Remember the loot box craze? Think back to when you spent actual, hard-earned dollars for a chance to win something really cool in a game. Then voíla, you just created a virtual mountain of digital trash! Welcome to the gaming industry in 2023 – a rigged casino masked as recreation. Meanwhile, the huge corporations combine to earn billions every year, and the little guys — the players — are treated like ATMs. What if I told you that there’s a simple way to turn that narrative on its head. Blockchain changes everything.
Real Ownership For Gamers Now
Picture a world where you own your Call of Duty skins rather than merely continuing to rent them from Activision. Picture being able to sell that unique sword you discovered in World of Warcraft for real-world money, rather than just in-game currency. That's the promise of NFTs. And they provide you with real ownership over your digital goods.
I think back to when I first listened to Lindiwe, a young South African woman, recount the story of how Axie Infinity had completely transformed her life. She went from barely being able to afford rent to pulling in six figures all playing a game. Indeed, Axie has had its share of peaks and valleys. Its central premise is indeed groundbreaking: players can finally make real money for their time and skill. Consider the impact on the developing world, on gamers who love their craft the same way you do. This is more than just gaming for the sake of gaming; it’s about economic empowerment. The old model extracts value from gamers. The new model rewards them.
DAOs: Players Control the Game?
Sick of seeing developers completely nerf your favorite character out of a game altogether? Imagine if you could affect the development of the game—change the course of the entire project. That's where DAOs come in. With Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, players can have a bigger say in the governance of games.
Forget endless forum arguments that go nowhere. Now, picture voting on those proposed changes, directly impacting the game’s roadmap. Imagine the possibilities… It’s a digital democracy for games, returning control out of corporate boardrooms and back to the community. At the same time, this is a massive change and should lead to the games we play being much more community-focused and reactive. A video game studio will have to pay attention to its playerbase, or be ousted by a new upstart studio that can.
Fairer Revenue For Game Makers
The modern video gaming landscape is a medieval-style feudal system. Only a few large publishers control most of the industry. In the meantime, developers grind away as serfs, fighting for a small sliver of the proceeds. Blockchain can change that.
By removing the gatekeepers – the large publishers – blockchain enables more equitable distribution of revenue. Picture this … We’re building a world where indie developers can reach their players directly. And they can fund their games via crowdfunding and disclose the revenue sharing model! This isn’t simply a matter of raising more funds, it’s a means to encourage creativity and innovation. Allowing smaller developers greater freedom to experiment and take risks can yield more diverse, distinctive, and ultimately interesting games.
Transparency: No More Hidden Tricks
Have you ever played a game that you felt was screwing you over? Like the odds are stacked against you? With blockchain, it’s harder to do that completely.
Every purchase, every payment, every interaction is permanently etched on a public blockchain. This added transparency can be crucial in preventing fraud and promoting fair gameplay. No more hidden algorithms manipulating the odds. No more shady practices by developers. Blockchain brings accountability to the gaming world. Imagine you have a referee that can’t be bought off.
Small Devs Get a Shot Now
Breaking into the gaming industry is tough. You need funding, marketing, and connections. Blockchain can level the playing field.
Despite the challenges developing for these platforms can bring, NFTs and decentralized distribution platforms could reduce the barriers to entry for smaller developers. Because of these factors, they’re able to develop and distribute their games without the need for traditional publishers, allowing them to pocket a bigger cut of the profit. This enables a broad range of innovation and creative diversity within the gaming industry. Imagine a world where anyone with a good idea can create a game and find an audience, without needing to go through the gatekeepers.
The gaming industry was history’s most ripe for disruption. The environment has been controlled by the same handful of big players for much too long. Blockchain gaming presents a unique opportunity to build a more inclusive, rewarding, and enjoyable gaming environment. Take the plunge into blockchain gaming and see what’s possible. Fund the initiatives that are forward and keep these values and jump on the band wagon revolution! The future of gaming truly is decentralized, and it’s here today. Don't get left behind.
