Transforming the Gaming Industry with Koltena, Miew’s Blockchain-Powered Wallet
The world of amateur esports, while brimming with talent and ambition, is often held back by complex and costly financial hurdles. The process of managing team funds, paying for tournament fees, and distributing prize money is complicated and expensive, especially for teams with members in different countries. Miew's internal R&D journey into blockchain presented a unique opportunity to apply our skills to a real-world problem and deliver a solution for a community we're passionate about. Our mission was to build a platform that could take amateur teams to the next level by simplifying financial transactions and fostering an environment of transparency and trust.
Approach
As a digital product studio, Miew is not just a service provider; we are innovators who build our own solutions. We embraced the emerging blockchain space with a “Make T*ch Happen” mentality, seeing it as a way to liberate financial systems. Koltena is a direct result of this forward-thinking approach. It’s a design-oriented project that prioritizes user pain points over game development, setting it apart from other products in the space. We leveraged our unique expertise in product design and development, along with our passion as gamers, to create a solution that connects with users on a deeper level.
Journey
1Analysis
Our journey began with extensive internal research, going beyond typical market analysis. We explored various options in the blockchain field and used our internal knowledge and research to find an opportunity in the gaming community. We actively engaged with blockchain communities, participated in hackathons, and joined bootcamps to gather insights and validate our initial hypotheses. We determined that a transparent ledger for team management and prize distribution was the core problem to solve.
2Proof of Concept (POC)
With our research in hand, we faced a major crossroads—which blockchain network to build on. We compared three options: Ethereum, Solana, and Stellar. This intentional research and analysis phase proved critical in our decision-making. We learned that while Ethereum offers a robust ecosystem, its transaction costs can be a barrier to entry for amateur gamers. Solana was attractive for its low-cost transactions and large gaming ecosystem. In contrast, Stellar, despite not being a primary gaming blockchain, offered built-in features for fast, low-cost payments that fit Koltena's needs spot-on. Our participation in the Stellar Community Fund Awards even led us to apply for their Builders Award, and we were able to test Koltena with their community.
3Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
We are currently building our MVP on both Ethereum and Stellar to test performance and usability before making a final decision. The MVP includes a user-friendly dashboard that quantifies team ownership and provides statistics for more informed decision-making. It also simplifies financial transactions by using a common cryptocurrency, eliminating country-specific currency conversion rates.
4Launch
The mission has just begun. We're looking for gamers and developers to test and give feedback on our two MVPs. This collaborative approach ensures we get the product right.
5Learn
After launch, Miew plans to monitor performance and gather feedback to guide future development continuously. We envision Koltena evolving into a social networking space for players and investors to connect. The platform will also grow to serve tournament organizers by providing the tools needed to run esports events seamlessly.
Results
Koltena is a star child of Miew. It demonstrates our mastery of various development challenges and our adaptability to build a unique product that deviates from our typical business. Most importantly, Koltena showcases our commitment to building solutions that truly matter—connecting people and creating shared understanding in a global community.
Website: Link to Koltena Substack article