Thirdweb Hires Ex-Meta Executive to Expand Web3 Gaming

Atif Khan, previously an executive at Meta, has joined Thirdweb as the new Vice President of Gaming. This hiring comes as part of Thirdweb’s mission to foster growth in the Web3 gaming sector, a commitment demonstrated recently when they built a game entirely from scratch.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Thirdweb is a startup that offers a comprehensive Web3 infrastructure toolkit. This enables developers to construct decentralized applications, including blockchain games and NFTs. Last year, the company raised $24 million in a Series A funding round, achieving a valuation of $160 million. Haun Ventures, Polygon Labs, and Shopify were among the notable investors who participated in the funding round.

Atif Khan: A Strategic Hire for Thirdweb’s Vision

Atif Khan brings a wealth of experience, having served as the Chief Operating Officer at Stardust and the Head of Mid-Market & In-App Ads for Global Gaming at Meta. He looks forward to utilizing Thirdweb’s extensive toolkit in service of game developers.

Thirdweb’s main objective is to streamline the process of Web3 game development. To this end, they offer a comprehensive solution that alleviates developers’ need to navigate multiple platforms. However, they also cater to developers who require specific components from other service providers.

Whether a studio opts for a different RPC node or index relay provider, Thirdweb can accommodate such choices, embodying its flexible approach. This modularity aligns with the current trend among users who desire tailored experiences, particularly regarding wallet options, which include smart, local, custodial, or non-custodial wallets.

Web3 Warriors: Showcasing Thirdweb’s Capabilities

To demonstrate the effectiveness of their toolkit, Thirdweb recently designed an on-chain survival action game named Web3 Warriors. In just three weeks, the game was introduced to Base’s testnet, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling network developed by Coinbase. It saw impressive engagement, attracting over 500 players and logging over 1,000 sessions in the first week alone.

Thirdweb places high importance on creating games that offer enjoyable gameplay and promote user engagement. Integrating blockchain features, such as non-custodial wallets and cosmetic NFTs, is a significant part of their gaming development approach. In addressing the challenges the play-to-earn model poses, Thirdweb seeks to prioritize entertainment value over merely providing cryptocurrency rewards.

Atif Khan anticipates a shift in the industry’s focus towards the added value that blockchain can offer users and developers. He points to popular games like Candy Crush as examples of the critical role community and social aspects play in a game’s success. Through the creation of accessible mobile games, Thirdweb aims to drive the adoption of Web3 technology and establish itself as an essential developer tool in the Web3 ecosystem.