Ultra: Gus van Rijckevorsel's Strategy for Gaming Domination in 2025

Ultra has positioned itself as a bold challenger in the gaming industry and Web3, determined to disrupt the established order dominated by platforms like Steam. Since Gus van Rijckevorsel took over as CEO in December 2024, Ultra has shifted from seven years of R&D to an aggressive business expansion strategy, positioning itself as a gaming distribution platform with the most advanced technology available. This article explores the key milestones of this transformation and highlights the ambitious vision that will guide Ultra as it seeks to become the “Netflix of gaming.”

In Brief

• Ultra becomes a “Gaming OS” for players, creators, and viewers.
• Under Gus van Rijckevorsel, the strategy goes on the offensive.
• Partnerships, fundraising, and Ultra EVM strengthen the ecosystem.

Ultra, an Innovative Vision of Gaming

Ultra distinguishes itself by refusing to copycat existing platforms. Instead of settling for a simple distribution platform, the company has rebranded to a “Gaming OS,” a unified interface for both players and developers. This approach recognizes that modern gaming extends far beyond purchasing and playing games, serving three interconnected audiences: players, content creators, and viewers. The platform integrates advanced gaming technology as an invisible layer that enhances the experience. Ultra’s vision is to create a single environment where users can play, stream, create content, and monetize their activities — much like opening Netflix for movies or Microsoft for work. Key takeaways:
• Ultra challenges Steam’s monopoly with a gaming OS approach
• Three-target strategy: players, content creators, and viewers
• Advanced gaming technology as an enhancement layer
• Unified ecosystem to play, stream, create, and monetize
• Built on seven years of R&D now transitioning to business growth

Key Moments of Ultra: A Strategy in Action

December 2024: A New Chapter

The arrival of Gus van Rijckevorsel at the head of Ultra marks a strategic turning point. He redefined the company’s direction, focusing on a high-performance and coherent Gaming OS. Gus set a goal to clarify the company’s offering by ensuring better blockchain integration and increased monetization for developers. This shift has allowed Ultra to position itself as a key player in gaming and Web3.

January 2025: Strategic Partnership with Thomson Computing

Ultra strengthens its position in Europe through a strategic partnership with Thomson Computing. This partnership enables the deployment of Ultra games on Thomson’s pre-installed PCs. The goal is to democratize access to Web3 games in Europe, a market still largely dominated by traditional players. This partnership marks a turning point for Ultra, which seeks to broaden its influence beyond Web3 boundaries while supporting European digital sovereignty.

February 2025: An Ambitious Roadmap for 2025

February was marked by the publication of Ultra’s 2025 roadmap. This roadmap announces the arrival of new pillars such as Ultra EVM and a strengthened vision of interoperability. The concept of “Gaming OS” is detailed, aiming to unify the Ultra ecosystem. Gus emphasized the importance of supporting developers with blockchain tools and solutions to accelerate the adoption of Web3 technologies.

March 2025: Launch of Ultra EVM and Governance

In March, Ultra unveiled Ultra EVM, offering full compatibility with Ethereum. This platform allows seamless integration with Ethereum tools like Solidity and MetaMask. Its goal is to attract DeFi, NFT, and gaming developers while enhancing interoperability with other platforms. This launch marks a turning point for Ultra, positioning itself as an enabler for blockchain projects. Additionally, the appointment of Maxime van Steenberghe as new COO further strengthens Ultra’s leadership team, enabling faster execution of its ambitious objectives.

April 2025: Fundraising and Strategic Partnerships

April marks another important milestone with a $12 million fundraising led by NOIA Capital. These funds will be used to strengthen teams, improve products, and accelerate strategic acquisitions. At the same time, Ultra announced a partnership with Vaulta to integrate decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions into its ecosystem, creating new financial opportunities for players and creators. This strategic partnership aims to combine gaming and decentralized finance, opening a new chapter for innovation in the sector.

July 2025: Launch of the Closed Alpha of EMPIRES and Developer Grant Program

In July, Ultra launched the much-anticipated closed alpha of Empires, developed by Black Ice Studios. The alpha received positive community feedback, providing valuable insights for the game’s future development. Additionally, Ultra introduced its developer grant program, with $1 million to support creators on Ultra EVM. This initiative aims to expand the ecosystem and support Web3 gaming developers, solidifying Ultra’s position as a key player in decentralized gaming. Alongside these developments, Gus van Rijckevorsel shared his vision in exclusive interviews available on Cointribune’s YouTube channel. He detailed his strategy to revolutionize the video game industry and explained how Ultra leverages its Web3 platform to stand out from giants like Steam. These interviews enhanced the company’s transparency and maintained a close connection with the community, while addressing questions from players and investors. Gus also highlighted Ultra’s developer grant program, illustrating Ultra’s commitment to fostering innovation and empowering Web3 developers.

Ultra: The Rise of a New Reference in Gaming and Web3

Ultra is on a fast growth path thanks to a clear strategy and targeted investments. Under the leadership of Gus van Rijckevorsel, the company has solidified its place in the gaming and Web3 industry. Its “Gaming OS” integrates Web3 tools while facilitating content access for players and developers. The company continues to expand through strategic partnerships, fundraising, and ongoing community engagement. Ultra is preparing to dominate the video game market by offering an accessible and innovative platform. Stay connected for the latest updates and discover Ultra’s evolution on Ultra.io. Follow them also on Discord, X, Ultra Reload, and X Spaces for direct exchanges with the community.

---

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

About Ultra's Strategy and Vision

Q: What is Ultra's core strategy for dominating the gaming market by 2025? A: Ultra's core strategy revolves around becoming a comprehensive "Gaming OS," a unified platform for players, creators, and viewers, with advanced technology as an invisible enhancement layer. They aim to integrate playing, streaming, content creation, and monetization into a single ecosystem, challenging established platforms like Steam. Q: Who is Gus van Rijckevorsel and what has he brought to Ultra? A: Gus van Rijckevorsel is the CEO of Ultra, appointed in December 2024. His leadership marked a strategic shift towards aggressive business expansion, focusing on a high-performance Gaming OS, clearer blockchain integration, and increased monetization for developers. Q: What does Ultra mean by "Netflix of gaming"? A: The "Netflix of gaming" vision suggests Ultra aims to provide a seamless, all-encompassing experience where users can easily access, discover, play, stream, create, and monetize content, similar to how Netflix revolutionized movie consumption.

Key Developments and Partnerships

Q: What was the significance of the Thomson Computing partnership? A: The partnership with Thomson Computing aims to deploy Ultra games on their pre-installed PCs, democratizing access to Web3 games in Europe and expanding Ultra's influence beyond traditional Web3 boundaries. Q: What is Ultra EVM and why is it important? A: Ultra EVM is a platform offering full compatibility with Ethereum. Its importance lies in enabling seamless integration with Ethereum tools, attracting DeFi, NFT, and gaming developers, and enhancing interoperability with other blockchain platforms. Q: How is Ultra supporting developers? A: Ultra supports developers through its developer grant program, allocating $1 million to creators on Ultra EVM, and by providing blockchain tools and solutions to accelerate Web3 technology adoption within the gaming industry.

Financial and Community Aspects

Q: What was the purpose of the $12 million fundraising in April 2025? A: The $12 million fundraising, led by NOIA Capital, is intended to strengthen Ultra's teams, improve its products, and accelerate strategic acquisitions, supporting its aggressive expansion strategy. Q: How does Ultra engage with its community? A: Ultra maintains community engagement through platforms like Discord, X (formerly Twitter), Ultra Reload, and X Spaces, and by sharing vision through interviews. Gus van Rijckevorsel's interviews with Cointribune also served to enhance transparency and connect with players and investors.

---

Crypto Market AI's Take

Ultra's strategic pivot under Gus van Rijckevorsel towards a "Gaming OS" represents a significant ambition to redefine the digital gaming landscape. By integrating Web3 technologies and fostering a unified ecosystem for players, creators, and viewers, Ultra is positioning itself as a next-generation platform. This approach, coupled with initiatives like Ultra EVM and a focus on developer support, aligns with the broader trend of AI integration in various sectors, including gaming. As AI continues to reshape how content is created, distributed, and consumed, Ultra's focus on an accessible and innovative platform underscores its potential impact. For those interested in how AI is transforming industries, exploring how AI agents are being used in finance and market analysis might offer parallel insights into the technological advancements driving these shifts.

More to Read:

• AI Crypto Market Platform - LLM Training Data
• AI Agents: Capabilities, Risks, and Growing Role
• The Rise of AI-Powered Crypto Trading Bots

---

Source: Originally published at Cointribune on Tue, 29 Jul 2025.