Hey, mates! As you already know, me and my dream team are fond of video games, so may be you. Most likely, you have tried playing a myriad of traditional games, but lately, another option appeared on the horizon — so-called WEB 3.0 games. What makes them different? Well, basically, the fact that they are based on blockchain.
‘It doesn’t make things clear’ — would you fairly note.
That’s why I decided to explain everything. Whether you’re a noob or a game pro, you might have no clue about how blockchain makes WEB 3.0 games different, and which benefits players can reap from it. So, make yourself a cup of tea, get comfy and let’s delve into these details together.
Chip Polina would answer “Argh, just google it!”, but let me briefly explain. Blockchain technology is an innovative approach to data storage and handling because it introduces decentralization. Instead of being recorded on a single server or computer, transaction data is 1) verified by several nodes (users) 2) stored in blocks that comprise a chain. Since one piece of data is stored on several nodes comprising a public chain, it is very-very unlikely to be deleted or forged. Hence, blockchain makes all transactions transparent.
But don’t let the word ‘transactions’ confuse you — technological possibilities of blockchain are not limited to cryptocurrencies only. Any data can be stored and recorded safely using a distributed ledger. Video games are not an exception. In fact, 49% of blockchain activities are related to blockchain gaming.
The role of blockchain in gaming boils down to two things: eliminating existing problems of the WEB 2.0 sector, and bringing new possibilities for players, in particular, earnings.
Let’s start with technical advantages and issues solved.
When a game is hosted on a server, it stays vulnerable 24/7. Imagine yourself playing War of Warcraft for hours and suddenly facing a server crush. You return the next day and — what a hell — all your progress is gone! Whether it’s hackers or technical bugs to blame, you will feel devastated. With blockchain, all your progress (I mean, every action and achievement) gets recorded once and forever.
WEB 3.0 gaming brings about what was unthinkable before — it allows players to decide upon future changes and improvements. Voting process can be organized transparently and fairly — game developers won’t be able to fake results.
It becomes possible thanks to smart contracts that automate the whole lineup of processes (reward distribution, staking of tokens, voting, decision-making, and so on).
Okay, now let’s get down to the most interesting part — in-game assets enabled by blockchain.
What makes WEB 3.0 games revolutionary is snatching the power over in-game assets from developers. In WEB 2.0, coins and artifacts stay game’s property — they have no relation to real-world possessions. Blockchain refines the paradigm of in-game asset ownership. If you buy a sword or clothes for your character, they belong to you. You can sell them to other players and convert earnings into real money.
Since all users can connect their digital wallets, they can manage funds stored there. Do you get my hint? ;)
I bet you like the sweet sound of ringing coins, but what if I tell you they could be converted into real money? Play-to-earn games made a lot of fuss in 2021–2022, allowing users to make money (some even made a living simply playing games like Axie Infinity). However, a huge number of games turned out to be Ponzi schemes and scam that brought profit to a few lucky ones.
New-generation WEB 3.0 games are being made with a more conscious approach to tokenomics, aiming to make games more sustainable and viable in the long run. That means you will have a chance to earn something, but there’s no point in making it the sole purpose of playing — gameplay is the king.
The economy of many WEB 3.0 games allows players to fully own their in-game assets and monetize their achievements, creators, lands, or rare items. When players breed game characters, they also generate new NFTs that can be traded later on. Developers also promise interoperability between games, meaning users can apply one and the same digital item in different ways (however, we haven’t seen any practical implication of this feature yet).
All in all, the advantage of blockchain boils down to giving players more freedom in terms of asset ownership and control over games’ future development. All that adds to involvement and expands the list of perks.
There’s no clear-cut answer to this question because each blockchain has certain advantages and drawbacks. Let’s observe basic ones:
- The first blockchain to enable smart contracts and non-fungible tokens, Ethereum paves the road for other networks driving WEB 3.0 games. This is the best choice for building any kind of dApp, including blockchain games, because it is flexible, secure, and can work with other apps. It also has a large and active community of developers and builders. The major drawback of Ethereum is high fees compared to other networks.
- WAX is one of leading blockchains for gaming because it allows performing transactions for free. Even during the current crypto winter, WAX powers several successful WEB 3.0 games, such as Alien Worlds, Splinterlands, and Farmers World.
- BNB Chain (previously known as Binance Smart Chain) is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine and supports smart contracts with faster transaction speeds and lower gas fees, which is why it is very popular for dApp development. Today, BNB Chain hosts such popular WEB 3.0 games as CryptoBlades, My DeFi Pet, and Bluelight.inc.
- Polygon was initially created as a more scalable alternative to the Ethereum blockchain. It was used for dApps which operated on a Layer-2 blockchain in relation to Ethereum. Now, creators have turned it into a fully autonomous network specifically for blockchain games. Developers love it for scalable infrastructure, lower gas fees, and faster transaction times, not to mention that it also attracts serious partners (EA, Riot Games, and Activision).
- EOS is a decentralized operating system that was created to fully eliminate transaction fees and fuel millions of transactions per second. Some blockchain games switched to EOS due to its faster speed than Ethereum. A few popular WEB 3.0 games on EOS include Blankos Block Party, Upland, Prospectors.
Conclusion
As you see, WEB 3.0 games are becoming the next step in evolution of the entire gaming industry because they provide players with more flexibility, freedom and real-life rewards — all thanks to blockchain. It’s more than just transparency and safety — this innovative technology enables a myriad of interesting features and mechanics. The future of blockchain games looks promising because we are going to witness the rise of metaverses and even more vibrant and involved communities.
So, if you haven’t joined us yet, the time is ripe!
