As the gaming industry looks to the future, blockchain games are increasingly gaining traction — but they’re also in need of a reputation makeover. According to Joe Rumaz, Lead of Solana Games, the bad reputation blockchain games have been getting is completely unwarranted, and he believes that this could change by 2023. Rumaz thinks that blockchain games are more secure and immersive than ever, which bodes for an exciting future for the gaming industry.
1. Blockchain Games to Shed Negative Reputation in 2023: Says Solana Games Lead
As technology and gaming become ever more intertwined, blockchain games are taking the industry by storm. Their cutting-edge design, security, and transparency give the gaming industry a level of confidence unheard of before. Further, their ability to facilitate NFTs has revolutionized the way players operate.
However, to date, blockchain games have had an unfavorable reputation. Distrust, lack of understanding, and concern over security have burdened the industry. But that is all set to change in 2023, according to Solana Games Lead.
Their 2023 goal is to bring the games back into the mainstream. The company has set up a task force to achieve this, composed of developers, marketers, designers, and cryptographers. Their mission is to shed misconceptions and negativity the industry has so far faced.
Towards their effort, the team has identified the following steps to rebuild trust and get players playing games once again:
- Transparency through blockchain
- Providing more answers to players’ technical queries
- Fair and secure gaming
- A responsible gaming focus
While the blockchain gaming arena is still evolving, the industry’s successes so far have instilled hope of a new era in gaming. With the 2023 goals of Solana Games Lead, it’s a matter of time before the blockchain gaming industry achieves greatness.
2. Growing Interest in Blockchain Games
The blockchain games space is becoming increasingly dynamic. Their popularity is surging and their ability to incorporate cryptocurrencies, smart contracts and digital assets is making them attractive to both businesses and gamers.
At the start of 2018, the sector demonstrated its potential with the launch of CryptoKitties, a hugely popular blockchain game. Interest in these types of games has only grown since then and businesses seeking to capitalize on this trend are working hard to develop compelling products in this space.
Why They’re Popular
- Trustless transactions enabled by the blockchain.
- The ability to collect and trade digital assets.
- Provable scarcity of in-game items that grant access to exclusive features.
- Greater ownership of in-game assets.
High-profile investments by industry heavyweights range from venture capitalists such as Andreessen Horowitz, to game developers such as Ubisoft. Blockchain games remain a relatively small space, however the level of investment and growing real-world applications point to a sector that is only going to become more influential in the future.
3. Causes of Blockchain Games’ Negative Reputation
Blockchain games are relatively new and already highly controversial. They have a strong anti-mainstream sentiment, which can draw attention from gamers, but it can also be seen as a potential risk.
Underdevelopment
The majority of these games are currently in development, often crowdfunding, and many have yet to be released. Since these games are not officially released, gamers are often only able to observe what the game has to offer, such as graphics and mechanics, resulting in skepticism about its potential. Another consequence of underdevelopment is incomplete games. This can cause unwarranted frustration and disappointment, ultimately earning the game a negative rating.
Trust Issues
Due to the trust issues associated with blockchain, many gamers feel that they can be scammed or manipulated when playing these games. This lack of trust, along with the high risk involved, are factors that contribute to its poor reputation.
Lack of Interactivity
Blockchain games also tend to lack an interactive element, as players merely observe a simulation instead of actually being able to play the game. Many gamers take issue with how limiting this can be, as it prevents them from having a proper gaming experience.
High Cost
The cost of some blockchain games can be quite high, making them inaccessible to certain groups of gamers. This can be especially concerning in games where players make purchases and investments, as there is a possibility of losing money due to the high barrier to entry.
- Underdevelopment
- Trust Issues
- Lack of Interactivity
- High Cost
4. Ways Blockchain Games are Improving
Building Immersive Worlds Blockchain-based games are leveraging non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to build immersive and interactive worlds. NFTs are cryptocurrency tokens that are used to store digital assets and can be traded on a blockchain. NFTs enable game developers to create collectible items such as weapons, characters, or skins that have real-world value. This allows gamers to build cohesive and persistent in-game communities, where they are free to trade, battle, and explore.
Eliminating Fraudulent Transactions Transactions within blockchain games are secured through cryptographically-hashed transactions. This eliminates the need for a centralized administrator and allows transactions to be conducted securely, quickly, and without the need for a third-party to mediate them. It also reduces the risk of fraudulent transactions, as the transaction must be approved by the blockchain network before being completed.
Decentralized Governance Blockchain games often feature decentralized governance models, which allow users to participate in activities such as voting and creating new content for the game. This helps to ensure that the game remains fair and balanced for all players, and allows the community to self-regulate without the need for a centralized authority.
Monetization The use of blockchain technology has allowed game developers to take a more in-depth look into monetization strategies such as in-game purchases, cryptocurrency mining, and tokenized rewards. This allows gamers to monetize their in-game activities, which can offer a new revenue stream for the game developers. Other monetization strategies such as staking and ICOs are being explored as well.
5. 2023 Predictions for Blockchain Games
While the blockchain game industry is still in its infancy, there are plenty of predictions for what its future may look like in 2023. Here’s what we know so far.
1. Emergence of New Game Genres
Before long, blockchain gaming could be a leader in creating entirely new genres. Blockchain-powered games are expanding out of their crypto roots and incorporating the best attributes of other genres, such as battle-royale, puzzlers, and virtual world sandboxes. 2023 may be the year we start to see the emergence of entirely new genres.
2. More Games Based on Real-World Assets
Expect to see a lot more games being developed that use real-world assets. From real estate to music, blockchain games can allow players to own, buy, and sell their own physical or digital assets and integrate them into the gaming experience. This could introduce a whole new level of immersion, entirely separate from virtual worlds.
3. Greater Acceptance of Blockchain Gaming
As blockchain games become more popular and mainstream, we’re likely to see more people becoming interested in blockchain gaming. 2023 could be the year that blockchain games are no longer seen as a niche industry and get the attention they deserve. Sites such as Epic Games and Steam are likely to offer more titles as the industry gains momentum.
4. Blockchain Games Becoming Socially Accepted
The social stigma around playing games is likely to subside in 2023, as the public gains a better understanding of the technology behind blockchain games. People are likely to embrace blockchain gaming more as they start to understand the potential of these games, and how they can provide rewards and incentives for players.
- In-game rewards for achievements
- Greater user control over their gaming experience
- Ability to collect, buy, and sell virtual assets
- The emergence of entire new genres of gaming
This newly acquired reputation around blockchain gaming is set to make a resurgence very soon. 2023 is going to be the big year, with more and more developers taking up projects in the domain. Solana Games Lead, Thiago Piazera, is confident that blockchain gaming will once again be rewarded for its exemplary digital gaming experience, dropping its well-deserved bad reputation in the process. The digital gaming industry is eagerly awaiting the day when blockchain games will become a major necessity for digital asset management and will be at the forefront of the industry.