EM, cabal.
Today we are kicking off a 4-part series with our friends at Ontology to explore the convergence of identity systems, gaming IP, and crosschain infrastructure in building the next generation of onchain games. If you enjoyed this new series, let us know so we can explore other collaborations.
In our first episode of Code, Clout & Crypto, we brought together community leads, founders, investors, and identity architects to tackle one of the most pressing — yet nuanced — conversations in Web3 gaming: How do digital identity and interoperability reshape the player experience?
AlleyCat – Community Lead at Mew, a leading meme coin on Solana
Muaz – VC & Launchpad contributor at Tencent
Dragark – Team behind “Dragark,” a fully onchain fantasy game
Humpty, Geoff & Polaris – Contributors at Ontology
While much of onchain gaming has focused on ownership, Muaz reminded us that transparency may be an even more powerful draw:
“In traditional games, streamers get thousands in perks — but the average player has no idea. Web3 puts everything onchain. Everyone sees the same truth.”
He explained that in Web2, influencers and streamers often receive in-game currency or rare items from developers, which skews the perception of value for everyday players. In contrast, Web3's public ledgers can expose such allocations, ensuring fairness. This transparency, he emphasized, is what first drew him into the space, even more than asset ownership.
He also highlighted the issue of dopamine-driven spending and the manipulation of player psychology, especially among younger audiences. Web3's auditable nature opens the door to better regulation, accountability, and informed participation.
AlleyCat spoke passionately about the power of pseudonymous participation in Web3:
“Having an identity tied to one project — free of your failures or successes elsewhere — lets it stand on its own merit.”
He discussed how projects tied to celebrities or single memes often collapse when their figurehead falls out of favor. Mew's strength lies in owning its IP and letting its community grow independently. This allows contributors to develop personas aligned to the project rather than their real-world identity or past baggage.
Humpty introduced the concept of decentralized identifiers (DIDs), specifically Ontology’s ONT ID, which allows users to:
Link multiple wallets (hot, cold, game-specific) under a single self-sovereign identity
Reveal credentials selectively to apps, games, or communities
Stay pseudonymous while building on-chain reputation
The flexibility to manage identities across chains without doxxing oneself was seen as a foundational layer for both privacy and trust.
Mew’s approach to total IP ownership has allowed its team to move beyond the limitations of meme coin culture. AlleyCat shared that Mew is actively building two Web3 games, developing an animated series, and growing its community through merch and storytelling.
“We’re not tied to a celebrity or a single meme. This freedom to experiment is what drew me to the project.”
This flexibility means the team can respond dynamically to community interests and trends without waiting on external approvals or partnerships. It also means Mew can integrate game mechanics and narratives into its existing IP, allowing for seamless expansion into onchain gaming.
This creative latitude is becoming a competitive advantage in Web3, where agility and narrative coherence are essential.
One of the most exciting parts of the conversation revolved around how player reputation might travel across games. Imagine unlocking rare assets in one game because you dominated in another game.
“Games should stand on their own merit, but players should also be able to carry their wins with them,” said Polaris.
Muaz emphasized that having a unified identity allows games to recognize your progress and achievements from elsewhere. For example, if a player is strong in Dragark, their reputation or avatar might carry prestige in Mew.
Humpty and Geoff highlighted that with ONT ID, these achievements could be linked to attestations (private, verifiable claims) that can be shared across platforms without revealing full wallet activity. These proofs can be used to:
Unlock early access to games
Grant special NFTs or power-ups
Enable role-based community access
This form of reputation portability represents a more player-centric design model, allowing users to build a persistent, privacy-conscious legacy.
A core issue raised by Muaz was what happens when a player loses access to their wallet:
“If your wallet is hacked, you shouldn’t lose your identity. That’s your history, your achievements, your community rep.”
He called for identity models that are wallet-agnostic — where a DID can remain intact even if one wallet becomes compromised. This enables recovery and continuity, which is crucial for players who have built years of identity and status on-chain.
He even proposed linking warm wallets (never used for transactions) to DIDs as a secure verification layer, inspired by two-factor authentication models.
The takeaway: wallet loss shouldn’t mean starting from scratch. Robust identity systems must account for long-term resilience and recovery.
Web3 identity isn’t just a technical layer — it’s a cultural shift.
Games become platforms for persistent reputation
Wallets become proof of history and contribution
Players evolve into narrative stakeholders, not just users
Geoff summarized this by saying:
“With decentralized identity, your gameplay, governance, and trading history can all tie back to one secure, private, crosschain identity. It’s a building block for true interoperability.”
As more studios design multi-title ecosystems, the value of a persistent identity grows. From loyalty-based airdrops to unlockable cross-title perks, identity becomes the bridge between games, communities, and economies.
This Twitter Space was just the beginning. We’ll be continuing this series with deep dives into:
Game asset marketplaces & secondary trading
On-chain economies and earned value
How identity and reputation can shape in-game governance and rewards
If you’re building in onchain gaming or digital identity — we want to hear from you.
Join Ontology’s Onchain Gaming Cabal to help define what “good” looks like for players, developers, and ecosystems in this next chapter of gaming.
Onchain gaming is about more than ownership — it’s about transparency, trust, and reputation
Identity matters — and must be portable, private, and persistent
Culture-rich chains like Solana and Base are incubating new forms of game-native experimentation
Gamers deserve recognition that spans worlds — and identity systems are finally making that possible
In Episode 1 of Code, Clout & Crypto, builders from MEW, MapleStory Universe, Dragark, and Ontology dive into the future of Web3 gaming. Topics include digital identity, in-game asset ownership, and why they're betting big on blockchain games.
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