Bitcoin’s Tendency to Outlive its Unsubstantiated Criticism

An interesting story related to the success of cryptocurrencies and bitcoin in particular recently began to develop. Interestingly, it is not connected directly with the same cryptosphere, but a completely different industry. That industry is the business of video games and a title that recently came out, ending up as a massive success. A couple of months ago, Elden Ring hit the market and it provided its developers, From Software, with a huge international hit. The release is an open-world RPG that quickly took the world of role-playing gaming by storm. From there on out, it began to spread like wildfire among gamers of all types, with millions of them flocking to the dangerous universe of Elden Ring. 

In the first two weeks, the game sold 12 million copies, and many analysts described its circulation as incredible as casual gamers and esports players alike rushed to get their copies. The sales are even on track to become some of the best of all time, following in the footsteps of games like GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Breath of the Wild. Yet, this game comes from a studio that always followed its vision very precisely, usually ignoring critics that demanded change if the same studio wanted to keep working. Like bitcoin, the same group did not flinch under pressure and kept heading in their own direction, no matter the cost. Now, there are growing signs that just like From Software, bitcoin and the crypto ecosystem as a whole will drastically outlive all of its detractors.

Hard Road

The success of Elden Ring is not just huge but also presents a creative alternative to most of the norms in the game industry. The same release is the seventh game from this studio and all of them come with very unconventional gameplay, as well as an unconventional approach to their storytelling. All of the From Software games are challenging, obscure, and very weird at any given moment. Many critics have pointed out that the success of the game is akin to the possibility of David Lynch creating a blockbuster movie. Also, From Software had a very hard road to reach this level of success.

Its previous Dark Souls series has often been bashed by the mainstream gaming audience as something that is too hard to play and fully enjoy. On the other hand, the same developer had their fans who followed the same games with cult-like devotion. These often end up in the toxic waters where they would ceaselessly attack anyone who would complain about the Dark Souls series. However, despite that dedicated community, the Dark Solis games did not become massive hits on their own. All of the releases feature between two and six million downloads across their lifetime.

Dedication and Focus

Over the years, the developers working in From Software slowly found ways to keep their original formula alive and well, but also add means to make it more accessible. That boiled down to an approach that allowed the same developers to create the Elden Ring smash success and see it become the ultimate bestseller of their careers so far. Now, the whole gaming industry is taking notice and the critics of the whole From Software approach can no longer claim that the entire thing is nothing more than a niche full of fanatical fans. 

Suddenly, Elden Ring is now for everyone, regardless of what kind of a gamer they overall might be. There is a big parallel here between the crypto community and its regular detractors and critics. Similar to the problem of Elden Ring negative reviews suddenly vanishing or becoming drastically watered down, the detractors of bitcoin that were so vocal back in 2013 are ten years later silent on their original complaints.

Community and Vision

The games from the Dark Souls series, like crypto, arrived in a period when many other competitors simply had very little to say. The visions they offered were pure and clear, even if many found it something that is not desirable in any way. But, the communities that grew around those visions kept their faith in those core concepts and stuck with them through thick or thin. Back in 2008, when the financial crisis arrived, the bitcoin network began functioning, offering an alternative to the traditional banking system that had presented its flaws in such a dramatic manner. 

The Dark Souls series began in a similar period, capitalizing on the fact that many players were bored or fed up with the AAA gaming industry. Just as Dark Souls games became cult classics, the players of the same titles began to learn about the BTC token and what it could do for them. Both setups had a lot to offer and more than a decade later, they are not only alive and well, but also present the cornerstones of their huge communities.

Feeling Vulnerable

All of this pivots back to the idea of the initial criticism. While there is always room for a lot of critical overview of any video game and /or cryptocurrency networks, the fact that most of these critics had no clue what they are talking about is very indicative. That shows that the source of the same negative sentiment is not a rational insight into some problematic element of that work of art or crypto network, but emotions like a sense of fear and vulnerability. 

The communities that came about around these concepts were ready to discard some old conventions. In turn, the traditional systems and those who support them usually find a lot of frustration in those movements. The same frustration can then easily mutate to animosity and then fearful disdain. Yet, the communities that use things like bitcoin or enjoy Dark Souls games are still going to be there and keep growing. Many will provide the space and networking for new things to come about from their initial success. That will not only silence the critics but also show that the potential of the digital landscape of the future is truly immeasurable.