Frank Cheng, co-founder of Foonie Magus, transitioned from a career in consulting and private equity to the world of game development, driven by his passion for gaming. Leaving behind roles at McKinsey and Saif, he co-founded Foonie Magus to create Apeiron, an NFT-based god game. In this exclusive interview, Cheng shares his career shift, the founding and vision of Foonie Magus, the development philosophy of Apeiron, and his outlook on the future of web3 gaming.

Interview with Frank Cheng Co-Founder of Apeiron

First, What is Apeiron?

Apeiron is described as the world's first NFT-based god game running on the Ronin blockchain. It features a unique rogue-lite dungeon card-battler combined with god game simulation gameplay inspired by classic god games like Populous.

Part One: Vision for Foonie Magus

Since its founding in 2021, Cheng's vision for Foonie Magus has remained ambitious. He aims to build an international franchise with Apeiron, spreading its unique brand through epic storytelling and engaging merchandise. Cheng emphasizes that the vision for Apeiron has been consistent from the start.

"From the beginning, the vision for Apeiron has been ambitious: we want it to be an international franchise that spreads doodiness around the world with epic tales and comfy merchandise. This vision hasn’t changed, and it won’t change. We won’t stop until we make our Apeiron dreams a reality."

Apeiron Iconic and Original Character Art

Part Two: Foundation and Team

Foonie Magus was established by a core team of veteran developers with extensive experience in the gaming industry. Collectively, they have published over 140 titles across various platforms, including notable successes like the simulation game Capitalism and the mobile game Implosion. This experienced team was united by a shared vision to innovate and create new gaming experiences. To date, the team has raised $24 million, including a recent $13.5 million seed round. 

"Foonie Magus is a core team of veteran developers who have collectively published over 140+ titles across console, web, and mobile platforms. The core team members have a history of successful projects, including a popular simulation game called Capitalism, indie games, and mobile games (Implosion) that have achieved recognition and popularity in Asia. What united us was our shared vision to create something new."

Apeiron Recent $13.5 Million Seed Round

Part Three: Development Philosophy

Foonie Magus is committed to creating games that prioritize fun and originality over quick financial returns. Despite their recent pivot to web3 gaming, the team is focused on demonstrating the potential of blockchain games beyond speculation. Apeiron reflects this philosophy, aiming to offer a unique and enjoyable gaming experience.

"It's important to note that Apeiron is not one of those projects promising quick 20x or 30x returns. Our focus is on crafting a fun and unique game that stays true to our ideals as gamers turned developers. Despite pivoting to web3 just three years ago, we genuinely believe in and aim to demonstrate the potential of blockchain games beyond mere speculation."

Apeiron Cover Banner on X

Part Four: Concept and Role of NFTs

Populous is a series of video games developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts. The first game in the series, Populous, was released in 1989. At the time, it was hailed as revolutionary, and it coined the term "god game". Apeiron claims to be the world's first NFT-based god game, drawing inspiration from classic titles like Black and White, Populous, and Spore. Cheng, a fan of these games, wanted to revive the genre with a modern twist. 

"One genre that resonated with me deeply was the god game genre, epitomized by titles like Black and White, Populous, and Spore, which I spent countless hours playing. This nostalgia sparked the initial idea for our game."

New Character Art 

Apeiron integrates roguelite dungeon card-battler mechanics with god game simulation elements, allowing players to control planets, avatars, and collect NFT cards. The game features multiple modes, including roguelite dungeon, god simulation, PvP battle arena, and galactic guild war modes.

"Apeiron players battle their way through a grid-based dungeon with their Apostle followers all while wielding supernatural powers – like a god. You grow your own planets, control giant Avatars in battle, collect NFT cards, and more. When fully released, Apeiron will have a roguelite dungeon mode, a god simulation mode, a PvP battle arena mode, and a galactic guild war mode."

In-Game Assets

Part Five: Major News and Developments

Key milestones in Apeiron's development include its migration to the Ronin blockchain, the release of the Arena Open Beta on Epic Games, the $APRS token exchange listing, and the upcoming Season 3 launch, which will introduce new PvE gameplay.

"In the last 24 months, key milestones have been Apeiron’s migration to the Ronin blockchain, the release of the Arena Open Beta on Epic Games, our $APRS token exchange listing, and our upcoming Season 3 launch, which will include new PVE gameplay."

New PVE Mode for Apeiron

Foonie Magus recently announced a liquidity pool staking event for the APRS-RON farm, offering 53% APR and daily rewards to participants. This event runs from July until the end of November, providing significant incentives for liquidity providers. The team also launched a collection of NFTs (Apeiron Planets) on Ronin's Mavis Market.

"At time of writing, the APRS-RON farm is the most profitable LP Farm on Ronin, sitting at 53% APR. Running from July until the end of November, this pool features 1 million APRS as rewards for those who stake in the APRS - RON LP farm. Rewards are distributed daily and liquidity providers can unstake anytime."

Apeiron Planets on Mavis Marketplace

The Doodaria Pass, a recent addition, enhances player engagement by offering rewards for completing quests. Accessible to players who reach level 5 on the Discord server, the pass has been well-received, fostering a vibrant community and encouraging new players to participate.

"The Doodaria Pass is designed to give out rewards for completing certain quests over the course of a leaderboard. It’s a community pass accessible for every dood who reaches above chat level 5 in our Discord server (which is super easy to do). Once you’ve reached level 5, the Doodaria Pass quests and rewards will be available to you through a special Doodaria Pass channel on the server. There are Gameplay Quests, Social Media Quests, and Community Quests to complete, all offering varying rewards."

Introducing The Doodaria Pass

Part Six: Community Engagement

Season 3 of Apeiron will reintroduce PvE content with redesigned game loops and difficulty settings, offering a tailored experience for players of all skill levels. Additionally, the upcoming Apeiron Guild Wars 2024, one of the largest web3 esports tournaments, promises to boost community engagement and attract new players through competitive play and live events.

"With Season 3 on the horizon, the reintroduction of PvE content - our roguelite dungeons - is particularly exciting. A redesigned game loop system and revamped difficulty settings promise seamless gameplay. The dungeon now has three difficulty levels to choose from: easy, normal, and hard. With this setup, gamers can customize their experience to match their abilities and preferences for each play session. More challenging difficulties offer bigger prizes, such as Unpurified Gold, Soul Gems, and more powerful IV Apostles. Fresh players start with the basic dungeon and unlock higher difficulties by completing dungeon runs."

Apeiron Guild Wars 2024

Part Seven: Future Plans and Industry Trends

Looking ahead, Cheng envisions Apeiron expanding into new territories, including Japanese mythology-inspired storylines and galactic expansion gameplay. The long-term goal is to establish Apeiron as a mainstream franchise.

"In a year from now, we envision Apeiron expanding into new and exciting territories. Our animation will be introducing Japanese creation myths through our Shintoism-inspired Galaxy, weaving a unique and epic story with some unexpected doody twists. Concurrently, we plan to launch the first galactic expansion gameplay, featuring guild wars and boss raids, adding depth and excitement to the game's universe. Our long-term goal is to build Apeiron into a mainstream franchise and everything we do revolves around this strategy."

Apeiron Arena Mode

Cheng also discusses the future of web3 gaming, predicting the release of larger, phased games with competitive graphics and sophisticated gameplay. He believes that compliance and the transition of web2 talent to web3 will be crucial for sustainability, and that web3 will continue to support indie developers and foster innovation.

"I expect larger games to release in phases and major titles to offer web2 competitive graphics, attracting new players and providing more sophisticated gameplay experiences. Compliance and legality will be critical for sustainability, and the transition of web2 talent to web3 will likely bring more polished games. Many games that raised funds during the last bull run are now nearing launch, promising higher quality after 2-3 years of production. Additionally, web3's support for indie developers and entrepreneurs will foster innovation and new business ventures."

Apeiron Logo

Final Thoughts

The most interesting part of the interview with Frank Cheng is his discussion of Apeiron's unique integration of NFT-based mechanics with traditional god game elements. Cheng's inspiration from classic games like Black and White and Populous, combined with the incorporation of modern blockchain technology, represents a notable innovation in the gaming industry. This approach not only introduces new gameplay dynamics but also explores the potential of web3 technologies in game development.