Skip to main content

Project Strategy

Info

Strategic Business Vision

This document outlines the comprehensive business strategy for ZENN: Trials of Mu, including market positioning, tokenomics, legal considerations, governance structure, and development roadmap. It is intended to provide transparency into our long-term vision for building a sustainable GameFi ecosystem.

Executive Summary​

ZENN: Trials of Mu is a 2D survival RPG built for Web3-native players seeking skill-based gameplay, meaningful digital ownership, and a sustainable economic model. Set in a mythic Japanese-inspired world, the game combines permadeath, exploration, tactical combat, and a dynamic player-driven economy. Developed for Base L2, the game uses a dual-token system ($ZENN + $RYOZU) and prioritizes off-chain performance with optional blockchain layers for ownership, identity, and governance. The game is free-to-play, maximizing reach while monetizing through in-game economies and cosmetic NFTs. We are seeking $1.5M in Seed funding to accelerate development and community growth, building on existing community traction and token presence.

Vision & Mission​

Vision: Establish a new genre of sustainable, skill-based GameFi rooted in storytelling, strategy, and player-driven ecosystems.

Mission: To deliver a high-fidelity RPG experience that empowers players with ownership, evolves through community participation, and maintains economic integrity through design—not speculation.

Market Opportunity​

  • GameFi Reset: Growing disillusionment with unsustainable models creates an opening for quality-first games.
  • Base L2 Growth: Rapid expansion and low-fee environment make Base ideal for onboarding players to on-chain ownership.
  • Web3-native RPG Demand: Strong appetite for immersive, tactical games that use blockchain meaningfully rather than as a gimmick.

Traction & Validation (Early Stage)​

  • ZENN Token: Established presence on DEXs [e.g., Uniswap on Base], [Number] holders, [$Amount] liquidity. (Note: Decentralized token, not issued by studio).
  • Community: [Number]+ followers across Twitter/Discord, [Number] signups for early interest/testnet lists.
  • Development: Core combat and survival loop prototype in active development; cinematic teaser in production.

Product Overview​

Gameplay Pillars:​

  • Survival & Crafting: Manage Hunger and Mu energy, gather, hunt, and create specialized items through class-based crafting systems.
  • Permadeath & Lineage: On death, your pNFT persists with legacy traits passed to your next soul—no revival, no shortcuts.
  • Exploration & Lore Discovery: Open zones with dynamic weather, time cycles, hidden locations, and emergent narrative discovery.
  • Tactical Turn-Based Combat: Grid-based, stat-driven encounters with skill synergy and positioning.

Blockchain Features:​

  • Programmable NFTs (pNFTs): On-chain identity + achievements persist through death and progression. Serves as the core identity layer.
  • Tokenized Gear/Relics (Optional NFTs): Rare and collectible, not pay-to-win. Acquired through gameplay or special events.
  • Auction House: Peer-to-peer trading using $RYOZU with built-in burn mechanisms.
  • DAO Governance (Future): $ZENN holders will vote on economic policies, content funding, and ecosystem direction.

Business Model (Free-to-Play)​

Revenue Streams:​

  • Cosmetic NFT Sales: Optional skins, shaders, pets, visual effects—purely aesthetic. Includes limited-edition series tied to lore/events.
  • pNFT Minting (Optional): Potential revenue stream during specific mint windows, offering early access or unique starting traits/cosmetics (can also be used for community fundraising).
  • RYOZU Sinks: Gameplay-linked spend including respecs, relic upgrades, crafting enhancements, convenience food.
  • ZENN Staking Loop: Stake $ZENN to earn $RYOZU. High $RYOZU utility drives $ZENN demand.
  • Exclusive Event Access: Dungeon tickets, seasonal content, beta access granted via staking or earned NFTs.
  • Treasury Growth: Auction House fees partially burned and partially allocated to treasury for long-term sustainability and DAO action.

Tokenomics​

$ZENN (Governance Token)​

  • Fixed Supply: 1B (no inflation)
  • Functions: Staking for $RYOZU, governance voting (DAO), access to premium events/assets.
  • Deflationary Pressure: Treasury mechanisms may be used for buybacks.
  • Founder's & Treasury Allocation (Incl. ~20% Founder Stake): Strategically allocated for long-term vesting, team incentives, community rewards (airdrops, pNFT rewards), DAO treasury bootstrapping, ecosystem growth, and potentially seeding strategic investment rounds (e.g., 10-20% reserved for early strategic investors with vesting aligned to roadmap). Structured allocations prevent 'fire sales' and align long-term incentives. See Legal & Governance Strategy below for details on token origin and founder stake usage.

$RYOZU (Utility Token)​

  • Capped Supply: 3B
  • Earned by: Staking ZENN and in-game achievements.
  • Used for: Auction House, respecs, crafting, food, cosmetics, event access, potentially pNFT minting.
  • Sink & Burn System:
    • 5% Auction House fee (3% burn, 2% to treasury)
    • Wishing Well, relic enhancement, cosmetic crafting
    • Lockups via RYOZU staking for exclusive non-currency rewards

ZENN Token Legal & Governance Strategy​

  • The ZENN token was not issued by the ZENN game studio or its affiliates. It was created by an independent third party, and contract ownership has been renounced at the smart contract level.
  • ZENN is immutable, with no upgradeable proxy, minting authority, or admin keys remaining.
  • This positions ZENN as a decentralized asset with no central issuer, akin to protocols like Bitcoin or Uniswap. The token exists and circulates independently of the game development entity.
  • Regulatory Implications: This design means ZENN is not subject to MiCA token issuance rules (no public offering by issuer/studio), nor is it an e-money or asset-referenced token. It functions as a decentralized utility token users optionally bring into the game ecosystem. As per Article 3(1)(5) of MiCA, ZENN may be considered a decentralized utility token without an identifiable issuer, and therefore potentially not subject to whitepaper publication or CASP licensing requirements when offered without an issuer.

Founder's Stake (~20%) Ownership and Use:​

  • The founder acquired this stake transparently on the open market.
  • It will not be used for personal enrichment or speculation.
  • Strategic Deployment:
    • DAO Treasury: A portion transferred to a multi-sig treasury for governance and ecosystem growth.
    • Team Vesting: A portion allocated to contributors/team via time-locked contracts for long-term alignment.
    • Founder Governance Role: A minority share retained for long-term DAO participation. Founder's personal allocation is subject to a voluntary 12-month cliff and 36-month linear vesting, implemented via a public time-lock smart contract to ensure long-term alignment and provide confidence to stakeholders.

DAO and Governance Structure (Future):​

  • A decentralized governance framework will oversee ZENN ecosystem aspects like emission policies, grants, and treasury strategy.
  • Timeline: DAO governance activation is targeted for Phase 3–4 of the development roadmap (estimated 2027+), once the ecosystem has sufficient stakeholder participation and technical maturity.
  • Initial Tools: Snapshot (off-chain voting), Gnosis Safe (treasury control).
  • Legal Wrapper: Legal wrapper options such as a Cayman Foundation or a Marshall Islands DAO LLC are being evaluated, pending investor and community input, with launch targeted for post-MVP maturity.

Narrative and Regulatory Framing:​

  • ZENN is framed symbolically within the game's lore (like a foundational resource) but not promoted as a stablecoin, investment, or store of value.
  • Compliance Focus: All communications emphasize gameplay utility and symbolism, avoiding promises of returns or appreciation. Token utility is optional and centered on governance/premium access.
  • No Issuer: ZENN contract renounced; decentralized asset. Immutable (no admin keys/minting).
  • Founder Stake: ~20% acquired via market; committed to DAO/team/vesting (12mo cliff, 36mo linear).
  • Utility Focus: No promise of returns. Use is optional, governance/gameplay-centric.
  • Governance Plan: DAO planned (2027+) via Snapshot/Gnosis Safe; legal wrapper (Cayman/MI) evaluated, pending input.
  • MiCA Position: Argued as decentralized utility token outside issuance rules.

Capital Raise Strategy: Seed Round​

Fundraising Goal: $1.5M USD​

  • Round Type: Seed
  • Valuation Target: $7–10M (pre-money, negotiable based on traction at close)
  • Instrument: SAFEs (with token warrants), SAFTs, or equity/token hybrid deals.

Fundraising Phases:​

Phase 1: Strategic Angels & GameFi VCs ($250k–$500k)​

  • Timeline: 1–2 months
  • Goal: Secure early commitments from high-signal Web3 angels, creators, and ecosystem builders.
  • Ideal Backers: Web3-native angels (e.g., Delphi, gubs.eth), GameFi operators (e.g., TreasureDAO, Merit Circle), Base ecosystem supporters.
  • Tactics: Curated 1-on-1 calls via warm intros, position as "Dark Souls of GameFi with real ownership," offer first-mover deal incentives (better token warrants/pNFT access).

Phase 2: Ecosystem Grants + Base Foundation ($100k–$300k)​

  • Timeline: Parallel with Phase 1
  • Goal: Secure non-dilutive capital via Base ecosystem support.
  • Targets: Base Ecosystem Grants, Coinbase Ventures, Gaming Accelerators (Outlier Ventures Base Cohort, A16Z Speedrun, Game7).
  • Tactics: Highlight Base alignment (onboarding, quality gameplay, retention), leverage open development, show MVP/alpha and community traction.

Phase 3: Seed Round Close ($700k–$1.2M)​

  • Timeline: 2–3 months (following Phase 1/2 momentum)
  • Goal: Fill the round with mission-aligned VCs, DAOs, and Web2 crossover investors.
  • Ideal Investors: Crypto VCs (Fabric, Delphi, Framework, 1kx, Variant), Game DAOs (YGG, Merit Circle, Seed Club), Web2/Hybrid VCs (Play Ventures, Bitkraft).
  • Tactics: Launch full investor deck & data room, use social proof from Phase 1, open allocation to aligned DAOs (offering pNFTs/governance roles).

Pitch Narrative Edge:​

"GameFi has failed to deliver sustainable worlds. We've built one that's as rich and punishing as a Soulslike, as strategic as Divinity, and as player-owned as a DAO."

  • Differentiate from click-to-earn/P2W: We are free-to-play, skill-based, and community-evolving.
  • Highlight the tuned dual-token system for long-term value.
  • Emphasize backing from the existing ZENN community and token utility (leveraging its decentralized and immutable nature).

Key Fundraising Assets:​

  • Pitch Deck (short teaser & long versions, including Legal TL;DR and Traction highlights)
  • Data Room (Whitepaper, Tokenomics model, Vesting schedule, GDD, Legal setup/opinions, Team bios, Roadmap, Economic simulation outputs)
  • Token Flow Diagram (ZENN/RYOZU utility map)
  • Teaser Cinematic or Gameplay GIFs/Videos
  • Web3 Analytics Dashboard (e.g., Dune for ZENN activity, staking metrics)

Deal Structure Options:​

  • Standard: SAFT + Token Warrants (12–18 month cliff, 24–36 month vest, 15–30% discount/bonus multiplier).
  • Alternative: SAFE + Advisory/Node NFTs (combining equity-style upside with strategic in-game benefits).
  • Treasury Allocation: Consider reserving 10–20% of a specific token allocation pool for early strategic investors (vesting aligned with roadmap).

Fundraising Timeline Overview:​

  • Month 1: Close initial angels and secure Base ecosystem grants.
  • Month 2: Deploy MVP preview/alpha access, expand investor outreach based on Phase 1 momentum.
  • Month 3: Launch full seed round campaign, target closing the full $1.5M raise.
  • Month 4: Announce raise closure, publish detailed roadmap and fund usage breakdown.

Go-to-Market Strategy (Post-Funding)​

Phase 1: Continued Community Building & Testnet (Leveraging Seed Funds)​

  • Expand marketing reach using raised funds.
  • Run larger-scale Testnet phases with incentive programs (potentially using RYOZU test tokens or NFT rewards).
  • Finalize pNFT mint strategy and prepare for launch.

Phase 2: Mainnet MVP Launch​

  • Launch core game loop, free-to-play access.
  • Implement ZENN staking and RYOZU reward systems.
  • Execute pNFT mint event (if decided upon as part of GTM/revenue).
  • Begin rolling out cosmetic NFT drops.

Phase 3: Expansion & DAO Activation​

  • Launch key economic features: Auction House, RYOZU staking sinks.
  • Introduce Relic NFTs, PvP Arenas, Ticketed Events.
  • Roll out DAO governance tools (Snapshot, Gnosis Safe) and empower the community (Target 2027+).
  • Continuous content expansion (zones, narrative, systems).

Development Roadmap​

Phase: Foundation​

  • Timeline: Q2–Q4 2025
  • Milestones: Engine choice, MVP survival/combat loop, smart contracts on Testnet.

Phase: Testnet & Seed Raise Activities​

  • Timeline: Q1–Q2 2026
  • Milestones: RYOZU test emissions, staking contracts, pNFT creation, gameplay tuning, community testing loops, secure Seed funding.

Phase: Mainnet MVP​

  • Timeline: Q3–Q4 2026
  • Milestones: Launch core loop, pNFT minting (optional), ZENN staking, RYOZU rewards.

Phase: Expansion & DAO Activation​

  • Timeline: 2027+
  • Milestones: Auction House, Relic NFTs, PvP Arenas, Event Tickets, DAO governance activation.

Team​

  • Lead Dev: 15+ years in fullstack & blockchain systems
  • World Designer: Creator of the "Sundered Isles of Yamato"
  • Art: Stylized pixel art with cinematic trailer production
  • Music & SFX: Custom composed soundtrack and layered audio FX
  • Advisors: Tokenomics modeling, Base L2 ecosystem, community growth, GameFi strategy, Legal Counsel (Web3/Regulatory).

Funding & Use of Proceeds​

Target Raise: $1.5M Seed​

  • Sources: Strategic Angels, GameFi VCs, Ecosystem Grants, Crypto VCs, Game DAOs, potentially Web2/Hybrid VCs.

Use of Funds:​

  • 40% Game & Web3 Dev (hiring core team, asset production)
  • 20% Marketing & Community Activation (growth campaigns, partnerships, events)
  • 15% Security & Smart Contract Audits (multiple audits pre/post-launch)
  • 15% Operations & Infrastructure (servers, tools, licenses)
  • 10% Legal & Compliance (entity setup, token legal opinions, regulatory counsel, potential DAO wrapper setup)

Risk Management​

  • Technical: Rigorous smart contract audits, off-chain core loops for performance, minimal trust assumptions, contingency planning for L2 issues.
  • Economic: Sophisticated modeling of RYOZU emission/sinks, capped token supplies, strong utility loop driving demand, transparent treasury management, careful vesting schedules for team/investors (including public founder vesting).
  • Security: Server-authoritative game logic, oracle integrity checks, continuous exploit monitoring, robust anti-cheat measures.

Regulatory:​

  • ZENN Token: Strategy leverages the token's independent origin, renounced contract, and immutability to mitigate direct issuance risks (e.g., under MiCA). Focus on utility and symbolic framing, avoiding investment narratives. Proactive legal counsel sought for ongoing compliance. Founder vesting adds transparency.
  • General: Utility-focused design for NFTs/tokens, clear communication/disclaimers, adaptability to evolving global regulations (gaming, crypto, NFTs).
  • Market/Execution: Building genuine community engagement beyond speculation, delivering a high-quality game, adapting to market shifts, managing team execution risks.

Why Now?​

  • Players are actively seeking sustainable GameFi models that prioritize gameplay and real ownership.
  • Base L2 offers the ideal scalable, low-cost infrastructure for seamless Web3 integration.
  • ZENN already exists as a token with an established community and a favorable decentralized, immutable legal posture, providing crucial initial traction and validation.
  • Our approach strategically blends proven Web2 game design principles with the unique advantages of Web3, positioning us to capture the next wave of GameFi adoption.

"ZENN is about returning to consequence, meaning, and story—where your digital soul carries weight across lifetimes." — World Designer, Sundered Isles of Yamato

Share this page: