# My Biggest Regret *The one feature I promised in 2015 that I never shipped and why it's still the most important one.* By [Shaban Shaame Blog](https://paragraph.com/@shaame) · 2026-03-25 founder-story, web3, ugc, spells-of-genesis, lessons-learned, blockchain-gaming, co-creation, everdreamsoft, nft-history, building-in-public --- The 2015 Promise ---------------- When we launched the Spells of Genesis token sale in the summer of 2015, the roadmap was ambitious. Among the final milestones we promised to our contributors: enabling players to **create their own levels, their own characters as digital assets, and trade them freely**. The idea was revolutionary at the time. Nobody was talking about "play-to-earn" or "user-generated content" in blockchain gaming blockchain gaming didn't exist yet. But in my mind, this was the core of the whole proposition: turning players into **co-creators**. What Actually Happened ---------------------- The game launched in 2017 with a solid collection, fusion and combat system. Cards could be tokenized on Bitcoin. That alone was a world first. But the guild system remained basic, and most importantly, **User Generated Content never shipped**. Not in 2017. Not in 2018. Not in 2020. Not in 2023. Why? ---- I wrote about this [on Paragraph in April 2023](https://paragraph.com/@shaame/the-future-of-blockchain-co-creation-and-the-democratization-of-content-2), and I'll say it again here with the same honesty: > _"Ironically, the aspect I consider most important — transforming players into co-creators — has not been realized, even in 2023."_ Two main reasons: **1\. Traditional gaming expertise as a blind spot.** The game designers we hired for Spells of Genesis were highly experienced in traditional gaming. But in 2015, there was no other Web3 game to reference. They naturally relied on proven formulas: collection loops, progression systems, level design. UGC is complex to manage and can disrupt the original creative process. It got deprioritized. **2\. The pressure to deliver.** With [934 BTC raised](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/against-all-odds-how-we-managed-to-crowdfund-300-000-usd) under multi-signature escrow and milestones to validate in front of three judges, the priority was shipping a working game. Innovative but risky features — like UGC — were sacrificed in favor of stability. Why This Matters ---------------- This regret isn't anecdotal. For me, UGC isn't a feature among others it's **the** promise of Web3. My reasoning rests on a simple comparison: \- **Web1**: people read (static pages) \- **Web2**: people express themselves (social media, YouTube — a 10-year-old can have more visibility than a national TV network) \- **Web3**: people **own and co-create** (blockchain + decentralized ownership) The real power of Web3 compared to Web2 is the transformation of consumers into what I call **consume-creators**. Picture this: an artist in Singapore creates an illustration, an animator in Brazil brings it to life, a game designer in France integrates it into a level. Each one gets paid automatically. The result is a collective work where **creativity from people around the world combines** and every contributor retains ownership of their part. I see this model as the future of DAOs and play-to-earn: a company initiates a project, but the real value is added by the community. The Lesson ---------- I should have pushed harder on UGC. Simple as that. Now in 2026, this philosophy runs through everything we do at EverdreamSoft. [ORBital](https://orbital.market) integrates accessible minting tools for everyone. Our vision of an ecosystem where users aren't just buyers but **active participants** is at the heart of our strategy. And the [ORB Rating System](https://paragraph.com/@shaame/the-orb-rating-system) I developed evaluating digital assets on immutability, ownability and longevity was born directly from the belief that if people are going to create and own, they need proper tools to evaluate what they hold. Eight years late. But the conviction hasn't moved an inch. \--- _Past References: The Future of Blockchain: Co-Creation and the Democratization of Content\](_[_https://paragraph.com/@shaame/the-future-of-blockchain-co-creation-and-the-democratization-of-content-2_](https://paragraph.com/@shaame/the-future-of-blockchain-co-creation-and-the-democratization-of-content-2)_) (Paragraph, 2023), \[Exclusive interview with Play-to-Earn pioneer Shaban Shaame\](_[_https://financefeeds.com/exclusive-interview-with-play-to-earn-pioneer-shaban-shaame-on-gaming-and-nfts/_](https://financefeeds.com/exclusive-interview-with-play-to-earn-pioneer-shaban-shaame-on-gaming-and-nfts/)_) (FinanceFeeds, 2022), \[Against All Odds: How We Managed to Crowdfund 300,000 USD\](_[_https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/against-all-odds-how-we-managed-to-crowdfund-300-000-usd_](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/against-all-odds-how-we-managed-to-crowdfund-300-000-usd)_) (Gamasutra, 2016), \[NFT Heroes #9: Shaban Shaame\](_[_https://nonfungible.com/news/corporate/nft-heroes-08-shaban-shaame-everdreamsoft_](https://nonfungible.com/news/corporate/nft-heroes-08-shaban-shaame-everdreamsoft)_) (NonFungible.com, 2022)_ --- *Originally published on [Shaban Shaame Blog](https://paragraph.com/@shaame/my-biggest-regret)*