AMD confirmed that Robot Cache, a digital storefront that allows gamers to sell used digital games with crypto or cache, is exiting beta after three years. In celebration, AMD is offering Wasteland 3 for free if you sign up with the platform.
Robot Cache is one of the most unique digital distributors you can find today that allows gamers to sell digital games after playing them. You could do this with physical copies of games twenty years ago, but it isn't as prevalent today as the world transitioned to digital game purchases.
Unlike other platforms such as Steam, GoG, or Epic Games, Robot Cache's success hinges on its ability to buy and sell games simultaneously. As advertised, gamers can buy games on the platform and sell them once they are done playing. According to the Robot Cache website, 70% of the funds go back to the developers and 25% to you when you sell a game on Robot Cache.
The whole system operates on blockchain technology to track game purchases. When game purchases are made on the platform, ownership is recorded on the platform's blockchain to identify who owns what. This way, the blockchain will record the next person who owns it when that game is sold later.
Buying and selling can be accomplished with cash or the platform's home-brewed cryptocurrency called Iron. Iron is acquired by selling games on the platform, completing challenges, and playing with your friends. But it will also be mineable on PC hardware in the near future. According to one of the platform's videos from four years ago, the primary purpose of Iron is to secure and encrypt game purchases on the platform (alongside buying and selling games with the currency).
The platform has been in beta for the past three years, but we got word from AMD (who is a partner with Robot Cache) that the site is now considered a live release, even though the website still identifies itself as a "beta" release at the time of this writing. In commemoration, the platform is not only giving away Wasteland 3 but also providing up to 90% discounts on many of its games.
The platform has enormous potential, but it's anybody's guess if it will succeed. Nonetheless, it is a unique platform that can give players some extra savings.