Enjin Gradient Hero
Ecosystem
September 6, 2022

Developer Spotlight: Esther Jade, Head of Ecosystem

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Developer Spotlight: Esther Jade, Head of Ecosystem
What's it like to run the ecosystem of Enjin and Efinity adopters?

Say hello to Esther Partland, our Head of Ecosystem.

The Enjin Developer Spotlight Series is a new feature blog series profiling the Enjin team and community members shaping the future of a decentralized metaverse. The series will showcase what the development team is working on, how they’ve grown their skills and tips for getting involved in the community.

The second conversation in our series is with Esther Jade, Head of Ecosystem at Enjin, who outlined her passion for gaming, community building and predictions for the future of the blockchain gaming industry. 

  1. Can you tell me a bit about yourself: your background and your career to-date?

I’ve always been a gaming enthusiast. The first game I played that I remember was an old PC game I used to play with my cousin called Heroes of Might and Magic. It was a turn-based strategy game with fantasy elements to it. During that time, we were also playing Minecraft (a huge hit game), mostly in co-op mode building our own houses and fighting monsters. My favorite game of all time that has stuck with me is Animal Crossing. I followed the franchise from the DS, to the Wii, the 3DS and now the Switch.

I was determined to build a career in the gaming industry, and started working on the technical support team for Mineplex before moving onto Dungeon Realms. I spent a lot of time on the Enjin network, specifically in the forums associated with these games. I was mostly doing voluntary work, providing technical support to other Enjineers. 

After finishing my studies, it felt like a natural progression to take on a paid role at Enjin. Since then, I have supported major brands like Microsoft, individual community members, and everyone in between in a role that brings together my passions for gaming and community building.

A brown desk supports a pink computer monitor with plants on either side. To the left, a Baby Yoda plushie is poking out.
Baby Yoda has assisted in onboarding many an Enjin adopter.
  1. How did you hear about Enjin and its ecosystem? What interested you in the project? 

I joined Enjin just as the company began developing its blockchain operations, although I had been a member of the community for a few years prior. I made a lot of great friends along the way! It was this spirit of camaraderie among the gamers and developers that kept me coming back. The Enjin network forums were bustling with people having fun, either competing against each other or working together. 

What makes Enjin such an exciting project is our innovative product line. The Enjin product suite is designed to make the metaverse and all of its components easier to grasp. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are an integral part of interconnected digital experiences, and Enjin is here to simplify the mechanics of that for everyone.

As pioneers in blockchain gaming, Enjin is building the infrastructure for the future of decentralized gaming. There is no blockchain coding experience required, meaning developers don’t have to worry about implementing the blockchain layer of their games. 

In other words, Enjin is making it easier for gaming developers who want to experiment with web3 tools. I have a big heart for the work that Enjin does and I am delighted to be building that momentum by sharing Enjin’s vision with the wider gaming world.

An ecosystem isn't an ecosystem without inspiration from Geralt.
  1. Tell me about your current involvement with Enjin

To date, I have played a major role in building our distributed support team, accessible in over 25 languages and localized across all Enjin products. I have also helped orchestrate new title launches, product updates, and additional features. As Head of Ecosystem my role involves business development and galvanizing the community.

I support the development team on an ongoing basis, ensuring that onboarding materials are up to date and gathering feedback to improve our processes. Everything I do contributes to the democratization of software development tools and forging alliances with the most valuable global technology brands.  

At the moment, I am working alongside my colleagues Tassio and Lukasz to streamline the Efinity onboarding process. Our goal is to help both old and new adoptees seamlessly integrate the Efinity parachain into their everyday operations.

  1. Why do you prefer working on a decentralized project?

I love the idea of NFTs. They are helping bring communities together and will increasingly help more people find their place on the web. I’ve been experimenting with NFTs for years now and can say they are a deeply expressive tool. I have personally used them for art, but they can be used for music, sports, or tourism. 

Decentralization is an indispensable component of what makes NFTs special, and tokenization more broadly lets people reclaim ownership of their data. Enjin is making this process more accessible, normalizing distributed workforces and ensuring each individual has the freedom to explore their talents and interests, no matter their experience or skill level. 

Being part of a decentralized project like this, with all of us mobilizing around a common goal, is empowering and extremely fulfilling.

Esther Jade stands in a gym surrounded by weights and exercise balls, with an a roller in the foreground.
Gains aren't just for the portfolio.
  1. What’s your prediction for the future of decentralized gaming and NFTs? What do you think we can expect to see over the next 1 year? 5 years? 

Given the current investment trends in blockchain gaming, I expect to see a massive surge in adoption. Even in the midst of a market downturn, $4.49 billion has been invested into gaming and metaverse projects in 2022 to date, the majority of which has gone to the development of infrastructure. As we enrich Enjin’s software development kits and further open access to blockchain gaming infrastructure, decentralized gaming will become as simple as plug and play. 

Gamer sentiment toward blockchain remains a challenge, but we see this to be a vocal minority, rather than representative of the industry at large. The vibrant community we have built on the Enjin network shows how the value of blockchain is understood. If we continue to build with our community at heart, integrating the wisdom and interests of the crowd into the fabric of our technology, the opportunities are endless.

  1. What would you want other developers to know about working within the Enjin ecosystem?

By removing the complexity of building decentralized games, Enjin is breaking down barriers to a blockchain enabled metaverse. Not only are there entry points at all skill levels, diversity is necessary for development. NFTs are for everyone, so we invite everyone to join our ecosystem.   

Working with Enjin will give you a direct line to some of the most creative and technical minds in blockchain and web3. Unlike many centralized workplaces, the Enjin ecosystem empowers individuals to carve out their own roles and follow their passion.

  1. How can people connect with you?

You can connect with me through the Enjin website, as well as our reddit, discord, telegram and other community channels. To learn more about Enjin and contributing to the ecosystem, please visit our documentation webpage here.

Developer Spotlight: Esther Jade, Head of Ecosystem
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