Jedi Spotlight: Ultra

Intro

Welcome to another thrilling platform review brought to you by Yoda Labs!

Today, we will be delving into Ultra, the all-in-one gaming platform. Our exploration will begin with an overview of the platform, followed by an exclusive interview with Nicolas Gilot, the co-founder and co-CEO at Ultra.io.

Next, we will dive into their mission and vision, providing you with plenty of firsthand, exclusive news!

Join us as we uncover all the incredible features that Ultra.io has to offer!

Introducing Ultra

Ultra is a blockchain-based publishing platform that focuses on video games and video-game content. It provides a comprehensive range of gaming services, such as game sales and promotion, live streams, tournament participation, a marketplace for digital goods, and community forums.

By integrating traditional gaming services with blockchain technology, Ultra aims to give gamers and developers more autonomy. Its mission is to challenge the existing PC-game distribution monopoly, currently dominated by Steam, by offering new monetization opportunities to gamers, influencers, and game developers. Ultra is dedicated to establishing a fairer platform that benefits both developers and gamers.

Platform Review

Ultra.io is an innovative blockchain-powered platform that aims to revolutionize the gaming industry. At its core, Ultra.io is a digital distribution platform for video games, offering gamers a convenient and secure way to discover, purchase, and play their favorite titles. However, Ultra.io goes beyond the traditional gaming platforms by incorporating blockchain technology, which brings numerous advantages and benefits to both gamers and developers.

One of the standout features of Ultra is its decentralized nature. By leveraging blockchain technology, Ultra allows for a peer-to-peer network, eliminating the need for intermediaries. This means that developers can directly publish their games on the platform, without having to go through traditional gatekeepers or distributors. This decentralization not only empowers developers to have more control over their creations but also enables them to receive a more equitable revenue share.

Furthermore, Ultra offers a fair monetization model for developers. Through the use of smart contracts on the blockchain, the platform ensures transparency and efficiency in revenue distribution. Developers can set their own pricing, decide on revenue splits with the platform, and even implement in-game purchases or subscription models. This flexibility allows developers to tailor their monetization strategies based on their unique needs, ultimately creating a more sustainable and profitable environment for game development.

On the other side, Ultra provides gamers with an enhanced and seamless gaming experience. The platform features a comprehensive library of games, ranging from indie titles to AAA releases, ensuring that gamers will find something they love. Additionally, Ultra offers social features, such as chat systems and forums, which allow gamers to connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, and even organize multiplayer gaming sessions. These social features foster a sense of community and promote an engaging and immersive gaming experience for users.

Another significant aspect of Ultra is its focus on user security and privacy. By leveraging blockchain technology, Ultra ensures the integrity and security of in-game transactions, preventing fraud or hacking attempts through its in-app on-chain wallet. Moreover, the platform allows users to have full control over their personal data, ensuring that their privacy is respected and protected.

Ultra Arena is an integrated ecosystem that fosters competition and connection between players and game developers through thrilling tournaments and enticing rewards. By joining tournaments, players can win Uniqs, which can be redeemed for various exciting perks, including early access to games, physical products, customized swag, exclusive community group access, and more. The platform aims to make tournament creation and participation effortless, providing a new and exhilarating dimension to online gaming competitions

The Uniq Marketplace is the central hub for all digital assets in the Ultraverse, offering a safe and free platform for trading these assets. Players are rewarded for their gaming efforts, and developers can easily support their favorite games and creators through asset trading. With Web3 technology, deploying new Uniqs becomes a seamless process for developers, thanks to Ultra's NFT standard and blockchain tools. This integration enables developers to create next-generation experiences effortlessly. Furthermore, the marketplace fosters unique ways for developers to connect with their audience, allowing them to create collections and offer exciting perks and rewards to players, enhancing community engagement.

In conclusion, Ultra is a groundbreaking platform that revolutionizes the gaming industry through its incorporation of blockchain technology and seamless gamer and developer experience. The platform empowers developers by offering a decentralized and fair monetization model, enabling them to have more control over their creations and profits. Simultaneously, Ultra provides gamers with a comprehensive library of games, enhanced social features, and maximum security and privacy. With its innovative approach, Ultra might just have the potential to redefine the way we think about gaming platforms and pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable gaming industry.

Interview

Yoda: Hello Nicolas, we’re thrilled to have you here!

We would love to introduce Ultra to our readers who haven’t had the chance to take a look at it yet. What inspired your leap to Web3? Tell us about the amazing team behind Ultra and what fueled your platform creation.

Ultra: David and I met on our way to a Counter Strike tournament and since then have worked together on a number of business ventures within the games industry. We started off by developing games, and due to our deep understanding of how to monetize those games, we went on to help other games with monetization strategy. We then worked on a game console which also focused on game distribution, and around that time became aware of Bitcoin. Following the blockchain space from 2011, we started developing a solution that utilizes blockchain, NFTs, and smart contracts, fixing most of the issues present in the games industry and elevating the gaming experience for all those involved.

Since then, we’ve been working hard to create a precise solution for game developers and players, using blockchain technology to enhance the experience of gaming without creating barriers or difficulties for either party. We’ve had the pleasure of welcoming talented team members from all walks of life to Ultra. With the breadth of experience we have on the team, we’ve been able to develop the platform to where it is now and have grown the team to over 100 people strong.

Yoda: We understand there have been years of efforts put into Ultra. How has the journey been since you founded Ultra in 2017 - were there positive and negative experiences?

Ultra: This journey has been one of the most exciting business ventures I’ve ever been a part of! Of course, when building revolutionary products with new and emerging technologies, you can expect to have some really positive and negative experiences, but I’m fortunate to say that most of them have been the former.

Completing the development of new features is always very exciting as it’s amazing to see new concepts come to life. Although these features sometimes take longer than we initially anticipated, largely due to the unpredictability of Ultra’s highly innovative technology, seeing it live and working in the end makes it all worth it.

Launching the wallet-only client, the Uniq Marketplace, and most recently Ultra Games, has been equally as rewarding as it feels like with each product launch we get one step closer to achieving mainstream use of the Ultra platform. With the launch of Ultra Arena, this will only become more evident.

Yoda: Amazing stuff. How does Ultra utilize blockchain technology to provide a more decentralized and fair platform for game developers? How is it more efficient for developers?

Ultra: We ultimately decided to develop our own blockchain to really ensure that we can provide as much support and value as possible to game developers. This decision has allowed us to create a true ecosystem for players, and one that game developers can benefit from.

By utilizing blockchain technology, games on Ultra are tokenized, meaning that a player truly owns each game they buy or download on Ultra. This feature not only proves ownership of games, but allows for a ton of exciting activities for both players and developers.

Game developers are now able to explore an ecosystem that gives them the opportunity to distribute their game, create NFT collections, and run tournaments all in one place. They can also effortlessly link game distribution with NFTs, or NFTs with tournaments, which provides immense value for everyone involved.

Yoda: Great Nicolas! What sets Ultra apart from traditional gaming distribution platforms like Steam, and how does it challenge the existing PC-game distribution monopoly? And also recently we have seen other Web3 game publishers like Elixir. How is Ultra positioned in this market?

Ultra: Ultra is quite different from traditional gaming distribution platforms in many ways as the platform isn't just about distributing games, but rather is an entire ecosystem that any player can benefit from. Not only can a player play games using Ultra like they do on Steam, but they can also trade digital assets and participate in tournaments within a singular platform. This differentiates us and provides a more exciting and well-rounded experience for each player.

We also focus on both web2 and web3 games when it comes to the types of games we distribute on Ultra. We are partnered with the likes of Skybound Games, Plug In Digital, Microids, and more, so we have a great mix of web2 and web3 games for players to choose from.  

Yoda: Very nice! Could you provide examples of the monetization options available to developers on the Ultra platform, and how these options can be tailored to their unique needs?

Ultra: Developers can monetize on Ultra in plenty of ways. If they are looking to distribute their game on Ultra, they are welcomed with a low distribution fee, meaning they get more for each sale than they would on other platforms. If they decide to make their games tradable, they have the opportunity to set tradability measures to their liking, allowing them to monetize through secondary market sales in a comfortable and profitable manner.

If the developer wants to delve into the ecosystem a little deeper, they will be able to further monetize through the creation of Uniqs (digital assets). Uniqs can be sold directly to users on the launchpad, or can be won through Ultra Arena as prizes. Either way, the developer can choose how to monetize their content and create Uniqs that benefit their player base.

Yoda: Any final reflections. What message would you like to convey to users who are contemplating trying your platform?

Ultra: We’re still at a pretty early stage, but we believe that Ultra is the future of gaming and solves many of the issues inherent in the current gaming landscape. To gamers and developers considering using Ultra, we’re absolutely committed to providing the teams with easy-to-use tools and features that enhance your business, build communities, further digital ownership and make gaming more fair and fun.

Yoda: Great stuff! Thanks for all this and we cannot wait to see where Ultra would be next time we have this chat 😏 

Outro

Thanks for reading and joining us on this Yoda Labs Spotlight! We hope you enjoyed our deep dive into Ultra. and our exclusive interview with Nicolas Gilot.

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