Web3 gaming accounted for almost half of all blockchain transactions in 2022, according to a report from DappRadar. This demonstrates that gaming is the fastest-growing sector in the blockchain space at this point, well ahead of decentralized finance (DeFi) and nonfungible tokens (NFTs).
At the end of 2022, a survey commissioned by Coda Labs showed that 75% of game developers expect to work with Web3 games in the future. About 56% of respondents, which included industry professionals, admitted that Web3 technology would revolutionize gaming.
Nevertheless, Web3 gaming is still far from mass adoption and AAA ambitions due to multiple challenges that have to be addressed.
Challenges of Web3 gaming
Web3 gaming is growing fast, but it still has to address a few aspects to target the mainstream audience. Previously, blockchain games that implemented the play-to-earn (P2E) model made waves, but the latest bearish market and a series of token price crashes showed that they might not be as sustainable as initially thought. The next generation of Web3 games has to focus on other economic models that empower players.
The problem with P2E games is that the majority of them are not oriented toward gamers and rarely integrate fun gameplay to engage more casual players. The model puts great emphasis on making profits while ignoring the fun part.
A 2022 report released by the Blockchain Game Alliance (BGA) showed that industry professionals found poor gameplay and complex onboarding as the main challenges that hinder mass adoption.
How can Web3 games attract more players?
Web3 games are evolving, and solving current challenges will likely help them compete with traditional AAA games. Here are the five main aspects that require the most attention from developers:
- Gameplay — developers should start by creating a story that would ensure an immersive and engaging experience. The gameplay is as essential for a video game as the screenplay is for a movie. An exciting story combined with great visuals and an immersive experience can do the trick.
- Onboarding — the next generation of Web3 games should ensure that the onboarding process is intuitive and smooth. The best solution would be a unified ecosystem of games with a proprietary wallet, token, marketplace and unique account.
- Sustainable economy — game developers can explore new monetization strategies by engaging with Web3. Also, blockchain-powered economies should be fun to engage with by swapping and trading tokens and buying and selling NFTs on marketplaces.
- Player-oriented — players should have more power and control over how they play, what they can do with in-game items, and how they handle their holdings. For example, noncustodial wallets may be preferred, as they give users more control over their assets.
- Technology — ideally, Web3 games leverage proprietary or public blockchain networks that can scale, are secure and can handle transactions at a high rate.
Some developers already address the most ardent problems in Web3 gaming. One example is Neon Link, a multi-layered gaming ecosystem that highlights the unique benefits and features of Web3.
Neon Link is an all-in-one Web3 gaming ecosystem with its, digital wallet, exchange, marketplace and bridge. More importantly, it puts great emphasis on players and gameplay.
Besides offering an advanced infrastructure for Web3 gaming, Neon Link is about to launch several proprietary video games on its decentralized network, including Ascend the End, Neon Saga and Neon Punks Arcade. A representative of the developer team commented:
“We’re excited about the amount we can achieve when we have the in-house talent to build an entire Web3 gaming ecosystem, instead of just parts of it. We can’t wait until players get their hands on the Ascend the End closed alpha soon and start demonstrating the value of true AAA-gaming on-chain.”
Neon Link is targeting mainstream adoption by making the onboarding process straightforward. Users have one account and use a single digital currency type across the entire ecosystem. On top of being user-friendly, the ecosystem gives players complete control over their funds by supporting noncustodial wallets.
Neon Link games are player-oriented, have engaging and catchy gameplay and integrate interesting monetization schemes. For example, Ascend the End, a battle royale RPG offers a AAA gaming experience while rewarding players who reach the top.
It’s time for AAA Web3 gaming
By addressing its current challenges, Web3 gaming is confidently moving toward competing with traditional AAA games. This is a major achievement considering that blockchain gaming is still a nascent sector.
Previously, all the discussions about blockchain games focused on numbers, investment milestones and economic models. Today, we can observe a significant shift in the gaming experience and the quality of the gameplay and visuals. It is clear that Web3 games are serious about reaching the AAA level to ensure mainstream adoption.
