Starting with Die Hard Trilogy and Alien Trilogy on the original PlayStation and later co-founding Triumph Games in 2019, Matthew Nagy has navigated several eras of the gaming industry. In a recent Cointelegraph AMA, he reflected on that path – from console development through free-to-play and into Web3.
“I saw blockchain solving so many issues,” he explained. “Traditional players thought play-to-earn was just another money grab, but for me it was the opposite. It’s about giving back to players and creating ways for them to earn by themselves. That’s where I wanted to be.”
From PlayStation to Web3
Nagy’s career began in design and soon expanded into founding his own studios, producing several titles for GameCube and Wii. He later moved into the free-to-play mobile space.
The shift to Web3 came when he saw both opportunity and frustration in existing ecosystems. “One of my kids was playing CS:GO, and he found a knife worth $300,” Nagy recalled. “But there was no safe way to trade it. He even got scammed once. Blockchain solves that instantly – the funds and the asset move together, like escrow with proof of authenticity. That’s when I realized this was exactly where I belonged.”
The Triumph ecosystem
Triumph Games launched with BattleRise, a tactical RPG described by Nagy as “D&D for your mobile.” What began as a single project has since expanded into a multi-title ecosystem:
BattleRise, available on iOS, Android, and web, now averages over 18,000 monthly active users.
Elumia, an MMORPG with UGC features, grew from 100 DAU in April to over 4,000 in August 2024.
ArmorX, an action RPG with a tokenized economy, has 350,000 wallets registered for its closed beta.
“We never planned to be more than a single game,” Nagy said. “But then we connected with the right people, acquired new titles, and now we’re building an ecosystem tied together with a studio token. All three games are moving into the mainstream.”
Intellectual property as a cornerstone
Nagy underlined why IP is Triumph’s biggest strength: “Lots of studios chase licenses. We focus on creating our own IP because it has lasting value. People don’t just want to play the game, they want to wear the art, own the merch, and feel part of the universe. If you make something cool enough, people want to be a part of it.”
He added that community input shapes real decisions: “Eighty-five percent of our roadmap for BattleRise over the next year came directly from player suggestions. We’re serious about listening to our users.”
UGC and AI-driven creation
User-generated content is a major pillar across Triumph’s titles. BattleRise will soon let players design and monetize their own dungeons using drag-and-drop, no-code tools. Elumia is introducing crafting and player-built items, while ArmorX will support armor and weapon customization.
“Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite – UGC is what makes those games go viral,” Nagy said. “We want to hand the same power to our players. They’ll be able to build dungeons, create unique artifacts, even design AI-driven NPCs with personalities. That’s why we secured a €1.2M European grant to develop emotive AI.”
Token launch and sustainability
Triumph Games will soon introduce its ecosystem token on Arbitrum, with a portion allocated to Immutable zkEVM. Unlike many projects, the launch comes after the games are already playable.
“The token launch is penciled in for October 9,” Nagy said. “We’re doing it differently – we already have games live. Players will be rewarded first through skill-to-earn airdrops and leaderboard systems. This avoids the pitfalls of single-game tokens that get over-farmed or lose utility.”
Exchanges and launchpads are being finalized, with MEXC confirmed and discussions ongoing with Gate.io. “The goal is sustainability. We’re not here for a pump-and-dump,” Nagy emphasized. “I’ve played Zelda’s Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom 100%, with weeks of hours in each. I’m in this for the long game.”
Looking ahead
Triumph’s roadmap extends into 2026, with UGC dungeons in BattleRise, crafting in Elumia, and ArmorX’s full beta rollout. A land sale for Elumia is planned for late 2026 as the MMORPG expands into a full open world.
“The vision is longevity,” Nagy said. “We’re building games that can grow, evolve, and even be handed off to new teams over time. Combining AAA game design with balanced Web3 economics is what will give these titles staying power.”
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