< Previous30 edge_ august 2023 Interviewedge_ august 2023 31 Interview Breaking the blocks of tradition I n the gaming industry, a revolutionary force has emerged, propelling the sector into new frontiers and captivating the imagination of players worldwide. Web3 gaming, powered by the integration of blockchain technology, has ushered in a paradigm shift, redefining the way we play, interact, and experience games. In this exclusive interview with Harishkarthik Gunalan, Co-Founder and CEO of CoinFantasy, we delve into the transformative potential of Web3 gaming. How would you define Web3 gaming, and how does it differ from traditional gaming? Gaming has been a popular leisure activity for decades, but with the emergence of Web3 technology, gaming has taken on a new dimension. Thanks to blockchain technology, Web3 games offer players true ownership of in-game assets and rewards, setting them apart from traditional games. Web3 games use blockchain technology to provide players with a unique gaming experience from traditional games. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, so does the potential of Web3 games. The decentralised nature of Web3 is breaking all odds and opening a new gaming world for players. Here’s how the blockchain revolution is transforming the gaming world By Arya Devi GAMING Interview edge_ august 2023 31 Recent surveys indicate that 56 percent of gamers are interested in earning NFTs through gaming. Despite the ongoing crypto winter, Web3 gaming recorded an impressive 85 percent growth in 2022 and 2023. Web3 gaming’s transparency, in-game economy, ownership and control, and decentralised nature keep it ahead of the competition. How has the integration of blockchain technology impacted the gaming industry? The blockchain industry is brimming with opportunities in the realm of Web3 games. These games are a unique and engaging form of entertainment and income that blends blockchain and gaming to create a new gaming economy called Gaming Finance (GameFi). GameFi leverages blockchain technology to integrate traditional gaming and decentralised finance, providing gamers with exciting and innovative ways to earn money and revolutionising the gaming industry. The growth of GameFi is expected to propel blockchain-based gaming to a staggering $435 billion by 2028. Blockchain technology has a wide range of useful features in gaming. It offers high transparency and security to players,32 edge_ august 2023 Interview giving them ultimate control over their experience, including monetising in-game assets and setting game rules and mechanics. The technology is also highly beneficial to game developers and entrepreneurs, providing robust data encryption and a secure working environment. Moreover, players can effortlessly connect with each other across multiple gaming platforms. How does Web3 gaming enhance player experiences and interactions as compared to traditional gaming? Gaming companies are pushed to develop high-end games in a world where players are empowered and demanding. Fortunately, Web3 has become that one technology that mitigates traditional gaming issues and directly improves the player experience. Web3 has allowed players to rewrite and improvise games and explore endless possibilities. If we look deeper at the gaming economy, players can monetise their in-game achievements, creations, or rare items by trading them for crypto or real money. This heralds the opportunities for players to earn income while getting a seamless gaming experience. Web3 also ensures that your assets are forever yours by providing trust and preventing fraudulent activities. Cross-game interactions are also possible, allowing players to use their assets on multiple gaming platforms. Furthermore, players have a voice in Web3 game development, decision- making, and future implications. How does blockchain technology enable the creation and ownership of in-game assets or digital items? What implications does this have for players and developers? The biggest flex of blockchain gaming is that players can truly own their in-game assets and currencies. Data related to in-game items are stored on a distributed ledger that anyone can access and players have complete control over it. No central authority or third party can set their hand on the asset. While traditional games limit the players to use their assets within the game, Web3 games allow them to use the items across multiple blockchain platforms. In Web2 games, players’ in-game earning does not hold any real-world value whatsoever. On the contrary, players can trade and transfer their in-game assets and gain real-world value for them in a decentralised ecosystem. Traditional games don’t limit the supply of any gaming item. This means that there is no scarcity or value to them. Conversely, Web3 game developers ensure that their in-game items are scarce and not subject to any inflationary pressure. What are the potential challenges or limitations in the adoption of Web3 gaming and blockchain technology in the mainstream gaming industry? Most underlying blockchain technologies are built to be futuristic and secure but are challenging to understand. Therefore, it necessitates a thorough grasp of technical knowledge. However, advancements in tools, frameworks, and Web3 This technology enables players to rewrite and improvise games and explore endless possibilities Harishkarthik Gunalan, Co-Founder and CEO, CoinFantasyedge_ august 2023 33 Interview availability of resources are making it easier for developers to build top-notch Web3 solutions. Since Web3 is in its infancy, its potential to scale and store massive amounts of data and transactions is a matter of discussion. However, the solution to this lies in the question itself. Yes, it is too early to say that Web3 has a scalability issue. Ongoing research and development are working on Web3 scalability, which could soon be positive. However, these challenges are small in the fast-evolving Web3 ecosystem. Looking back at the rise of the internet, we had similar challenges. It took us some time and a lot of research to crack the code. The same goes for Web3. We have to wait or work on it until it is correct. How do you see the future of Web3 gaming evolving? One thing for sure is that the future of Web3 gaming will evolve around interoperability between blockchains and subchains. It will trigger developers to work on tailored games that target specific audiences. Gamers and developers will set their hands on equitable rewards and highly customised games through distributed ledger technology. Recently, decentralised games are also acting as a source of education. Learning through gaming is expected to hit the mainstream in the coming years. Eventually, blockchain gaming will continue to have three essential purposes — play, learn, and earn. Blockchain vs traditional gaming Web3 gaming players can trade and transfer their in-game assets and gain real-world value for them, which is not possible with Web2 gaming34343334333343343333333444 edgeaugust 20223 tech tips Ho w t o h a r n e s s t h e p o w e r tech tips 34 edge_august 2023edddgdddddddddddddddddeaugaugaugaugaugaugaaugaaugauguguuguguuguguuguustuuuuuuuuuuuu 202335 tececececececeeecececeecceceeceeh thhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhipsspspspspssssspsssspppspsppsssss o f T h r e a d s f o r y o u r b ran d S O C I A L M E D I A tech tips edge_august 2023 35 A step-by-step guide for companies to conquer the new social media frontier By Adelle Geronimo36 edge_august 2023 tech tips T he social media landscape is a constantly evolving terrain, with new platforms emerging to capture the attention and engagement of users worldwide. One such platform that has recently made waves is Threads, the brainchild of Meta, the parent company of popular networking apps like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Threads is a Twitter rival and microblogging platform that allows users to give real-life updates and connect with others. According to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads garnered an impressive 10 million registered users in just seven hours after its launch. Within the first day, the app’s user base skyrocketed to 30 million, spanning over 100 countries including those in the Middle East and North Africa. The platform is intertwined with Instagram and currently supports over 30 languages, including English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog, Hindi, and Turkish among others. While Arabic is currently absent from the list of supported languages on the platform, it’s only a matter of time before Threads extends its embrace to the rich linguistic tapestry of the region, especially with Instagram’s substantial user base in this part of the world. Before diving into the specifics of Threads, let’s take a moment to understand the importance of social media for brands in today’s digital age. Social media platforms offer unparalleled access to a vast audience, enabling brands to establish their online presence, engage with customers, and build brand loyalty. With the power of social media, brands can humanise their image, showcase their values, and create authentic connections with their target audience. Threads adds a new dimension to this engagement, allowing brands to establish themselves as active participants in the digital dialogue. How Threads work Threads is a text-based platform that encourages users to share updates, join public conversations, and interact with each other. The platform closely resembles Twitter but with some notable differences. Here are some of its key features and how it works: • Posts can be up to 500 characters and can include text-only updates, links, photos (up to 10 per post), and videos (up to five minutes in length). • Hashtags are currently not available on the platform, and searching is limited to users. This means that your posts will rely on the app’s algorithm to reach new followers. • Users can share Threads activity to Instagram as a story or post, tweet, or send a direct link. • There is currently no desktop version of the website, so Threads can only be accessed through iOS or Android devices. Non-users can view profiles from desktop browsers, but downloading the app is encouraged for engaging with content. • The app’s feed does not display posts in chronological order but instead uses an algorithmic ranking. • The launch version of the app does not feature advertising or sponsored content for brands. How to sign up with Threads for your brand The arrival of a new social media channel can be a delightful experience for users. However, it’s important for your brand to grasp the nature of a new digital community. While some communities may seem challenging to engage with initially, they can be immensely rewarding in the long run. Here’s how your brand can get started with Threads: 1. Download the Threads app from the iOS or Android app store. You can also find it through Instagram. 2. Log in using your brand’s Instagram account. Threads is closely aligned with Instagram, so your Instagram account serves as your access to the platform. If you have multiple brand accounts, you’ll need to repeat the login process. 3. Set up your brand profile by providing a name, a short bio, and links. This is an opportunity to connect to your larger brand channel ecosystem using integrated linking tools if available. 4. Choose whether your brand profile will be public or private. For brand visibility, select public to allow anyone on or off Threads to see your content. 5. Decide who to follow. Threads allows you to instantly follow the same accounts your brand account was following on Instagram. While edge_august 2023 37 tech tips to your brand’s presence. Authenticity is key in connecting with Threads users. Join conversations, react to live events, and celebrate shared moments to establish your brand’s voice and build meaningful connections. • Test and experiment. Threads provides an opportunity to experiment with different content types and engagement strategies. As the platform evolves, so will its audience and preferences. Test video content, photography, memes, and any other content that aligns with your brand’s voice and resonates with your target audience. Remember, the early adopters on Threads are also exploring the platform, making it a more welcoming environment for trying new approaches. • Craft holistic strategies. Consider Threads as a complementary addition to your existing channels, allowing you to reach customers on their preferred platforms. Ensure your social media management strategy can seamlessly integrate Threads alongside other platforms, enabling a holistic approach to engagement and customer journey management. As the social media landscape continues to evolve, being adaptable and proactive is essential. However, it’s worth noting that Threads is still in its early stages, and we can anticipate Meta to continuously update and introduce new features. But as the platform’s user base grows and matures, brands that establish themselves as active participants in the Threads community will gain a competitive edge. this can be beneficial for alerting others to your presence, it’s important to be selective in choosing who to follow. Where your brand should start with Threads Now that you’re set up on Threads, it’s essential to determine the best starting point for your brand’s presence on the platform. Here are some key considerations: • Understand the platform dynamics. Threads is still in its early stages, with features and functionalities continually evolving. Take the time to explore and familiarise yourself with the platform’s nuances. Observe how other users, including individual creators and influencers, engage and resonate with their audiences. • Engage in authentic conversations. Threads is all about fostering real-time conversations and reactions. Encourage your team members to post as individuals, adding a human touch 38 edge_ august 2023 T oday’s UAE enterprises are increasingly multi-cloud, harnessing an average of at least three different cloud service providers (CSPs). There are huge benefits of this transition to the cloud including greater flexibility, efficiency, and scalability. Alongside the growing use of containerisation with technologies such as Kubernetes, these expanding cloud environments are delivering real transformation and agility, but this also creates more complexity around visibility, security, and cost. As uncovered in our cloud research, five in 10 UAE organisations confess they don’t have full visibility into data stored in cloud environments, and 95 percent said they needed to improve their ability to track their entire data footprint. As data is the new gold, enterprises need to have full visibility and full control over this precious resource. The question is, how can businesses take responsibility for their cloud-based data if they lack visibility into what or where it is? Here we explore why visibility is more important than ever in today’s multi-cloud world, and why a single- view approach is needed to ensure a return on cloud strategies. Isolated visibility or big picture? Visibility is at the core of robust data management strategies. If you cannot see data, how can you control, protect, and utilise it? In harnessing the benefits of the cloud, enterprises want to reduce the operational By Ramzi Itani Regional Director of Emerging Region, Veritas Technologies Blindspots and trapdoors Amid the growing significance of data in complex, multi-cloud environments, businesses must prioritise visibility and control DATA MANAGEMENT opinion complexity and costs associated with managing multi-cloud environments, while also ensuring that they own and control their data no matter where it resides. Where visibility and control are lacking, enterprises cannot realise the value of their data. They may incur unnecessary costs such as redundant storage and face greater compliance challenges. Not only that, but cloud-based data blind spots undermine data and application resiliency and cybersecurity. With a view and control of the entire data estate-across the edge, data centre, and cloud-from a single pane of glass, organisations can realise the benefits of multi-cloud without losing control and authority over their data. A native trapdoor One of the fundamental reasons enterprises turn to CSPs is the perceived benefits of ease of use, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and peace of mind in terms of core needs such as security, backup and recovery. While the public cloud does indeed offer a myriad of benefits, organisations are in danger of assuming they are getting more than they actually are. For example, the complexity of multi-cloud environments is leading many organisations to rely heavily on CSPs’ standard, add-on services for data security, backup, and recovery. These basic tools can create a false sense of security because they do not provide cross-cloud visibility and observability for all data and applications, as well as continuous data protection.edge_ august 2023 39 opinion And, in a world where ransomware has evolved into a sophisticated form of organised crime, CSP tools do not offer the level of ransomware resilience, immutable storage, and reliable disaster recovery today’s enterprises require. As a result, companies using these native tools are more severely impacted by ransomware. The good news is that many recognise this risk and are taking action. More than half (55 percent) of UAE enterprises surveyed told us they are aware of gaps in their cybersecurity when using a native cloud security tool. And over half said their organisation is at risk of being the victim of ransomware as a result of relying on native cloud security backup. Adding to this is the fact that more than seven in ten enterprises rely on default settings, rather than configuring native tools to their organisation’s unique requirements. In most cases, these settings do not provide adequate cover and instead widen the vulnerability gap. Native tools may appear easy to implement as an add-on service and seem cost-effective at the outset, but these are dangerous and potentially costly mistakes. Until organisations reassess their reliance on multiple and disparate CSP tools, visibility into their enterprise operations will remain low, while their vulnerability to ransomware attacks, potential for data and financial loss, and downtime and compliance issues will likely increase. A transformative infrastructure Here in the UAE, the country’s ambitious trajectory towards becoming a global hub for digitisation is spurring widespread adoption of cloud services. According to the UAE Data Centre and Cloud Services Market Outlook to 2026 report, a compound annual growth rate of 16.9 percent is expected in terms of revenue generation over the period 2021-2026. The rise of multi-cloud creates a transformative infrastructure and application development platform for enterprises. Tools offered by CSPs deliver basic functionality, but mission-critical applications require enterprise-grade capabilities and cross-cloud data mobility and visibility. There is a clear advantage to streamlining data visibility and protection with a single solution that can reduce costs and complexity, as well as provide enhanced and multiple layers of cloud data and application security. When you are in control of your multi-cloud, you get the most out of your enterprise’s most valuable resources by enabling cost optimisation, accelerated technology adoption, fast recovery, analytics and insights, in tandem with cyber resiliency. “When you are in control of your multi- cloud, you get the most out of your enterprise’s most valuable resources” Native tools are more vulnerable Organisations relying on native cloud security backup are faced with more risksNext >