Interview Clip: Beryl Li on YGG’s Transition from Guild to Protocol

Beryl Li, co-founder ofย Yield Guild Games (YGG), discussed with BitPinas Editor-in-Chief Michael Mislos how YGG has evolved from a web3 gaming guild into a broader protocol focused on seamless integration of gaming, financial freedom, and upskilling.
- The interview happened at the YGG Play Summit Press Conference, on October 23, 2024.
In Focus: The YGG Play Summit is an event organized by Yield Guild Games (YGG) on November 18-23, 2024, in Bonifacio Global City, Philippines. This summit is designed to bring together gamers, developers, and investors to explore the future of blockchain gaming. Here are the key details:
- Recent news: The GAM3 Awards 2024 will hold its inaugural in-person ceremony on November 22 at the YGG Play Summit.
- Check out our previous interview with Beryl which also touched upon her background in finance and what led to the creation of YGG.

In the following interview, Li emphasized that gaming success relies on fun rather than technology, and highlighted YGG’s rebranding from a gaming guild to a protocol that enables members to earn through games and emerging technologies.
Table of Contents
Interview with Beryl Li of YGG
Michael Mislos, editor-in-chief, BitPinas: Thank you again, Beryl, for having this interview with us at BitPinas. My first question is just to catch up with you. How has it been since our last interview? I think it was before YGG had just launched. How has it been so far?
Beryl Li, co-founder, YGG: Yes, that was three years ago. It’s been so long. Well, we’ve transitioned. In 2020 and 2021, we were known as the largest gaming guild for web3 games, acquiring valuable NFT assets and lending them out to the community. Since then, we’ve diversified into different game titles and infrastructure projects. Early this year, we launched our questing program.

Mislos: On that note, I have a follow-up question about the future of work, which we discussed earlier. I want to revisit one of your quotes from our previous interview. You mentioned that economic empowerment is more than just having a bank account. Since then, has your view changed? What have you learned during the YGG days regarding that goal?
Li: Last year, we started with our questing program through SuperQuest and the Guild Advancement Program, allowing gamers and community members to upskill. For example, through the Guild Advancement Program, they could take on roles like moderators or managers, complete task-based quests, and earn rewards. Thatโs the questing platform weโve built.

Now, we’re expanding that platform by working with emerging technologies like AI, decentralized physical infrastructure, robotics, and more. As they train data models, they earn rewards. Weโre now moving from pure games to the future of work, where members are upskilled to take part in future platforms. Weโve also transitioned from being just a gaming guild to becoming a gaming protocol, helping form groups, host quests, and equip users with tools to engage in play, work, and learning activities together.
Income in Gaming

Mislos: I knew about initiatives like Metaversity. In the last three years, how do you reconcile the idea of games and finances? In the West, thereโs resistance to associating games with money, but here in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, those things seem equivalent for gamers.
Li: Yes, it’s still very relevant. To have financial freedom, you need income and the ability to upskill, staying relevant to the future workforce because economies and technologies change. You want to be ahead of the game, learn, and execute on that learning. Thatโs where the opportunities to earn efficiency come in.
Mislos: You also mentioned that having the option to earn money is financial freedom in itself and that arriving at such a decision requires financial freedom.
Li: That’s still very relevant and a priority. It’s not just about having a bank account but about finding opportunities to earn alternative income. Thatโs what Play2Earn and our questing platform have been about. Itโs about finding opportunities to learn, work, and play. To be sustainable, you need to earn alternative income.
Once you have income, you can think about where to store your funds.
Future of Work
Mislos: I just have two final questions. One is about the future of work. There was a viral statement from a CEO here in the Philippines who said that working from home makes people “dumb” because they don’t interact with others. How do you see this in YGG, given that you’re a decentralized organization?
Li: I havenโt heard about that particular statement, but Iโve heard similar sentiments. An important component of the future of work is knowing the latest trends and accessing curated, relevant information. Social interaction can still happen online, through social media and apps, which has been helpful, especially during the pandemic. Combining these elements is key.
Li: It really depends on where you are in the world. In emerging markets like the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Latin America, sustaining oneself is crucial. In these places, income is vital. We donโt have pensions, and with large unbanked populations, education and healthcare become very expensive. In such markets, having money is essential, and itโs difficult to rely on government support, especially in a country like the Philippines with 115 million people. In Western cultures, gaming is often about reputation and competition, like esports, but here, itโs about making money.

Transition of YGG
Mislos: My final question is about the YGG Play Summit. Youโve organized this summit for the last three years, starting with the [Philippine] Web3 Festival (Day 1, 2, and 3), then the Web3 Game Summit, and now the Play Summit. I noticed web3 is no longer in the name. How did you arrive at the decision to shift the branding to YGG Play Summit?

Li: Even though many of our partner games and applications are within web3, we believe there shouldnโt be a strong distinction between web2 and web3. The transition should be smooth, with blockchain and web3 working behind the scenes. The user experience should be seamless. Games succeed because people want to have fun, regardless of whether they are web3 or not.
Itโs the same with gamified applicationsโthey simplify complex onboarding steps, and itโs all about play.
For more articles like this, check out the Interview section of BitPinas.
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