Trung Nguyen: The Co-Founder and CEO of Sky Mavis and Axie Infinity

Trung Thanh Nguyen, also known as Trung Nguyen, is a Vietnamese entrepreneur who co-founded Sky Mavis, a company focusing on creating blockchain games and products. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Axie Infinity, a game based on NFTs developed by Sky Mavis.

Early Life and Education

Trung Nguyen was born in 1992 in Vietnam. Since he was young, Trung has been interested in Japanese collectibles like manga, Pokemon, and trading card games. He also showed strong programming skills at a young age, joining the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) in 2014. The contest is known for being tough and testing people’s ability to solve hard problems quickly. By participating in ICPC, Trung proved his talent in coding and problem-solving early in his career.

Initial Thoughts on Cryptocurrencies

When Trung was first introduced to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, he didn’t understand their value. He thought they were just digital money with no real purpose. He saw things like ICOs and trading as ways to waste money, thinking they were just numbers on a screen. At first, he didn’t see how they could be useful or important. But as he learned more, his opinion started to change.

Interest in CryptoKitties

In 2017, Trung became interested in CryptoKitties, a game where people buy, collect, breed, and sell digital cats. He found the game fun and enjoyed how it creatively used blockchain technology. This made him see blockchain in a new way, showing him that it could be used for fun and interesting ideas, not just serious projects. This experience changed how he thought about the potential of blockchain technology.

Looking into CryptoKitties’s Data

Trung chose to look more closely at CryptoKitties by studying how the game worked. He studied the data to understand the system behind it, focusing on how traits were passed down and how rare CryptoKitties were made. By checking the data, he found patterns that made some cats more valuable in the market. His research gave him a better understanding of what made certain CryptoKitties rare and valuable.

Hackathon Experience

Trung and Tu Doan participated in a hackathon, creating a video game based on the 1980s Nintendo Entertainment System game ‘Battle City.’ Although they didn’t win, the experience boosted their interest in developing their blockchain-based game.

The Birth of Axie Infinity

Trung Nguyen, who loved gaming and Pokémon, wanted to create a combined game. This led him to develop Axie Infinity.

He worked with Tu Doan, also known as Masamune, to make the game’s creative side real. Masamune designed the visuals, starting with the first Axie, Puff. Puff was inspired by Masamune’s pet axolotl and the food art he made as a child, which had special regeneration powers.

Nguyen became the game’s main engineer, working on its economy and structure, while Tu Doan took on the role of Art Director, creating the Axies.

$152M in Series B Funding

We’ve just announced our $152M Series B funding round. /1https://t.co/CCbmubx7tF

Sky Mavis, the company behind Axie Infinity, raised $152 million in Series B funding. This money will help improve the game and its blockchain system, allowing it to grow and reach more players. The investment shows the growing interest in NFT gaming and play-to-earn models. Sky Mavis plans to use the funds to extend the Axie Infinity ecosystem and improve the experience for players and developers in the metaverse.

The Future of NFT Gaming in the Metaverse

Trung Nguyen believes the future of digital entertainment is in the metaverse and NFTs. He sees the metaverse as a digital world where players can interact, create, and enjoy new games and social experiences.

Nguyen thinks NFT gaming is about connecting players with the virtual worlds they explore. With blockchain, players can own, trade, or sell their items across games and virtual worlds. NFTs give true ownership of digital items.

Axie Infinity’s Global Impact

Axie Infinity has become a big player in blockchain gaming, with millions of players worldwide. The game’s play-to-earn system is especially popular in countries like the Philippines, where people use it to make money. Trung Nguyen focused on making a fun and rewarding game, which has helped Axie Infinity become a big part of gaming culture and inspire other blockchain games.

Final Thoughts

Trung Thanh Nguyen’s path from a young interest in Japanese collectibles to becoming a leader in blockchain gaming shows his passion for creativity. His changing view on cryptocurrencies led him to co-create Axie Infinity, a game that combines blockchain with fun gameplay.

Trung’s focus on fun and rewards has helped make NFT gaming popular and grow the metaverse. His work with Sky Mavis inspires many players and developers in the