers with better and more immersive web3 games.
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Does this partnership help Altura stand out from other similar platforms? If so, how?
Yes, this partnership with Cronos helps Altura stand out from other similar platforms. The Cronos chain is a leading EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain network built on the Cosmos SDK and supported by Crypto.com, Crypto.org, and over 500 app developers and partners. This integration allows Altura to leverage Cronos’ advanced developer tools and technologies to help game developers build more immersive, engaging, and profitable web3 games.
Altura’s offering of multi-chain NFT support and its user-friendly NFT marketplace allows developers to extend their reach to a broader audience of blockchain gamers. Additionally, they provide the option to launch customized, white-label NFT marketplaces, further expanding developers’ presence in the Web3 gaming world. With the addition of Cronos, Altura now offers its game developers access to an additional blockchain network with its own set of unique features and capabilities, enabling them to create even more innovative and compelling games. This partnership strengthens Altura’s position as a leader in providing comprehensive Web3 gaming infrastructure.
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What’s next for Altura? Any other upcoming announcements coming down the pipeline?
Altura has several exciting developments in the works. We are continuing to onboard more game developers to their platform and expand their presence in the Web3 gaming world. Altura is also working on integrating with other blockchain networks, including Polygon zkEVM, Arbitrum, and Oasys, to provide game developers with even more options for creating innovative and engaging Web3 games.
In addition, Altura is planning to launch new features and enhancements to its platform, such as more advanced analytics and insights, improved developer documentation, and additional marketplace customization options. We also plan to announce new partnerships and collaborations in the near future, which will further expand their offerings and capabilities.
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Where can readers find out more about Altura and its recent partnership with Cronos?
Readers can find out more about Altura and its recent partnership with Cronos by visiting Altura’s website (https://www.alturanft.com/) and social media channels, including Twitter (https://twitter.com/AlturaNFT).
