“Game On!” Enter the Wild, Wild Web3! Bringing Real Gamers to Web3

Heard of Web3 gaming? No? Well, let me take you on an adventure. Picture a world where you don't just play for fun, but earn real-world money while doing it. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, not anymore! But let's not rush things. Let's start from the beginning.

Play-to-Earn and the Quest for Sustainability: Roadblocks Faced by Web3 Gaming

Web3 gaming has faced, and is still facing, its share of roadblocks today. Play-to-earn games have carved a lucrative niche in the decentralized financed space in 2021 and 2022, making the headlines. 

Do you remember Axie Infinity (AXS)? One of the biggest successes back then was AXS, which reached a peak of 2.8 million monthly users in 2022, mainly driven by financial incentives. One year later, around 400 thousand are playing the game(1). This decrease is partially explained by the crypto winter settling in and the Ronin Network breach in March 2022, which instilled mistrust amongst its user base as withdrawals were stopped keeping them from exchanging to fiat. 

However, this model, most importantly, has shed light on an unsustainable model, emphasizing making profits while ignoring the fun part. This made many gamers highly skeptical of Web3 games to date, viewing them as potential scams or attempts to prioritize profit over gameplay. The message was clear. Bring back the fun! 

From the Wild West to Innovation: Addressing Infrastructure and Development Hurdles in Web3 Gaming

So, where do we stand today? Well, we need to overcome a few roadblocks to help better Web3 games see the light. Think of it like leveling up in a video game. Picture the world of Web3 gaming as a sprawling, unexplored frontier. The infrastructure – all the behind-the-scenes techy stuff that makes our games tick – was once the Wild West of this landscape. It was undeveloped and rough around the edges, leading to some rather lackluster gaming experiences. 

As a result, game studios began focusing more on the bottom line rather than crafting top-tier gameplay. Now, imagine a band of eager pioneers – new gaming studios ready to stake their claim in this untamed land. There was just one hiccup: they didn't quite know how to navigate the terrain. The finer details of Web3, from blockchain development to smart contract programming, were unfamiliar territory. Without this knowledge, crafting truly innovative gaming experiences was an uphill battle. 

Lastly, let's think about the tooling - or lack thereof. Remember the early days of the internet when it took forever to load a single webpage? It was kind of like that. The trusty toolkits developers were used to in the era of Web 2.0 were scarce. This slowed down progress and hampered innovation. 

Powering Up: Investments and Infrastructure Advancements Boosting the Future of Web3 Gaming

To crack mainstream adoption and, most importantly, sway real gamers, we need to address these roadblocks head-on, prioritize gameplay, and offer gamers an immersive user experience. But fear not, fellow gamers! We've got some power-ups coming our way. Investment in blockchain gaming has skyrocketed from $27.7 million in 2019 to a colossal $7.6 billion in 2022. And that's not all! An additional $739 million poured in just in the first quarter of 2023. Notably, 33.5% of these investments went into gaming infrastructure, while 27.3% were earmarked for game development, a clear indication that the industry is making a concerted effort to tackle the challenges outlined earlier.(2)

Infographic: Where are the blockchain game investments going? 2022

Enhancing Web3 Gaming Experience through Scalability Solutions

Some industry heroes are stepping up their game. In the adrenaline-fueled world of Web3 gaming, scalability is the secret sauce. If the underlying blockchain network is congested, the gaming experience would suffer, with delays and high costs deterring players. One prominent example is, Immutable, a Web3 gaming developer platform, partnering with Polygon Labs to boost Web3 gaming development by utilizing Polygon's zero-knowledge technology, simplifying the onboarding process for game studios and developers while promoting digital ownership for millions of users worldwide. 

Interoperability in Web3 Gaming for Seamless Asset Integration

Ever tried to put a square peg in a round hole? Without interoperability, that's what trying to use assets from one game in another feels like. Sure, full-blown interoperability (moving an asset from one game to another entirely) may seem as likely as finding a unicorn in your backyard. But fear not! Even if full-blown interoperability’s not on the table yet, there's other level of interoperability, and it's super important for improving the gaming experience. Projects such as Cosmos that focuses on cross-chain interoperability, allowing developers to create games that can communicate with other blockchains by providing a complete package of tools that simplifies blockchain development. 

However, to build these bridges, we need a robust workforce. Web3 gaming can seem like a new language to developers, and that's where Alchemy, the universal translator and toolkit, comes into play. It empowers developers, turning cryptic codes into engaging games. 

Putting Players First: Elevating UX through User-Friendly Tools and Wallets in Web3 Gaming

Lastly, a smooth user experience is the cherry on top. Web3 gaming doesn't have to feel like rocket science. Metamask SDK, Hyperplay, and ChainSafe Gaming SDK are here to guide you. They're like the friendly concierge, making your journey through the labyrinth of Web3 gaming not just accessible, but also a pleasure. For example, Metamask, the most popular self-custodial wallet created by Consensys, surpassed 100 million users globally in 2022, creating a strong platform for improving user experience in gaming. 

The Hype is Real: Meet the Highly Anticipated Web3 Game Releases in 2023

The best part? We're starting to see the fruits of these labors. 2023 is shaping up to be a thrilling year for Web3 gaming, with new titles like Bornless, Illuvium, and Undeads set to break the mold. Even big-name game studios like Ubisoft and Square Enix are getting in on the action.

Photo: Symbiogenesis © Square Enix 

Ever played Final Fantasy? Well, the masterminds behind that game, Square Enix, are gearing up to launch their first-ever Web3 game called Symbiogenesis. It's an adventure packed with 10,000 pieces of digital, collectible art. Talk about a treasure hunt! 

 

Illuvium is the first AAA-rated game that merges DeFi with cinematic quality SFX and an immersive open-world RPG. Illuvium gives players complete ownership of their in-game assets and LAND NFTs. Its gameplay features compelling earning opportunities via PVE quests that empower players to collect and upgrade their ownable in-game characters called Illuvitars. The game also features in-game wagering on matches taking place in its PVP battle arena. With a whopping 345,000 Twitter followers and nearly 200,000 Discord subs, they're on fire!

 

Blockchain gaming project Undeads aims to set a new standard in the GameFi sector by focusing on enhanced play-to-earn mechanics, well-designed game economy, and top-notch production values. Undeads brings a post-apocalyptic setting to the blockchain, where players can choose to align with humans or zombies and engage in combat against both sides. The game features NFT characters and allows players to own, stake, and mint every zombie or human NFT, offering an immersive and entertaining experience.

 

Bornless is a thrilling mash-up of horror and FPS. It's free to play, so dive in and start blasting by teaming up with friends, because Bornless is all about that multiplayer mayhem, enhancing the social and collaborative aspects of the game. Looking forward, the addition of Virtual Reality (VR) is anticipated to significantly elevate the gaming experience in terms of horror and enjoyment. Finally, the game provides an earning mechanism where players can earn "incense" tokens by being part of a faction like Good Game Hunters or owning a season pass. These tokens can be exchanged for real-world money or utilized to upgrade in-game assets. 

The Next Horizon in Blockchain Gaming

So what's next on the horizon? In 2023, the gaming industry is experiencing a significant shift with the rise of Web3 games. To achieve mainstream adoption, pain points are being addressed by projects such as Immutable and Alchemy and trends shaping the industry are being embraced. With increased interest from VCs, indie game studios, and traditional AAA game studios, 2023 is poised to see the launch of blockbuster Web3 titles. So grab your controllers, keyboards, or whatever you game with, because the future of gaming is here! Game on, folks!

To read more about the future of web3, the decentralized web – read the full report here. 

 

Next Read: The Dawn of Web3: Joseph Lubin’s Visionary Journey