Samson Mao, CEO of Blockstream, traces his path from game developer to Bitcoin advocate. Starting at Relic Entertainment on titles like Company of Heroes, then helping Ubisoft build a studio in Chengdu, China, Mao eventually founded his own studio, Pixelmatic, in 2011. His deep familiarity with in-game economies, including hyperinflation and currency sinks, primed him to understand Bitcoin's monetary properties when he encountered it around 2013. Through a friendship with Bobby Lee, then CEO of BTCC, Mao joined the exchange as a mobile advisor before becoming CEO himself, while continuing to run Pixelmatic. The conversation covers his early computing memories, the scaling debate that connected him to Adam Back, and his eventual move to Blockstream. Mao also discusses his views on scam projects in crypto, the difference between Bitcoin as a currency versus a crypto asset, regulatory concerns in places like India, and his critique of Ethereum's scalability following a public debate with Vitalik Buterin.
A former game developer explains how virtual economies and a mining article led him from BTCC to running Blockstream.
What was your background before Bitcoin?
I'm originally a game developer, focused on design and production. I started at Relic doing RTS games like Company of Heroes and Dawn of War, then joined Ubisoft to help establish a new studio in Chengdu, China. I'm also a hardcore gamer, playing StarCraft, Warcraft 3, Diablo 2, and Lineage 2. In 2011 I left Ubisoft to found my own studio, Pixelmatic, which is still going today.
How did game economies connect to your interest in Bitcoin?
Games have fully fleshed out economies, some even hire economists to manage them. As a developer I had to deal with things like hyperinflation, in one game it was too easy to get gold coins so we had to introduce expensive items to create a sink for the cash. When I read about Bitcoin mining, it struck me as a currency without a company managing it, which really piqued my interest.
How did you actually get involved with Bitcoin and BTCC?
My friend Bobby, who was CEO of BTC China, told me about Bitcoin at a New Year's Eve party. I tried buying it on their exchange app but it was broken, so I offered to help as an advisor since Pixelmatic's office was next door. Eventually the CEO left and Bobby asked me to come on board as CEO while still running Pixelmatic, and he was agreeable to that.
What was the moment that really hooked you on Bitcoin's concept?
Reading an article about mining, it dawned on me that nobody is in control of this system. It's an organic system that lives and breathes on its own, participants can come and go as they wish, and nobody can manipulate or control it. I did try setting up mining and made a Mt. Gox account, but I never got around to actually buying any at the time.
Why do some governments and central banks fear Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is meant to be a currency, and it puts central banks out of a job by removing their control. It's like nerfing a game character, if you take away the ability to print money, they're not going to like that. People with power don't want to give it up, and Bitcoin restores balance by giving power back to the people since nobody controls the system.
How do you navigate the scams and hype in the crypto space while staying focused on Bitcoin?
I generally try to call out things that are scams, which is why some call me toxic, but staying silent is basically endorsing the scam. A lot of projects rip people off by marketing themselves as the next Bitcoin, either out of ignorance or malice. For me it comes down to basic ethics, I don't think it's good to scam or mislead people, so I focus on educating people about Bitcoin.
What did you take away from your debate with Vitalik Buterin?
I wish I'd had more time and that Peter McCormack hadn't interrupted as much, but I think it went okay, I said the things I needed to say. It was powerful to say directly to Vitalik that Ethereum is a coin. Afterward he posted tweets suggesting people shouldn't be so reckless putting their money into Ethereum and DeFi projects, so maybe the conversation sparked something.
How did you end up joining Blockstream?
It started at BTCC where, running the mining pool, I had to interact with developers like Mike Hearn and Gavin Andresen during the scaling debate. Through meetings including the Bitcoin Roundtable in Hong Kong, I got to know Adam Back better, and eventually at another Bitcoin conference he suggested I come join Blockstream, so I started considering it and the rest is history.
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