Twitch Co-founder Kevin Lin and Taiwan Digital Minister Audrey Tang Discuss Web3 and the Future of Gaming on the Inaugural Season of "Innovative Minds" from TaiwanPlus

TAIPEI, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TaiwanPlus, a global English-language news and culture streaming platform, announced today that Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin will appear on the inaugural season of "Innovative Minds with Audrey Tang," its innovation-focused original video podcast. Hosted by Audrey Tang, Taiwan's first digital minister and first openly transgender cabinet minister, the show features trailblazers in tech, social innovation, and open governance. Lin's episode is available starting August 12 on www.TaiwanPlus.com. 

During their wide-ranging discussion, Lin will share his journey from Yale biology major to beverage company forklift driver to internet live-streaming pioneer. The two also discuss the possibilities of Web3 and the metaverse, and related challenges that game-builders like Lin are trying to solve, such as interoperability and composability. 

"Games [are] not just a game," Lin says during the episode. "There's connective tissue there too — there's guilds, there's clans, there's chat, there's voice chat, there's coordination. Can you use game mechanics and that type of interaction design to build out something that is a social experience, that can expand from there, that isn't just about playing the game?" He also reveals his favorite video games and shares details of his new venture, Metatheory, an entertainment and gaming company with a team in Taipei, Taiwan. 

Tang relates Lin's observations to her personal experiences as a widely admired hacker, internet expert, and leader in the open-source community. She recalls that during Taiwan's 2014 Sunflower Movement — Tang's first introduction to politics — one demonstrator broadcasted their message by playing Minesweeper on Twitch. "A lot of young people learned about good governance and about community coordination through guilds in the games," Tang notes. 

"Innovative Minds with Audrey Tang," which debuted in May 2022, will comprise 13 episodes in total. Past episodes have featured Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, and former president of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik.

"TaiwanPlus is committed to showcasing a diverse range of perspectives and cutting-edge views, through news, documentaries, and other programming," says TaiwanPlus Deputy CEO/Acting CEO Michael Yu. "Audrey Tang's insightful conversations with innovative thought leaders from around the world are an ideal way to contribute to the global dialogue while also introducing the world to Taiwan's values of freedom, democracy, and innovation." 

All episodes — alongside a wide array of other TaiwanPlus programming, aimed at helping viewers "Get closer to Asia, go further than you imagine" — are available on www.TaiwanPlus.com.

About TaiwanPlus

Based in a thriving democracy at the heart of the most dynamic and fastest growing region on earth, we are the first and only English language, global news and entertainment media platform from Taiwan. TaiwanPlus delivers independent and impartial daily news by international journalists focused on global and local events, bringing you the stories from Taiwan that will resonate across the world. With our unique position in geopolitics and international trade, TaiwanPlus also provides an inside look at Taiwan-China relations with in-depth reporting and analysis.

We showcase Taiwan's uniqueness in culture and lifestyle – as well as the best from Taiwan's food, travel, music, and entertainment – and what binds us together as part of a global community. TaiwanPlus produces three daily newscasts five days a week, develops long and short form features, curates movies and other entertainment programming, creates engaging social media content and much more. Wherever you are, on whatever device, TaiwanPlus delivers world-class content from Taiwan's perspective.

SOURCE TaiwanPlus