What is Codename CORE? Daniel Alnemri's Vision for GameFi

Codename CORE Art Concept — *Concept art for the upcoming Codename C.O.R.E.*

It’s rare that a cryptocurrency gaming developer sounds more like a player than a medieval oligarch who gets a thrill from subjecting people to an unending string of arbitrary economic diktats. In listening to Codename C.O.R.E. developer Daniel Alnemri, however, you get the sense that he stands apart from some of his peers in the space, providing a source of inspiration for the industry during an otherwise downbeat period for the market.

“The problem with Web3 gaming is that you have a strong focus on ‘ponzinomics,'” Alnemri said in an interview, defining that term as “the idea of early buyers being rewarded while late buyers end up as exit liquidity.”

“These games aren’t even really games, nor are they fun,” he said. “Embracing the digital ownership and earning capabilities of Web3 with the actual interactivity and fun of Web2 gaming with similar Web2 revenue models optimized for Web3 functionality is what I think is a move in the right direction for Web3 gaming. Embrace the past and build onto the future. I don’t think we should try to rework it to be something entirely new on its own. It becomes way too niche.”

That, Alnemri said, is the vision behind his upcoming game, Codename C.O.R.E, a project inspired by the classic live-strategy, tactical role-playing game Mega Man Battle Network popularized in the 2000s. A playable version of Codename C.O.R.E. hasn’t launched yet, but 101 characters slated to be usable in the game quickly sold on the OpenSea NFT exchange after its May 14 launch.

So what exactly does Alnemri mean when he refers to “Web2 gaming”?

“An actual game with systems, interactivity, progression, game loops, goals, etcetera,” Alnemri said. “Not just a mindless stake and make money [game] with invisible adventures. ‘Wow, I found an item while I waited 30 seconds,’ kind of thing. Web2 revenue models include micro-transactions, season passes and things of that sort where a standard F2P [free-to-play] game would make money.”

Codename CORE Roadmap — *An initial roadmap released by Codename C.O.R.E.*

As of June, the project was in what Alnemri terms Phase O.Z., encompassing the game’s development and initial alpha release. He said he’s hoping to finish that process by the end of 2022 before moving to Phase 0 — which includes the launch of a token native to the game — and a third and final Phase Z, which will be capped by the project’s full launch, along with an in-game concept for e-sports tournaments. The game will eventually be playable on the Harmony Protocol, where transactions are generally more than 99 percent less costly than transactions on the Ethereum network.

Alnemri, a Canadian citizen, similarly stands out in the industry for disclosing his identity at the time his project launched. saying he made the decision to forego anonymity because “it gives comfortability to the community and builds a layer of trust if they know you personally. Obviously, we do not want to do anything malicious or illegal, and trust in this space is something that is very fickle.”

If his concept succeeds, Alnemri might solve one of the louder grievances that crypto gaming enthusiasts expressed as the market soared to all-time highs in 2021 — namely, that it was simply too expensive to buy a character and participate in the most popular games, such as Axie Infinity and DeFi Kingdoms (DFK). He also addressed a second complaint — one held by DFK players in particular — that some projects enable users to profit simply by investing wads of cash, rather than forcing them to mingle with fellow investors who actually play the games.

“We actually plan to go by a free-to-play model where anyone can play as a base character,” Alnemri said. “The plan is that any earning will be only through interactivity rather than passively.”

“There can be issues with satisfying people who paid versus people who didn’t,” he acknowledged. “And right now, in a small group, it works. But if I figure out a system that allows a bigger collection and it works, it will be done.”

Those interested in following Codename C.O.R.E.’s progress in the meantime can follow the project on Twitter, join its Discord chatroom, and check out the availability of its NFT collection — which will be playable — on OpenSea.

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