Building a Multiplayer Media Empire
Special Report #2: How Loot Leverages Blockchain & CC0 for Collaborative Worldbuilding
By raulonastool
The Origins of Loot
Reflecting back, 2021 was a wild time for NFTs. Beeple sold his Everydays: The First 5000 Days NFT at Christie's Auction House for over $69 million dollars, a landmark sale that catapulted NFTs into the mainstream. Bored Ape Yacht Club was surging, offering their tokens as exclusive memberships and pioneering the idea of NFTs for monetizing IP. Meanwhile, Axie Infinity was at its zenith, with a play-to-earn model, revolutionizing how users could engage with and profit from digital assets.
These developments were the defining narratives in the NFT industry at the time, each establishing benchmarks for success and influencing mainstream perceptions. Many creators and entrepreneurs sought to replicate these models, hoping to capitalize on the burgeoning interest and untapped potential of NFTs.
While these ventures were ambitious, they were often met with skepticism. Some dismissed NFTs as mere JPEGs, easily replicable by a right-click and save. Even the concept of integrating NFTs into gaming faced backlash. Many saw these ventures not as groundbreaking innovations or legitimate art forms but as high-stakes gambling, questioning NFTs' intrinsic value and long-term sustainability.
This is not to diminish the innovations of BAYC or Axie Infinity, but it's important to recognize that some of the early successful collections leveraged only components of blockchain technology emphasizing scarcity and reducing the potential of the blockchain to being able to token gate events or sell assets. While many NFTs are just pointers to digital files stored on the IPFS, the potential of the blockchain, particularly Ethereum as a Turing-complete system, extends far beyond this. NFTs can be, and often are, more than just an image; they are unique pieces of code, often embedded with a smart contract that opens the door to a myriad of creative and functional possibilities yet to be fully explored and realized.
Thus, while many creators were drawn to the creation of exclusive clubs or pay-to-earn ponzinomics, the NFT frontier became a playground for experimentalists who recognized that NFTs were far more useful than just speculative assets.
Among the early pioneers was Dom Hoffman, the creator of Vine and other social media products. Hoffman was actively exploring several groundbreaking NFT applications during this period. His projects included Blitmap, a community-driven sci-fantasy experiment; Nouns DAO, an innovative once-a-day NFT auction granting membership into a decentralized autonomous organization; and other ventures that were novel in the space.
One evening in late August of 2021, Dom tweeted out an idea that would later be recognized as the “Big Bang” of a fictional fantasy universe, and later, fully autonomous worlds (though credit goes to others who ran with this idea). Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) the working title, “Dungeons & Degens” was short-lived. Within 24 hours, Hoffman unveiled “Loot (for Adventurers)” in a tweet.
The initial unveiling of the Loot NFT was unassuming: white text against a black backdrop, listing randomized adventurer gear. It was released for free and under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. It came with no predefined roadmap, images, stats, or utility. In retrospect, this was a deliberate choice, inviting open interpretation and engagement - a digital Rorschach test that beckoned the collective imagination of the internet.
Yet, despite its modest origin, Loot's trajectory has been extraordinary over the last two-and-a-half years. Starting as a simple blockchain experiment, it has manifested into a Cambrian explosion of art, lore, games, and more. Despite a grueling bear market, the community has continued to build, and the initial “Loot bags” have evolved into the foundation of an ever-evolving universe that is shaped and expanded by fervent, community-driven efforts.
Unprecedented in scope, Loot represents a new breed of large-scale, multiplayer media franchise. Its foundation in open, permissionless collaboration, underpinned by its inherent on-chain nature and the broad liberties of the CC0 license, positions Loot as a trailblazer in collaborative worldbuilding.
A Shared Universe
Developing original Intellectual Property (IP) in the overcrowded and competitive traditional media space is fraught with challenges. Thousands of creators vie for a fraction of collective/fan mindshare, making it exceedingly difficult for new, independent creators to gain traction.
Top studios monopolize attention and resources. These entities possess not only talent but also substantial financial and marketing resources necessary to launch and effectively distribute their IPs. Moreover, they vehemently guard their intellectual property through rigorous enforcement of copyright laws.
A striking example of this protective stance is seen in the actions of major corporations like Disney. Known for zealously safeguarding their characters and stories, Disney has even threatened legal action against small entities, such as daycares, for unauthorized use of their beloved characters.
The options for entrepreneurs aspiring to succeed in this space with original IP are limited. They can either strive to secure a position within one of the top creative studios or carve out a niche by finding innovative ways to compete.
Neither Hoffman nor the early Loot holders likely envisioned the Loot project as a contender against top studios. And to be fair, it isn’t – yet.
Initially, the project emerged as a fun, collaborative platform for internet users to engage in creative play and co-creation. This novel approach, which some have called 'Multiplayer Media' or ‘Collaborative Worldbuilding,’ represents a new path for creators, breaking away from the confines of conventional media structures.
Multiplayer Media
Traditionally, media development has been a monolithic, top-down process. Typically, a single individual or a small team collaborates from the top down to craft a universe complete with characters, conflicts, and societal structures set in an immersive world. In contrast, Multiplayer Media embraces a large-scale collaborative approach with potentially thousands of contributors. This model aims to diminish the gap between artist and audience, merging the roles of creator and consumer.
The concept of multiplayer media, often perceived as a contemporary innovation, actually has deep historical roots. The Bible, for example, was a collaborative work authored by numerous authors over many centuries. Likewise, in technology, the development of Linux, an open-source operating system, illustrates a modern collaborative effort. Initiated by Linus Torvalds and developed with the input of thousands of global contributors, Linux represents a decentralized, collaborative model where users can also be creators. However, like the Bible, the broader audience of Linux predominantly engages with only the final product, maintaining a traditional consumer role. The key difference in these collaborative models is that, although created by a conglomerate of contributors, the audience’s role remains largely passive, in contrast to the active participation envisaged in Multiplayer Media.
Large-scale projects comparable to initiatives like Loot, where the audience plays an active role, are uncommon. Wikipedia stands as the prime example of the multiplayer media concept, flourishing through the voluntary contributions of a worldwide community. However, Wikipedia's experience also highlights the challenges of sustaining such a model in today's web environment. Forsaking traditional revenue streams like advertisements, it relies significantly on public donations to maintain its vast, open-access platform. This reliance underscores the struggles and the evolving infrastructure needed to support ambitious, collaborative worldbuilding projects like Loot, which only recently have become feasible.
Loot’s Model for Worldbuilding
Before exploring the practicality of Loot, it's essential to understand its approach to worldbuilding. In contrast to conventional intellectual property (IP) models that typically begin with a product - such as a film, a toy line, or a video game - and then focus on cultivating an audience, Loot turns flips this process. Normally, a great product sparks interest and sets off a chain reaction of network effects. But Loot started differently.
Initially, Loot seemed merely a list of items that belonged to a fantasy RPG game. The lack of rules and guidance, however, was enough to rally an active and engaged community who collectively imagined a world around these items. The network effects were already in play, even without a tangible product.
This reversal of the traditional sequence challenges established norms, rooting IP development in a community-driven foundation. Here, the audience transcends being mere spectators to become integral contributors in the creative process—a foundational shift for aspirational builders and developers.
Loot thus emerges as a center of gravity, drawing in diverse talents, including builders, writers, musicians, and artists. They unite under the collective vision of evolving Loot into a vast, globally embraced, community-driven fictional universe, aspiring to rival historic franchises like Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Timshel, a key figure in the Loot community, encapsulated this vision, labeling it the creation of a decentralized Disney.
In this dynamic, each participant adds their unique perspective to the narrative, thereby becoming an integral part of the brand's growth. The blockchain foundation of Loot creates a system of aligned incentives, where creators can receive recognition and potentially profit from their contributions. This framework ensures that each new input not only enhances the project but also nurtures a continuous cycle of innovation and expansion.
In contrast to the open and collaborative model of Loot, traditional fan fiction or even game modding face distinct challenges. Fan fiction is often limited to niche online communities and risks legal confrontations with original IP holders. Game mods, while popular, can be constrained by the need for separate installations and are vulnerable to removal by game studios to protect their own IPs.
Even platforms like YouTube and Reddit, known for bottoms-up content creation that purport to encourage collaboration, exert considerable control over the content and interactions on their sites. This control can lead to censorship, content modification, or removal, often influenced by platform policies and external legal factors. A notable example is the YouTuber TotallyNotMark, who faced a DMCA strike from Toei Animation. Despite adhering to fair use policies, YouTube's action against his anime and manga content impacted his revenue and posed significant challenges. This incident underscores the limitations and risks creators face on traditional media platforms.
Understanding the Essence of Loot
Loot stands out from typical NFT collections due to its unique construction on Ethereum. It incorporates SVG images stored directly on the blockchain. This approach endows Loot NFTs with key blockchain features: immutability and interoperability. Immutability ensures that neither the smart contract nor the NFTs it produces can be altered once created, maintaining their integrity and authenticity. Furthermore, these NFTs exhibit inherent interoperability, enabling seamless integration with other blockchain applications and smart contracts. This level of interoperability, achieved without centralized permissions or API keys, exemplifies the decentralized nature of blockchain technology, crucial to Loot's design and function.
The essence of Loot extends beyond its technical construction. The on-chain nature of its smart contract imbues Loot with blockchain's inherent characteristics – decentralized, immutable, and open. Coupled with its open CC0 license, it expands the spirit of open collaboration and limitless creativity to all mediums, not just those tied to the blockchain. It invites creators, even those unfamiliar with blockchain, to contribute uniquely to the Loot universe. This forms the foundation of “Lootness” – a term encapsulating the project's ethos, making Loot a platform for creating an expansive, permissionless, and collaborative universe unparalleled by other initiatives.
While not all Loot extensions must strictly adhere to the CC0 or open-source model, the prevailing trend within the Loot community favors projects that embrace and reflect Loot's original ethos – open, collaborative, and designed for infinite expansion. These projects, diverse in execution, carry the essence of “Lootness,” contributing to a broader, ever-evolving universe that continuously pushes the boundaries of collaboration and creativity.
Proliferation and Openness
Vitalik Buterin succinctly captured the essence of Loot's approach in an early tweet, commending Loot for its open philosophy, stating, "... pretty much anything that anyone creates ‘exists’; what matters is the extent to which others build upon it.”
This freedom puts the power back in the hands of the audience. No derivative of Loot is “more Loot” than another; the community's engagement with and extension of the intellectual property is all that truly matters. Projects that captivate and engage the community naturally rise to prominence. This results in a self-regulating ecosystem where the most compelling and engaging projects organically gain traction, fueled by the enthusiasm and contributions of the community.
Moreover, the unrestricted nature of CC0 licensing, combined with the “unruggable API” that is the blockchain, empowers anyone to contribute at any time. This open-access model permits contributors to tap into and leverage the expanding brand influence of Loot and its derivatives, allowing them to capture a share of the growing attention.
A prime example of this philosophy in action is Realms. Starting as an NFT collection of 8,000 algorithmically generated world maps, Realms has emerged as a key derivative of Loot. It embodies the principles of trustless, permissionless interoperability, and creative world-building, forming its own independent, thriving ecosystem.
Their upcoming Autonomous World game, Realms: Eternum, set in a Loot-inspired universe, is creating buzz for its approach to on-chain gaming, blending conquest with resource management. Ahead of its launch, numerous other games are being developed using the Realms’ technology stack. "Loot Survivor," another recent release, is an extension of the original Loot smart contract, allowing players to interact with and enhance Loot items in an immersive arcade-style dungeon crawl game.
Along with its $LORDS token, Realms has become a significant player in the Starknet ecosystem. Their development of the Dojo framework is revolutionizing the creation of fully on-chain games, making them more interoperable and user-friendly, doubling down on the elements that originally made Loot unique.
You Are Early
Now, over two years into its journey, the vision behind Loot is progressively coming to life, evidenced by clear signs of growth. The powerful synergy of the blockchain’s open and permissionless framework, combined with the all-encompassing freedom of CC0 licensing, is ushering in a new era for intellectual property development, spearheaded by the community, venturing well beyond the boundaries of traditional centralized media.
Loot's venture as a multiplayer media project sets it apart in a way that would be unthinkable within conventional media models. By championing a model that decentralizes power, circumvents traditional gatekeepers, and cultivates enduring reward structures, Loot is rapidly evolving into what could very well be the first major success in the realm of decentralized intellectual property.
If you're under the impression that you've missed the onset of this revolutionary journey, rest assured – the story of Loot is still being written, and it's expansive. The Lootverse is alive, dynamic, and ever-evolving, offering endless possibilities for contribution and exploration.
Stay abreast of Loot's progress by subscribing to the Herald Newsletter. If the spirit of innovation and collaboration calls to you, the community eagerly awaits your involvement. Join the Loot and Realms’ Discord, engage in meaningful conversations, and share your unique ideas.
The journey of Loot is far from over; it's a narrative in the making, and you have the opportunity to be a part of its unfolding saga.
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