John Vitti is a successful entrepreneur whose latest venture, VersusGame, has gamers, influencers and celebrities going wild. His app uses predictive technology that classifies common trending topics and puts them in a this vs. that competition. Since its launch, the app has grown tremendously and has awarded $17 million to more than 9.5 million players. It allows players to compete on topics like pop culture, sports, entertainment, food, and select the outcomes for each question. Winners are awarded with real cash prizes.
Prior to developing VersusGame, John successfully launched and sold three companies within the consumer space. His career has allowed him to work with many celebrities, influencers and entertainers. Those that he has previously collaborated with include DJ Khalid, The Weekend, Fat Joe, Amanda Cerny, Scooter Braun, Sway House, Noah Beck, and Dixie D’Amelio. In this interview, John shares some of his business insights on “How Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand.”
So John, tell me more about why you started VersusGame?
My desire to level the financial playing field for the average American is what ignited me to start VersusGame. I saw banks getting richer and most Americans not having access to places like Wall Street. However, they are the ones that buy the music for their favorite artists, watch award shows while making winning predictions, and keep pop culture afloat. That epiphanie birthed the thought, “What if I created a game where people can get paid for their knowledge?” After that, I began working diligently on that vision and I haven’t looked back.
What’s your passion for this?
I have a passion for mixing fun and knowledge with financial rewards! I believe they synergistically work together. I desire to see everyone live the life that they imagined. We all contribute to the greater good of society. Everyone should have the opportunity to gain a piece of the financial pie. There are so many people that stay in the know with what’s going on in the world. It is their knowledge and money that continues to keep the economy successful. To see knowledge rewarded does my heart well.
Can you explain in your own words, how the app works?
The app is very user friendly and easy to download. Once you have the app, you have the ability to access games from all around the world. Pick one that interests you, and play. Simply use your knowledge or research statistics to predict who will win. Select your answer by either swiping or clicking on your choice. When the game ends, you’ll get the results of who won or who lost. Your correct prediction lands you a payday. In addition, users have the ability to create their own games/polls. This stirs creativity and a greater sense of community.
What are the trends that you see in the gaming app industry that users need to be aware of?
There are some great up and coming trends that gaming developers as well as celebrities will be presenting to the ever growing gaming metaverse. Some of which will include;
NFT’s
NFT’s (non-fungible tokens) are so hot right now! They are unique in that they cannot be duplicated and are becoming valuable pieces of artwork. People get addicted to gaming heroes and they’ll now be able to own a piece of artwork displaying their favorite one. It’s a total game changer for those who enjoy trading.
More celebrities joining the gaming revolution.
Entertainers and content creators are discovering just how lucrative it is to partner with a gaming company. It’s predicted that in 2023, the gaming industry will be at an all time high of over 3 billion users. Everyone is wanting in, especially the stars. Not only will they have another avenue to stay relevant to their fans, but the revenue potential is huge!
More Meta/3 brands popping up.
Meta/3 brands will be bringing their campaigns to the gaming platforms. It’s a no brainer as to why! To have their product or service exposed to countless people at one time will produce grand visibility. The more people their brand is exposed to, their credibility will increase, and the profits will follow.
More games for people over 60.
We’ve seen a rise in the amount of people over the age of 60 that enjoy playing video games. When the world shut down due to the pandemic, video games were one of the only ways many could stay connected to their grandkids. Also, there are brain games that are proven to help keep the mind healthy and sharp. We’ll definitely see an addition of games that appeal to the older generation.
What’s so appealing about VersusGame to celebs and entertainers? What’s in it for them?
As you know, content creators and celebrities are always looking for additional ways to monetize. VersusGame gives them the premium opportunity to create their own original polls. Currently, we have over 20 million users that they have access to. Not only are they being rewarded monetarily by engaging with our users but they are able to build relationships and stay relevant to their buying audience. It’s a win for everyone!
What challenges do they face on other major social media platforms that they don’t have to face when working to monetize on your site?
With regards to major social media platforms as well as various other apps, people have to spend a lot more money. With VersusGame, there’s very little investment to yield big payouts. Not to mention, on other platforms, you have to have a lot of followers to be noticed and monetized. With VersusGame, we provide the audience, and your following doesn’t matter. Everybody has the chance to win.
How many users do you have to date and how much money has been awarded to date?
We are ecstatic to announce that we have 20 million users to date and climbing. We’ve also awarded 25 million in cash.
Can you give me an example of a success story from one of your app users?
We have countless success stories but one that comes to mind is Tom Ward. This one pulls on my heart strings because he’s not a celebrity. He’s the average American I spoke about working a 9am-5pm job. He joined VersusGame and his life drastically changed. He quickly began to make serious cash and was able to leave his job because of it. That is why I created this app!!! To see people win, change their lives, and have a ton of fun doing it!
Where can people go to join in on the fun and download your app?
To download the app, go to the App Store and download VersusGame.
For more information, www.versusgame.com.
Finally, what one piece of advice would you give to anyone looking to launch an app enterprise?
To successfully launch an app enterprise, it’s important to make sure to lead with value and provide a winning solution to a problem people are facing. You’ll see an effortless flow of money and satisfied people. That’s a beautiful combination.
