Bears are getting a bad rep these days, and we are still trying to figure out why.

“The Bear market” is literally the most clickbait concept during these past weeks… but why bear?

The term “bear” has been used in many different ways to define skepticism or downfalls in the market. Ever heard of “don’t sell the bear’s skin before you kill it”? An old proverb led Daniel Defoe back in 1726 to give birth to the “bearskin jobber” regarding those who sold “bearskins.”

Bear with us; there’s more.

In the early 18th century, Richard Stelle used the term “bear” to define a speculator in the market. In “The Tatler,” a British literary and societal journal, Steele described a “bear” as an individual who places a real value on an imaginary object and thus was said to be “selling a bear.”

Back to our current market trends, we now use the “Bear” to define receding market trends, in a possible reference to how a bear sluggishly attacks with their paws in a downward motion.

Now, as you Bangers already know, we are adamant about innovating in our space. We are looking to put the gaming world upside down by providing gamers with possibilities they have never seen or experienced before. So we thought it was pretty aligned with our “ethos” to take it upon ourselves to redefine the “Bear.” But why, you might ask?

Maybe because we see “the Bear” as the figure with the strength and courage to overcome any crisis. A character with the will to take you through any challenge with your head up, fearless, and composed.

Maybe because we have here at Banger, our own “Bear,” our CMO — Marc Diaz Williams — a man with enough experience to know when it’s time to wait and plan and when it’s time to hunt.

Maybe because calling your CMO a Gaming Bear is an opportunity for getting a raise and being fired, both at the same time.

So using the strength of the new defined “Bear,” we arm ourselves with the courage to sit down with our go-to guy to pick his brain and gain some insights on how to best manage these times of uncertainty.

What do you think about your new title, “The Gaming Bear”?

I think you should get your CV back in shape… (holds the tension for longer than expected, then laughs). I’m an all-time gamer, and I like the new conceptualization of The Bear, so I suppose I can take it on for the time being.

What do you think about the current state of the markets?

Just like in life, markets respond to cycles. This is not the first, and it won’t be the last bear market we have to face, so the question is, what are you doing during these more delicate times? As a company, we are taking this time to build and improve, especially on the technological infrastructure that will allow Banger to reach millions of gamers. Winters are all about regathering and becoming stronger, and that is exactly what we are doing. This is an excellent opportunity for brands to focus on building and ensure they are at the top of their game.

Can you specify how Banger is building during this bear market?

In many different ways. We have several open fronts to guarantee we exceed expectations when launch time comes along. From a platform perspective, we are working side by side with Fantasy, the agency that built the Netflix platform. Together, we have shaped how we want our users to relate to Banger. Like with Netflix, we want to be there every time you game. We want to be that second layer behind every game you play because of all the benefits you will get for it. Thanks to Fantasy’s experience and resources, we have been able to take risks and be bold to shake things up and change the way gamers understand gaming platforms.

On the other hand, from a Marketing perspective, we are working on the same element that makes Banger work, our community. We have recently surpassed 25K followers on Twitter and are close to breaking the 100K across platforms. These numbers are great but only represent a fraction of where we are headed, especially after launch day. This is without any active campaigns, just by creating content for future web two and web three players.

What games are you currently playing?

I have always been someone who plays several games at a time. I’m still consistently playing FPS (COD, BF) and have lately delved into the top-down Hades style and these early play-to-earn games that are evolving into interesting concepts. I’ve also grown very dependent on DCS these past months or so.

Talking about play-to-earn, where do you see the future of gaming going?

We feel the future will look very different from the current scenario, but the change won’t be all at once, more so a continuous rate of change with small increments. When eSports came out, and some players decided to turn gaming into a career, many thought the concept of competitive gaming was a fad, something that would dwindle over time… Now we know it’s far from it. Play to Earn / Play & Earn will have a similar introduction into the mainstream, the difference now being that all players have a chance (without being pro players) to earn as they play. This concept is going to change our perception of gaming, simultaneously changing the landscape of what titles players will want to pursue in their free time.

So far, the gaming community has met blockchain with a healthy dose of skepticism.
How long will it take for the gaming community to fully embrace blockchain?
How long will it take for the game publishers to fully embrace blockchain?

Trying to estimate time is elusive in anything that involves tech. In my opinion, Blockchain games have already provided a new business model, but they still need a lot of development to reach the quality of traditional games. I think they have made enough ground to safely say there is a seed well planted within the traditional publishers, and whoever does not grow a better rewards tree for their users will have a tough time fulfilling the demand that gamers will require from here on out. One thing to point out is that gaming should be considered entertainment, not work, and that is precisely our focus at Banger. Bringing rewards into the mix brings the gaming experience to a whole new level. It’s going to be a blast to be part of this change.

What’s coming up soon for Banger that will excite our community?

We are closing up our BETA testing round and will have a public sale round for our token just before the end of this year. We also have a huge amount of traction toward our first NFT collection. We have a massive interest in this collection because we have designed it with an awesome utility, and the hype it has created is motivating. We haven’t even announced it, but somehow the big players have already heard about it.

But the big effort is our full platform launch, where we get to show what we have been working on these past three years.