By Evan LaMontagne, Web3 Gaming Analyst at Sarson Funds
The gaming landscape has been undergoing a revolutionary transformation, courtesy of the Web3 infrastructure. The future of gaming appears to be gravitating towards this direction. A noteworthy observation is that gamers, regardless of the allure of various financial perks, are unwilling to sacrifice the essence of their in-game experience. A testament to this is the trajectory of crypto-based games like Axie Infinity, Wolf Game, Zed Run, and DeFi Kingdoms, among others. The financial incentives often resulted in players finding loopholes, diminishing the genuine gaming enjoyment for the broader player base. Striking a harmony between a stellar gaming experience and enticing incentives is an ongoing challenge in the expansive realm of crypto-gaming.
Web3 gaming companies have been at the forefront of grappling with the challenge of appropriately incentivizing their player base. However, certain pioneers in the industry, such as ImmutableX and Gala, have successfully navigated these waters. These platforms have emerged not only as incubators for game development but also have set the standard for user experience. Upon entering their ecosystems, players are greeted with a diverse array of game genres, enriching experiences, and appealing offers, catering to a wide range of preferences.
The dynamism of these companies is evident in their continuous roll-out of games, ecosystem incentives, community-centric events, and exclusive deals for newcomers. Gala’s ecosystem is particularly noteworthy in this context. Their portfolio boasts not only exceptional games from their internal teams but also a robust set of tools that empower third-party developers to augment the platform’s offerings. This enriches the experience for both existing and potential users.
While the concept of a meticulously curated ecosystem, offering a medley of genres, isn’t novel, its effectiveness is undeniable. Legacy titans like Blizzard, Epic Games, and Steam have all embraced this model. Establishing such a diverse ecosystem has become the gold standard in the gaming world, and its perpetuation seems inevitable.
Crypto-focused approaches, such as those from ImmutableX, have added unique twists to this model. By ensuring an ultra low cost experience for gamers, and by forging collaborations with names like Polygon, Unity, VeeFriends, Illuvium, and Gods Unchained, they’ve elevated the entire experience.
The unknowable is how successful blockchain based games and NFTs will change the larger gaming industry. The future is far from clear. With the recent change of course from Gamestop and their wallet offering, we see that the wider industry is still finding its footing within the crypto sector and waiting for regulatory clarity. The choices of these previously mentioned major players do not represent the entire industry, however. Some games are focused on streamlining crypto onboarding processes, including seamless credit card integrations and custodial wallets, while others have yet to offer any crypto support. Collaboration between innovators and the established industry giants will set the stage for a future where gaming experiences and lucrative blockchain-based incentives will coexist harmoniously.
.Disclosures: Not investment advice. The Author, Sarson Funds, Inc. and its affiliated managers may hold positions in the projects mentioned.
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