GokuShow Interview with Matr1x Founder Saku: Responding to All Changes with Change

About GokuShow

GokuShow is a program focused on conversations with Web3 entrepreneurs, initiated by Web3 blogger Dog Brother (@Gokunocool). It aims to provide a stage for all Web3 entrepreneurs to showcase themselves, understand the stories behind them, and create a warm and engaging show.

Video Link:

https://x.com/gokunocool/status/1753415876278378694?s=20

Host: GoKu Dog Brother

Guest: Saku

Project Party: Matr1x

Matr1x, which raised a total of $20 million in funding in 2022 and 2023, is a Web3 entertainment platform. It upgrades and builds the Matr1x brand through self-developed high-quality games, collaborations with third parties, game IP development partnerships, and global esports events. This includes three large games with a unified worldview: Matr1x FIRE (first-person shooter), Matr1x WAR (shooter + MMORPG), and Matr1x EVOLUTION (SOC), which together narrate its grand game trilogy (Cyber Earth --- Mars Colonization --- Interstellar Exploration).

Since its inception, Matr1x has attracted significant attention, with a financing background that is star-studded and luxurious, including joint lead investments from Folius Ventures and SevenX, as well as contributions from ABCDE Capital, Jambo, Initiate Capital, and Find Satoshi Lab. ABCDE even believes that Matr1x is the next Axie/StepN-level phenomenon in Gamefi, capable of truly promoting Web3's breakout and mass adoption.

As an old friend of GoKu Dog Brother, the first episode of GoKuShow invited its founder Saku, who is an atypical Web3 entrepreneur. From his experience as a game expert in a large Web2 company to his vision of creating a project that breaks through the industry's ceiling, Saku showcases the ambition, persistence, and long-term vision of a founder. Perhaps stepping out of the fixed mindset of a Web3 industry game entrepreneur will bring about a different understanding.

Exciting Content:

• Web3 is the only opportunity for this generation of young people to overtake on the curve.

• Everything we do is to solve problems, discovering opportunities by solving problems within a business model.

• To be first, only be the leader! Besides the leader, there are no opportunities.

• Use change to respond to all changes.

• As long as the cake is big enough, the interests of investors, the community, and the team will be balanced.

• Failure is not the mother of success; success is the mother of success.

• Do not set limits; the ceiling of Matr1x is to change and integrate the industry's ecosystem.

• Maintain an "anti-fragile" mindset; after hitting the bottom, everything left is an upward opportunity.

• The core of entrepreneurship is not what investors need, but what the industry needs.

The following content is from the GokuShow live discussion:

1. From Senior Game Developer to Entering the Web3 Entertainment Ecosystem

Dog Brother: You were already in a senior position in a large Web2 company making games. Can you share your previous entrepreneurial experiences and why you entered Web3 to start a business?

Saku: I started getting involved with cryptocurrencies in 2013 and participated in projects like Bitcoin and Litecoin. I developed a strong interest in the crypto industry and games, participating in various blockchain games, DeFi, and NFT activities.

At the same time, I was involved in game development and operations at a Web2 company to lay the groundwork for my future entrepreneurship. My earliest entrepreneurial experience was creating a platform for recycling second-hand books while in school, with a desire to create something that could change the world. In 2018, I founded an overseas gaming company with a team size of 100-200 people, experiencing the entrepreneurial process from zero to one. I handled everything myself, from renting an office, buying furniture, hiring people, to setting up financial systems, unlike in a large company where different departments package everything for you. Entrepreneurship is a process of building everything step by step from scratch. For me, maintaining a calm mindset, focusing on solving problems, and discovering opportunities is essential for ensuring the team's survival. Everything we do is to solve problems, discover opportunities within a business model, and keep the team alive. Matrix is gradually entering the public testing phase and plans to launch new products. I am confident in Matrix's development and will continue to work on building a complete Web3 ecosystem.

This entrepreneurial venture, Matrix, is also a journey from zero to one. Rather than calling Matrix a blockchain game, I prefer to see it as a Web3 entertainment platform that encompasses IP, esports, and more, with plans for future entertainment products based on games, financial services, and technological services to create a complete Web3 ecosystem.

Dog Brother: Before starting your Web3 venture, your overseas gaming projects were already quite successful. What prompted you to enter the Web3 space?

Saku: Joining the Web3 industry is an opportunity to prove myself and a chance for young people to seek breakthroughs. Entrepreneurs should actively explore unknown fields and go with the flow, doing what others dare not do or do not yet understand, as this is an important path to achieving success.

2. Responding to Change with Change, Only Be the Leader

Dog Brother: Initially, you may have been a novice, continuously following the industry and possibly gaining some returns through investments, but then you joined the industry's construction. What do you like and dislike most about this industry?

Saku: That's a great question. Let me start with what I like most. The industry changes very rapidly, and as a Gemini, I enjoy fresh and exciting things. There are many possibilities in this industry, with a new hotspot emerging every couple of months. This change brings us opportunities and potential, making this industry very suitable for young people. Every day in the community, there is always the next opportunity waiting for us, and we need to learn new knowledge daily. I find this exhilarating, which is what I like most. Each change can be integrated into the Matrix system, which makes me believe in Matrix's immense future potential. The key is that we are uncertain about what to do; to some extent, we act based on industry demand. Our development potential is limitless, and this feeling is about not setting limits for ourselves. Imagine if someone reaches the peak of this industry; they might feel that no matter how hard they try, it is meaningless. Therefore, the interesting part of this industry lies in this, and if you are not careful, you will be surpassed by newcomers.

Dog Brother: Recently, I saw a well-crafted shooting game, and I was a bit worried about Matrix, but later I found that Matrix has actually changed from what I saw a few months ago. You have been constantly changing and progressing, introducing many new concepts that refresh the platform, changing every day.

Saku: That's the only way, using change to respond to all that is unchanging.

Dog Brother: From a marketing perspective, when you become the leader, how do you avoid being chased by those behind you? I think Matrix might be playing a defensive game now, and perhaps defense is also the best offense. As long as the barriers are high enough, it will be very difficult for others to catch up, which is why I only play the leader and not the second or even look at the third.

Saku: Our internal motto is "to be first," only be the leader. In this industry, besides the leader, other projects actually have no opportunities. The financial industry is the same; the leader in exchanges is often dozens or even hundreds of times larger than the second leader. The leader is the only one, and the team must have a pursuit of "I am the leader, and I want to be the leader," otherwise, it is easy to be eliminated.

Dog Brother: I have recently been trying to regain that state: if I want to do something, I want to make it the best in the industry. You just mentioned what you like most, so when you transitioned from Web2 games, did you find any aspects of Web3 that you were dissatisfied with?

3. Hope for More Recognition of Web3, Striving to Represent the Industry

Saku: When playing in various tracks, the most concerning issue for us is safety. Engaging in activities like playing games, claiming airdrops, etc., requires a sense of security and happiness. This is also why we proposed these two concepts in our community operations. If there is no sense of security in Web3 investments, it can be very detrimental. When participating in projects, we worry about projects running away or assets being stolen, leading to a lack of trust in the industry. This means we cannot operate in the sunlight. Therefore, whether participating in projects or running projects, providing a sense of security to the community is the most important thing.

Additionally, we notice that many people refer to the "crypto circle" or "a place for harvesting leeks," which brings a significant negative impact to the Web3 industry. We hope to gain more recognition from more people, proving that we have technology, consensus, and applications. Although Web3 is still in its early stages, we hope to create substantial value for this industry and craft a vivid story in its global historical development. For miners and others engaged in this industry, we hope they no longer feel professional shame but can proudly represent the Web3 industry. We hope to better advocate for our industry.

In summary, we hope to bring security and trust to the Web3 industry, allowing more people to understand and recognize this industry.

4. Continuously Creating Value, Satisfying Capital, Teams, and Communities

Dog Brother: The financing lineup of Matrix is particularly luxurious. How do you balance the interests of investors, teams, and the community?

Saku: We recognize that only when the cake is big enough will everyone be satisfied. But this is very difficult because the way to distribute the cake makes it hard for everyone to get a fair share. Therefore, our only way is to continuously create value to showcase the team's potential.

From the beginning, we saw the shortcomings of certain games and wanted to change this situation. We found that we could expand this space into a Web3 entertainment platform, which not only includes the games themselves but also IP, esports, public chains, and more. We want everyone to realize that the entertainment system of this industry can be achieved through the application layer, thus breaking through the ceiling of the entire industry. We are trying to do things that no one has ever attempted before, and what is truly valuable is the deep integration of Web2 and Web3 technologies. Therefore, our space has expanded. We are building a Web3 entertainment platform that can accommodate all content related to content and entertainment.

In the process of realization, the greater your value, the more significant the dividends can be enjoyed by users, investors, teams, and the community. Therefore, you need to balance this issue, and the only way is to persist in making this thing bigger. We issue NFTs not with the idea of profiting from them; even the money earned from games will be reinvested back into the market to maintain scale effects and size. This cake forms a closed loop, and the profits generated within it will be reinvested into the system, thus generating more profits. If any link in the team, investors, games, or community has a problem, it will create conflicts. Therefore, we need to spend time solving these issues to ensure that the team continues to move forward on the track of creating value. We will not issue tokens and then run away; instead, we hope to operate in the sunlight. In summary, we continuously create value to ensure that everyone gains greater benefits.

Dog Brother: Every time I communicate with you, I feel like I've made a lot of progress. First, we need to set high goals. Second, the team itself needs to have ambition and adhere to long-termism. For example, Axie's revenue once surpassed that of Honor of Kings, but it was not sustainable; this is the difference between long-term teams and short-term teams. Finally, founders need to clarify their goals and not be swayed by the market or investors.

Saku: You are asking how to respond when investors make suggestions, right? Because our team changes quickly, we often proactively share our progress with investors. However, they haven't fully understood us yet, and we have launched new things. Fortunately, investors have been very supportive of us, and so far, they have hardly intervened.

Dog Brother: I remember when we first chatted, you told me how Stepn solved the problem of purchasing shoes through the App Store, which shocked me because it used a non-Web3 method to solve a Web3 problem. Later, I became interested in the concept of "intent-centered," and I think Matrix's approach is similar, focusing more on IP-ifying Web3 assets and centering tokens and gameplay models around users.

Saku: Yes, essentially, we should make users feel secure and happy while playing games. If you are constantly calculating your return on investment in a game, it will create anxiety.

Dog Brother: Was your financing smooth?

Saku: Initially, it was not smooth. The key to investment is talent, and we need to see its potential. In the early stages, we encountered many setbacks, and everyone was skeptical about Web3. Additionally, the gaming field also raised issues because it was filled with failure cases, leading to biases. Investors remained skeptical because the industry primarily focused on investment and finance, making it hard for many to understand. Therefore, early financing was not smooth, and we couldn't prove ourselves. There is a term called "anti-fragile." We started completely negatively, having already hit rock bottom, and the only way was up, resembling a hook shape. We began fundraising in October 2021 and spent several months raising funds. If you are a star team with experience and a desire to make money, and your track is excellent, then financing will be easy. However, at that time, the concept of blockchain games was ahead of its time, and it was just before entering a bear market, so I believe choosing the right timing is crucial. You should raise funds when you are at your peak, not when you are at your lowest. For example, now that Matrix is doing well, it must seek financing and not repair the roof when it is raining.

Dog Brother: Do you think investor relations are important? For example, it might be because you know someone that they will recommend you to others. But the core premise is still that the product is good, the people are good, and the team is good for recommendations to happen.

Saku: The premise for investors to invest in you is that you need to make money for them. The way to make money should be sustainable and bring more than just money. Therefore, maintaining a good reputation and good investor relations is very important. You need to show them the infinite possibilities with you. We have team members dedicated to this.

Dog Brother: Many people say that star entrepreneurs will definitely start a fund next. There is a significant difference in performance between first-line entrepreneurial funds and investment funds. I'm curious, as a star entrepreneur, what kind of projects would you invest in if you become an investor in the future?

Saku: I might do level 1 (easy gains), level 1.5, and level 2 projects all together. I believe the core of investing in projects is three logics. First, is the story and track attractive? No matter how hard a person works or how excellent they are, if the direction they choose is wrong, they may not achieve any results. For example, it is very difficult to start a mobile phone business now, but making a Web3 phone is different; the track is very important.

Second, look at the people. Those with project experience will have their unique logic when doing things. People who have worked on Web3 projects have a different understanding of the market, users, investors, transactions, etc., especially in trading, knowing how to handle liquidity, prices, market coordination, and so on. I once saw a case where the top 150 entrepreneurs in the token market had high returns after transitioning to fund managers; they possess strong sensitivity. Finally, we need to see if the team has influence and the ability to gather a hundred people. Observing the past achievements and reputation of the founders is equivalent to people in the market voting to verify their time and effort; such people must have unique charm. We should not say that failure is the mother of success; in fact, success is the mother of success.

Dog Brother: What are Matrix's plans moving forward? Will you be launching a token in the future?

Saku: This question is quite sensitive, but we are indeed working hard in this direction, planning and advancing this matter, but we will still focus on the final announcement.

Dog Brother: What do you think the future of Web3 gaming will look like?

Saku: Web3 games and application layers are entering an important period. The most crucial factor for a successful track is that everyone hopes it will succeed. Now that funds have flowed in and the technical logic is in place, it feels like we are back to the questioning phase of mobile internet in 2013. But we know that with the continuous launch of products, mobile internet has grown and thrived.

Similarly, Web3 gaming is seen as a key area for large-scale applications. Reports from Binance, OKex, and other institutions regard the application layer as a very important investment track for 2024-25. Investors can start from specific project parties or tools related to the track (such as game engines, advertisers, distribution channels).

Dog Brother: What do you think about the blockchain gaming community? For example, distribution platforms for blockchain games.

Saku: I think the blockchain gaming community is quite good. I have communicated with many teams involved in blockchain games and live streaming. This is a brand new field, and the core lies in who can have the energy and courage to build it into a market; only then can we promote the development of the industry. In my view, any category has opportunities; the key is who can effectively control it.

Dog Brother: You are right because of the existence of digital currency and the island effect. However, digital currencies are gradually converging with fiat currencies. The approval of ETFs, custody licenses, etc., has made the channels between fiat and digital currencies more similar. At the same time, PWA technology can help Web3 technology more easily enter the mobile market, bringing greater traffic. The rest will rely on the cooperation of laws and institutions to achieve.

GoKuShow is recruiting interesting and insightful Web3 entrepreneurs. Please contact GoKu: GokuNoCool (search WeChat).

【Disclaimer】The market has risks; investment requires caution. This article does not constitute investment advice, and users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article align with their specific circumstances. Investing based on this is at your own risk.