From medicine to Web2 startups to crypto games, Dith's journey into Web3 has had unexpected twists. During his time at Stripe, he gained insight into all aspects of traditional finance and curiosity about the potential of crypto, quickly finding himself deeply immersed in the world of NFTs.
In this conversation, Dith shared how his love for gaming led him into this field, the feeling of building games anonymously, and why he launched GLHFers without any roadmap or commitments. We also discussed the success of Gigaverse's launch on the Abstract platform, and how a one-eyed cat named Cyclops unexpectedly became a Web3 celebrity.
Note: This record has been edited for length and clarity.
OpenSea: I’d like to start from a broader perspective and then discuss in detail what you are doing. How did you enter the NFT space? What was your entry point?
Dith: Ironically, what really got me into cryptocurrency was working at Stripe, the leader in the payment space. Their product is great, and once you join, they teach you everything about how payments work, which is basically a mini MBA in the payment field.
While learning how TradFi and Web2 payments work, I developed a strong interest in cryptocurrency, constantly asking, 'Why do international remittances take so long? Why are there so many fees?' It really makes sense to transfer funds more conveniently.
That was in 2021 when I started exploring online communities. One of the early groups I joined was trading NFTs, and that’s how I fell in love with NFTs. In September 2021, I minted my first NFT - a Solana NFT called Grim Syndicate.
I minted it for 2 SOL, and the price almost immediately rose to 10 SOL. I started trading a lot, minting everything I could.
OpenSea: Such outcomes can make the potential of this field feel very real.
Dith: That's right, participating in the game and experiencing it for yourself is a completely different experience.
OpenSea: Can you share the origin story of your nickname and the persona you've created in this field?
Dith: 'Dith' is my gaming nickname, one of my best friends from childhood started calling me that later - he had a longer nickname like 'Dithemetrius', which eventually evolved into what it is now during voice chats. This nickname has been carried on, so yes, it comes from gaming.
OpenSea: What are your thoughts on anonymity in this field? Does it make you feel free, or does it make trust harder?
Dith: In web2, I spent 15 years raising funds for startups, attending business school, and building a credentialed resume - awards, publications, etc. This is a whole game to prove you're legitimate.
I love being anonymous in Web3 because I can shed all that, especially when I started building projects. I had to prove myself without relying on any credentials, which is liberating for me and motivates me to do something really cool.
Ironically, as a builder, you do gain recognition and build your own reputation. This field has its own certification methods - you gain fans and notoriety - but I love starting from scratch.
OpenSea: We just interviewed Trevor Thompson from Ethos, a company dedicated to verifying reputations in this anonymous world. I think many people, like you, crave not to be judged by LinkedIn or Google search results but to build something new from scratch.
Dith: That's right, a Web2 startup I founded previously was a LinkedIn-like platform, so I spent years pondering these questions. This is also one of the reasons that led me to fully anonymously engage in the cryptocurrency industry; I really enjoy that feeling.
I really like Ethos; I started using it early on and recently got one of their validators, which was a pleasant surprise.
OpenSea: Let’s talk about games. You are obviously an experienced gamer. To me, gaming is one of the most obvious use cases for NFTs. Even Vitalik created Ethereum because he lost everything in World of Warcraft, and he didn’t want that to happen to others. Are there any barriers to transitioning from traditional gaming to understanding gaming in Web3?
Dith: Cryptocurrency is interesting - MMOs, culture, and the overnight success of NFTs - everything is great. But what I truly appreciate is that I have always dreamed of building a game. When I was younger, I founded a startup and worked in the tech industry, but at that time, I never thought of entering the gaming industry. I thought I would always just be a consumer.
Later, cryptocurrency changed all of this. It became a bridge, a whole new tech stack with a culture and user mindset I understand, which gave me the confidence to take this step.
In 2021 and 2022, I joined several NFT communities and helped friends launch their collections. During one NFT release, I came up with a viral minting idea - releasing a short snapshot for a limited time in specific communities, and that idea was very successful.
That week, our collection ranked high on OpenSea, and soon after, some teams began contacting us. One of the companies developing a game called Pirate Nation is an incredible team - the founders of Farmville created it.
When they contacted me, they knew nothing about me. We had a pleasant conversation, and soon after, they invited me to handle marketing for this game and infrastructure company. I said, 'Sure, I can develop a game.'
I was there for two years, only recently leaving to develop my own game. From medicine to Web2 startups to crypto games, it has been a journey full of opportunities.
OpenSea: I love how these connections and moments guide you through the work you are supposed to be doing. Let’s dive deeper into your project; GLHFers is known for its unique community vibrancy. How did you achieve that?
Dith: I love this field because it allows me to find fresh things - perhaps the beginning of a new meta. I have a lot of ideas and need a sandbox to test them; that's how GLHFers was born.
When we launched last January, I intentionally made no commitments, no roadmap, no expectations. This allowed us the freedom to surprise and delight users, and it’s precisely in this way that we unexpectedly released Gigaverse.
People were excited to hear it was on Abstract, but they were all surprised that it wasn't counted in the price.
Some teams share roadmaps months in advance, which certainly has its benefits, but we prefer to do the opposite - maintain close communication and surprise people with real value.
OpenSea: Absolutely correct. In 2021, everything had to have a roadmap - otherwise, it became a stepping stone. Later, the pendulum swung back, and now it feels like building trust is the new roadmap.
Dith: That's right, I prefer to say 'No roadmap, no expectations,' and then show people what we deliver through results. This builds trust, which is also an interesting part of our culture - I joke that I'm sipping mojitos in Bali, but everyone knows we're working hard.
OpenSea: Gigaverse has a nostalgic retro feel. What inspired its combination with blockchain?
Dith: Very deliberately, my co-founder and I looked back on the most memorable moments in our favorite games, many of which come from childhood - those early pixelated aesthetics.
People easily think that AAA games are the way to go, but that's extremely difficult - it takes years and huge budgets, and even then, many AAA games still fail.
We love pixel art; it allows us to act quickly, which is crucial. Building and releasing games is more important than pursuing cinematic polish.
We also pay attention to some subtle moments - the feeling of pressing a button, the sound of picking up an item. There was a great talk at GDC called 'Squeeze It Out or Lose It', which explored this issue and discussed how to trigger dopamine through subtle interactions.
OpenSea: Let’s talk about Abstract. How did you start working with them? What excites you about this release?
Dith: We met the Abstract team back in November last year, just before the game launched. At that time, I was doing business development for Pirate Nation and communicated with many chains. Abstract's responsiveness was impressive; some teams are slow to act or put on airs, but Abstract is not; they are vibrant and quick to react.
They have a clear vision: to be the home of consumer-grade cryptocurrency and prioritize distribution. They are creating an app store-like experience, bringing in streamers to showcase applications. They understand this - they are not a Ponzi scheme or total locked value mining.
This resonated, and they see themselves as distribution partners, not just infrastructure. At the end of last year, we finalized the decision to collaborate with them. I know Skarly and felt reassured seeing other game founders I respect joining this platform.
We were one of the first teams to launch on Abstract. Despite some panic and uncertainty in the market during the first few weeks of Abstract's release, the mints we released sold out in 10 minutes.
That was a crucial moment; we believed in it and persevered, ultimately getting rewarded, and Gigaverse took off.
Our thoughts shifted from 'Let's give it a try and have some fun' to 'Let's go full-time into this.' My co-founder and I quit our day jobs to focus on building this company.
OpenSea: That's great! Finally, is there anything you'd like everyone to know about what you're currently building?
Dith: I feel that people don’t fully understand what Gigaverse is. They see the current game model and think that's all there is, but we intentionally keep some surprises. We currently 'do not have a roadmap,' but there will be many surprises in the future.
The core NFT in the game is Gigaverse ROM. If everyone is interested in our work and wants to participate in this project, it's worth collecting.
OpenSea: Last question - bonus round, I'm a cat lover and I need to know about the Cyclops.
Dith: It's a crazy story. He appeared overnight in our garden. My wife woke me up and said, 'There's a super cute, super friendly one-eyed cat outside - I want to adopt him.' I said, 'If we adopt him, I’ll name him.' When I saw him, I immediately said, 'Cyclops.'
She wanted to name him 'Peekaboo,' which is a cute name - but we agreed, so he's called 'Cyclops.'
We took him to the vet that same day; our dog was going to the dentist, so we took both of them. Cyclops has been vaccinated and checked out fine.
We are slowly letting him adjust to the home. He is very curious and energetic - we think he is an Arabian cat. He loves outdoor activities, and we are seeing whether he prefers to stay indoors or enjoy both.
He is great with kids, which is perfect for us - we have a young son and another one on the way.
OpenSea: Congratulations!
Dith: Thank you, Cyclops is very fitting, and as for the currency - yes, someone made a token for him, I shouldn't be surprised. Anyone discussing pets on Twitter with cryptocurrency should have seen this coming.
People message me saying, 'Smart marketing move.' At that moment, I thought, 'This isn't marketing - I just discovered a cat.' I did create a cool prompt for him with AI that had a visor.
OpenSea: That's so funny, he now has a large following.
Dith: To be honest, maybe one day we'll add him to the game, but I hope that can be a surprise.
OpenSea: He is already a celebrity; I hope he knows how famous he is.
Dith: Explaining this story to family members who don’t understand cryptocurrency feels strange, like, 'Thousands of people online know this cat.'
OpenSea: Thank you very much - it has been a very pleasant conversation.
Dith: Awesome! I really enjoyed this chat - nice to meet you.
#Gigaverse #AbstractChain #NFTs💌🖼️🇩🇪
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