FantasyPad — Andy Cheung

Overview

What is FantasyPad?

FantasyPad is a Web3 crowdfunding and staking launchpad built for the PolkaFantasy ecosystem — a Japanese anime-themed NFT gaming universe. The platform allowed game developers to raise funds through NFT sales, while players could stake XP tokens to gain early access, whitelist spots, and exclusive in-game items.

As Product Manager, I owned the product end-to-end: from defining the core feature set and aligning stakeholders, to coordinating the outsourced design and engineering team across a fast-moving 3-month timeline.

Challenge

The problem to solve

Web3 gaming ecosystems in 2022–2023 faced a trust problem. Players were sceptical of new game launches, and game developers struggled to prove legitimacy before launch. PolkaFantasy needed a mechanism that:

For Players

Gave token holders a meaningful way to participate in the ecosystem — staking their XP for real benefits — rather than just holding a speculative asset.

For Developers

Provided a credible launchpad where NFT game projects could crowdfund their development with a committed, token-gated community behind them.

Process

How I worked

With only 3 months and a lean team, I focused on clear prioritisation, tight feedback loops, and ruthless scope management.

01

Discovery & Competitive Analysis

Audited existing Web3 launchpads (DAO Maker, Polkastarter, GameFi) to identify differentiators and table-stakes features for PolkaFantasy's anime-focused audience.

02

Defining Core Features

Aligned with leadership on MVP scope: staking mechanism, tier-based allocations, project listing pages, and a user dashboard. Documented as a feature spec with acceptance criteria.

03

Coordinating Design & Engineering

Bridged the outsourced designer and 5-person engineering team through daily standups and a shared Notion workspace. Managed the design handoff process to prevent scope creep and keep velocity high.

04

Launch & Iteration

Launched March 29, 2023 with a coordinated community announcement across Discord and Twitter. Monitored staking activity and user feedback in the first 72 hours to triage any critical issues.

Outcome

Results at launch

Launch day metrics

300+

Stakes made

8.6M

XP Tokens staked

$122K

USD equivalent

The platform launched successfully within the 3-month timeline with strong community engagement. The staking numbers exceeded initial projections and demonstrated clear product-market fit for launchpad mechanics within the PolkaFantasy community.

Key learnings: Web3 users are highly sensitive to gas fees and transaction clarity. Investing in clear, step-by-step transaction flows and transparent tier calculations significantly reduced support volume after launch.