Dubai, UAE, 26th June 2024, Recently, the integration of blockchain, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and related technologies into gaming has sparked an innovative trend in the evolution of this thriving industry. The decentralized and open nature of blockchain technology has the potential to fundamentally transform traditional gaming models, encouraging new forms of ownership, monetization, and player engagement. So, what are these changes exactly? And what benefits do they bring to both developers and communities?
Defining Crypto Influence
When discussing the intersection of crypto and gaming, there are two main development directions. First, it can transform existing games, enabling developers to tokenize in-game assets, introduce new crypto-based rewards, or create other enhancements with the use of blockchain or tokens. Second, it opens a whole new world of games initially made with crypto.
Currently, such crypto games are typically play-to-earn games that are quite simplistic in design and logic. Since these games’ rewards hold genuine real-world value and, for example, can be exchanged on the secondary market, the play-to-earn model bridges the gap between playing for fun and gaining profit. This change can significantly affect the industry, changing players’ attitudes, playing behaviors, and the outlook of many investors who might have underestimated this market beforehand.
Positive Impact
Ever since the formation of the crypto realm, the gaming industry has become significantly more enthralling. Crypto is ushering game developers into a new development era, making an impact in multiple ways. Possibly the most discussed innovation made possible with crypto in-game asset ownership. Typically, companies owning games own all the components, including in-game assets that users may buy with real money. Such assets were often useless outside the game setting and thus had minimal real-world value. This approach has drawbacks for both users and developers. Users lack ownership rights and control over in-game items, while developers are unable to intervene in trading markets. Tokenizing items as NFTs can offer advantages by allowing organized and secure purchasing, selling, and exchanging on specialized platforms.
Additionally, tokenization can promote compatibility and connectivity between various games, facilitating the use of in-game assets across games and thereby contributing to the development of more vibrant and flexible gaming ecosystems.
The second significant impact of crypto on gaming is also linked to communities of players and their involvement in games. Blockchain technology enables players to interact with games and their developers in a new, more interconnected manner. Moreover, it makes such collaborations possible in real time, thus having the power to alter how games are developed. Ultimately, this can make gamers feel more connected and involved in the game and its world.
The third noticeable impact is enhanced security. Through the use of blockchain’s decentralized ledger and smart contract capabilities, gaming platforms can provide increased transparency and security, mitigating, for example, some risks connected to stealing data or fraud. Additionally, blockchain-based games and platforms can enable the establishment of decentralized economies governed by smart contracts and community agreements, which opens a new world of possibilities for creating immersive universes that are not feasible now.
Discussing The Future
The current market is flooded with basic and unoriginal crypto games that offer little to players. The lack of sophistication and attention to detail, along with the substantial number of scam-like projects, characteristics in many modern blockchain games, are the primary reasons why traditional gamers have not embraced crypto alternatives and why many industry professionals view crypto with skepticism and doubt regarding its capabilities.
Thankfully, the crypto industry increasingly acknowledges the need to optimize and enhance these games to ensure the success of this new phase of gaming development. Simply relying on the crypto element is not enough to sustain long-term interest. The same cautious approach applies to investors evaluating opportunities in new technologies. Therefore, developers are expected to focus on the quality of crypto games to attract a wider audience of players accustomed to more refined games. This also pertains to established gaming companies that are beginning to realize the high prospects of blockchain games and are considering market testing.
Conclusion
The merging of cryptocurrency and gaming signifies a notable change in the gaming sector, given that blockchain technology offers capabilities for improved ownership of assets and their exchange, compatibility between games, the creation of more immersive and extensive universes, and an emphasis on the gaming community’s involvement. As blockchain-powered gaming platforms continue to progress and improve, and with established gaming companies showing interest in this technology, the rise of more innovative, empowering, and inclusive games is highly anticipated by many.
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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Funds Spectrum journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.