Leo AI summarised this rather well...
This proposal represents a significant strategic pivot for the SPS DAO, shifting from a high-cost, open-ended operational funding model to a strictly capped, performance-based partnership with Steem Monsters Inc (SMC).
Here is a breakdown of the key implications:
Why it matters: This effectively caps the DAO's financial exposure. Under the old model, the DAO was burning through treasury reserves regardless of game revenue. The new model ties the bulk of the payment to a $1.65M total cap over two years, contingent on hitting sales baselines.
The Trade-off: SMC is agreeing to a massive revenue cut. In exchange, the proposal offers them a "realistic" path to survival and a small retention fund (2% of core edition pack sales) to keep their team intact.
Active Hedging: The DAO will no longer just hold assets; it will actively swap tokens (DEC, USDC, SPS) based on market conditions to match liabilities (payments to SMC).
Excess Capital Strategy: If the DAO generates surplus funds (e.g., from high credit sales), it won't just sit idle. The plan mandates buybacks of DEC and SPS when prices are low, which could be highly bullish for the token economy if executed well.
Example Logic: The proposal outlines specific scenarios (Cases D–F) where the DAO buys more SPS if its price is low relative to DEC, or holds USDC if both are high. This suggests a mature, data-driven approach to treasury growth.
Focus: This eliminates "scope creep." If SMC misses these specific deliverables, the incentive structure (the 50/50 split) likely won't trigger, protecting the DAO's capital.
Incentive Threshold: The threshold for the 50/50 revenue split was lowered from $4.8M to $1.65M. This makes it much easier for the DAO and SMC to start sharing upside revenue, aligning their interests toward hitting that lower, more realistic target.
While the financial prudence is clear, there are execution risks:
SMC's Viability: Cutting daily funding by nearly $120,000 a month is a massive shock. The proposal assumes SMC's Board will accept this to "ensure long-term stability." If they reject it, the game's operations could stall entirely.
Operational Friction: The new "Quarterly Payment Calculation (QPC)" and rolling baselines add administrative complexity. Disputes over whether a sales target was met could lead to friction between the DAO and SMC.
Market Dependence: The success of the "Excess Capital Allocation" (buybacks) relies heavily on the DAO generating enough excess revenue. If the game economy remains sluggish, the buyback mechanism may never trigger, leaving the treasury flat.
Conclusion
This is a hard-nosed, survival-focused proposal. It acknowledges that the previous burn rate was unsustainable and attempts to restructure the relationship into a partnership where both parties only win if the game generates revenue.
For the SPS DAO, it is a protective move to stop the bleeding of treasury funds. For SMC, it is a "hail mary" to keep the lights on with a slimmer budget. The success of this hinges entirely on SMC's ability to hit the $1.65M baseline with a reduced team and budget.
RE: SPS Governance Proposal - Amend SMC Contract and Define Strategy