Morning ☕️ with @LINEUP_games $sui gaming

The Spaces featured an in-depth discussion with Amit (Lineup Games marketing lead) on the studio’s hybrid Web2/Web3 strategy, migration to the Sui ecosystem, and their unified player network. Lineup Games, founded by Raz and Tal Friedman with chairman Shahaf (COTI founder), has launched two live mobile titles—Striker League (Brawl Stars meets FIFA) and Goal Striker (hyper-casual slots + football)—and onboarded over 1M players with 1.5M+ transactions. Core to the vision are Diamonds (closed-loop tokens) earned across games via play, missions, tournaments, and referrals; each season Diamonds auto-convert into the lineup token, which functions as a cross-game reputation layer. Web2 players are seamlessly onboarded with ZK login and custodial wallets, seeing reputation as “rings,” while Web3 users can use tokens and NFTs. Sui was chosen for closed-loop tokens, object-centric NFTs (fine-grained asset composability), low fees, and dev tooling. Amit highlighted buybacks for token sustainability, upcoming whitepaper, and partnerships (Puma; prior AC Milan/Paulo Dybala). Q&A covered on-chain logging of Diamonds, account merging across platforms, Striker League Diamonds timeline, possible KYC (TBD), regional pricing impacts, and ecosystem integrations (Walrus wallet), plus a 40 Diamonds giveaway for space participants.

Lineup Games x Sui Twitter Space – Comprehensive Summary and Notes

Overview and Participants

• Host: Uber (space moderator and organizer)
• Lineup Games: Amit (Marketing Lead; referred to variously as Ahmet/Ahmed by participants), with teammates Diego and Darrell (community/engagement leads). Co-founder Tal will speak in a subsequent space.
• Community participants: King Ash (King H), Move Corrupt, Kevin, Mike (hosting a future space), BG, Ed (authored threads), Ali (West Africa), and others.
• Context: Lineup Games discussed their hybrid web2/web3 gaming strategy, migration to the Sui ecosystem, their token/reputation model, developer network, and near-term roadmap. A diamond (closed-loop token) giveaway was run during the space.

Housekeeping and Logistics

• Retweet incentive: Attendees who retweeted/quoted the space with their player ID would be eligible to receive 40 diamonds; multiple winners were to be selected via snapshots of attendees. Diego and Darrell will announce winners from the main account.
• Co-hosting: Amit and the official Lineup account were made co-hosts to help manage the room.
• Pre-space coordination included sharing the space across Discords, Telegram groups, and various community channels.
• Compensation logistics (early banter): The host and crew briefly referenced a prior agreement on space hosting rates and overtime multipliers; the exact figures were discussed informally (e.g., per‑minute rate, 60‑minute baseline, with 150%–200% multipliers for overage), but this was not central to the session’s substance.

Team Background and Current Footprint

• Amit’s background: Active in crypto since ~2017, with experience in ICO-era projects, content and organic growth marketing; led organic growth at Celsius (large-scale org), had a stint at Algorand.
• Founding team and leadership:
  • Co-founders: Raz and Tal (Playtika pedigree; Raz was first Chief Product Officer and led creation of a top‑grossing title referenced as “Slotomania”).
  • Chairman: Shahaf; also founder of a blockchain referenced as “COTI,” once valued near $1B.
• Partnerships (past and present): Puma (current backer/partner), Sui (ecosystem partner). Previously collaborated with AC Milan and Paulo Dybala.
• Game portfolio (live titles):
  • Striker League (mobile; “Brawl Stars meets FIFA” style).
  • A hyper‑casual, slots‑meets‑football title played on mobile and also available on Telegram and LINE (often referred to in the discussion with varying pronunciations such as Goal/Gold/Ghost/Golf Striker).
• Scale and activity: >1 million players onboarded to date; ~1.5 million transactions within two months after initial Sui integration (Amit noted this figure would likely have grown since last check).

Strategy: Hybrid Gaming and the Unified Player Network

• Game‑first approach: Lineup prioritizes building fun, sustainable games to attract and retain players, then overlays blockchain capabilities where they add real value. The team explicitly rejects building games around pure incentives.
• Web2/native gameplay with web3 backend: Games remain web2‑native for UX (fiat payments, platform compliance), while the backend integrates web3 via Sui to enable a unified network layer.
• Multi‑chain EMI context: Different deployments use platform‑specific currencies (e.g., TON on Telegram, Kaia for LINE, fiat on iOS/Android, and legacy Solana/Base tokens), without forcing a switch. Lineup’s Sui token layer adds cross‑game functionality rather than displacing in‑game currencies.
• The “Unified Player Network”:
  • Shared identity, progression, and rewards across multiple mobile games.
  • Diamonds (closed‑loop tokens on Sui; discussed as CLTs/CSTs) are earned for gameplay, quests, tournaments, referrals, and broader engagement (e.g., participating in spaces). Diamonds are non‑transferable and live in users’ Sui wallets.
  • Reputation layer: Diamonds accumulate within seasons and are auto‑swapped into Lineup tokens at season end. In‑game “rings” visually represent reputation status to web2 users who may not know they hold tokens.
  • Lineup token utility: A premium, cross‑game reputation token which confers boosted rewards (more diamonds in future seasons), exclusive content/access, and status portability (being a “VIP” across games). Holding Lineup tokens amplifies benefits across network titles without requiring users to become crypto‑savvy.
• Growth engine: Referral is the strongest growth strategy. Diamonds incentivize desired behaviors (install, play, refer, reach milestones) while keeping the focus on fun and fair play. Amit emphasized using data to identify “VIP moments” to softly onboard engaged web2 players into web3 (e.g., exclusive offers priced in Lineup tokens, optional discounted purchases) without forcing blockchain complexity.

Why Sui: Technical and Ecosystem Rationale

• Closed-loop tokens (CLTs/CSTs): Sui natively supports closed‑loop assets ideal for non‑transferable, non‑tradable reputation and reward units (diamonds) forming the backbone of the network.
• ZK Login and wallet UX: Zero‑knowledge login and account abstraction enable seamless wallet creation for web2 players, invisible by default; wallets can exist “behind the scenes” while players see rings/points.
• NFT composability: Fine-grained itemization (characters’ shirts, skills, skins, entire characters) can be broken down and composed as on‑chain NFTs, enabling precise marketplace modeling and asset utility.
• Transaction cost and throughput: Predictable, low gas is crucial given the high volume of micro‑events (each action translating into diamonds). Amit noted daily aggregation and on‑chain logging of diamond accrual.
• Integration ease: Layering Sui’s reputation/diamonds on top of diverse codebases and EMIs (Solana, Base, Ton, Kaia) was presented as straightforward, validating Sui’s role as a cross‑game connective fabric.
• Ecosystem alignment: Sui leadership is positioning for “sweet play” and a gaming‑centric narrative. Lineup sees Sui as the “home of gaming,” avoiding the artificial distinction of “web3 gaming” vs “gaming”—just gaming enhanced by web3 where it helps.
• Stack integrations mentioned: Walrus integration is planned for claim pages; additional wallet solutions are being evaluated with partners. More ecosystem tools (e.g., transaction bundling/delegated signing) are relevant for frictionless gaming UX.

Tokenomics and Monetization Notes

• Season mechanics: Diamonds accrue for on‑chain and in‑app actions and auto‑convert into Lineup tokens at season end, even for web2 players. Rings represent reputation tiers in the UI.
• Buybacks: Strategic buybacks of Lineup tokens using fiat game revenues are planned to support token sustainability.
• Payments model:
  • Web2 players: Continue to pay with fiat via mobile stores; diamond accrual and token conversion happen in the background.
  • Web3‑aware players: Can take Lineup tokens to the open market or hold for boosted rewards and VIP benefits.
• Platform pricing details:
  • A participant flagged price discrepancies in the UK versus US for in‑app purchases (e.g., displayed as $2 but charged higher in GBP). Responses indicated local taxes and Apple’s ~30% platform fee often cause such differences; using native tokens or alternative payment rails (e.g., TON on Telegram) can mitigate in some contexts, but mobile platforms impose constraints.
• KYC: A question was raised regarding KYC for the airdrop. Amit was not aware of any KYC requirement but committed to verify and provide an official answer later.

Developer Network and UA Problem-Solving

• Pain point: Mobile UA costs are prohibitive (Amit cited ~$4M to scale a Striker League‑type title). Many studios fail at acquisition/retention despite solid products.
• Lineup’s proposition: Offer a network where developers can plug their existing games into the diamond/reputation layer, tap into a player base (>1M), and benefit from shared identity/progression and referral‑driven growth. The approach treats diamonds as an “incentivization fabric” that doesn’t distort in‑game EMIs.
• Dev engagement:
  • If you already have a game, Lineup can assist with user acquisition via the network’s incentives and cross‑title traffic.
  • If you’re a developer interested in building or integrating, contact Diego/Darrell for referrals (earn diamonds for dev referrals). Additional support: [email protected].
• IP and ecosystem collaborations: The team teased potential in‑game mascots/characters from Sui projects (e.g., a “Walrus”), with more announcements forthcoming.

User Experience and Account Management

• Invisible web3 for web2:
  • Web2 players simply play; diamonds look like in‑game points; rings show status; token conversion happens under the hood.
  • At “VIP moments,” select players may be offered optional web3 benefits (e.g., discounts using Lineup tokens), encouraging a natural, interest‑driven crypto onboarding.
• Cross‑platform accounts:
  • Telegram/LINE vs Mobile: A merge feature is planned to allow linking a Telegram/LINE account with the mobile app (via steps on the Telegram side). The current recommendation is to continue playing on the account you started with and avoid managing multiple parallel identities.
  • Two distinct accounts across platforms likely won’t be merged to avoid breaking each platform’s EMI. Long‑term best practice is to maintain a single identity.
• Support: Lineup emphasized timely support via email ([email protected]), with tickets answered in <24h.

Roadmap and Upcoming Milestones

• Striker League:
  • Sui integration is finalized; embedding diamonds in Striker League is next. The dev team is working through EMI fairness (ensuring veterans and new players are treated fairly when diamonds go live). “When diamonds for Striker League?”—soon, with care for balance.
• Walrus integration: Claim page functionality is the first use case; wallet solutions are being explored with ecosystem partners.
• Whitepaper and materials: A whitepaper is being finalized (target: next couple of weeks), with infographics, tokenomics, and visuals clarifying the unified player network, diamonds, rings, and Lineup token mechanics.
• Ecosystem outreach: Next space with co-founder Tal (announced to be on Mike’s space). Continued community threads, polls, and visual aids to improve clarity.

Q&A Highlights

• Are diamond accruals on-chain and verifiable? (King Ash)
  • Yes. Diamonds earned across platforms are aggregated and logged on-chain (typically batched daily).
• Merging Telegram and mobile accounts? (Move Corrupt)
  • A one‑time merge flow is planned from Telegram to mobile. Maintaining two separate accounts across platforms is not recommended (and likely won’t be merged) to preserve EMI integrity. Support can help with edge cases.
• Connection between Goal/Gold/Ghost/Golf Striker and Striker League?
  • The Lineup token is the connective tissue, carrying reputation/status across titles. Some IP/characters are shared; diamonds will be embedded in Striker League with fairness safeguards.
• Wallet integration and ease of purchase? (Kevin)
  • ZK Login enables account abstraction and supports multiple wallet flows; Slash Wallet and others are accommodated by the login system. Focus is on minimizing signing friction.
• KYC for airdrop? (BG)
  • Not currently planned per Amit’s knowledge; official confirmation will follow.
• Price discrepancies for boosters/purchases in the UK? (BG)
  • Likely due to local taxes and Apple’s platform fees; alternative payment rails (tokens on Telegram or future options) could mitigate where platform rules permit.
• Onboarding Sui projects as in-game characters? (Diego)
  • Teased and likely; poll ideas mentioned (e.g., Walrus cameo). More announcements to come.
• How does gaming as a whole win? (Mike)
  • By solving UA/retention via a cross‑game, reputation‑driven network that attracts web2 studios and brings their users into a unified ecosystem. The focus should be on successful developers bringing sustainable games; web3 adoption follows from great gameplay and seamless, optional crypto benefits.

Key Takeaways

• Lineup Games is a “game-first” studio with web3 as an enabling layer, not a headline gimmick.
• Diamonds (closed-loop tokens on Sui) unify cross‑game identity, progression, and rewards; they auto‑convert into Lineup tokens at season end.
• Lineup token is a cross‑game reputation asset unlocking VIP status, boosted rewards, exclusive content, and portable status across the network.
• Sui was chosen for closed-loop assets, ZK Login UX, composable NFTs, low gas, and strong ecosystem alignment with gaming.
• Developer value proposition centers on cost‑effective UA and retention via the unified player network; studios keep their existing EMIs while gaining cross‑title discovery and incentives.
• Striker League diamonds are coming; fairness considerations are being addressed. Whitepaper and visual materials will deepen understanding.

Action Items and Next Steps

• For players:
  • Retweet/quote the space with player ID to be eligible for diamond rewards; watch the main account for winner announcements.
  • If you have multiple accounts, plan to merge Telegram to mobile once the feature is live; otherwise, maintain a single identity for long‑term stability.
  • Use [email protected] for account issues; expect responses within 24 hours.
• For developers:
  • Contact Diego/Darrell to explore integrating your game with the Lineup network and earn diamonds for qualified referrals.
  • Consider Lineup’s network layer to solve UA/retention while preserving your existing EMI and currency.
• For the community:
  • Watch for the upcoming whitepaper and infographics.
  • Join the next space with co-founder Tal (on Mike’s space) for deeper product/vision insights.
  • Expect further announcements on Walrus integration (claim pages) and potential ecosystem character collaborations.