Let's be blunt. Nevertheless, the “old school” gaming community is coming out in force against Web3 gaming. This type of resistance feels familiar, like the old guard laughing off the internet as a fad during the early 90s. They only talk about the issues, fraud, and ecological issues. At the same time, they miss entirely the revolution that’s quietly emerging just under the radar. You might be holding on to nostalgia, but in the meantime, the future is getting developed right under your feet.

Pay-to-Win? Not The Real Problem

Okay, I get it. You’re afraid NFTs will make every game a money-grabbing pay-to-win dystopia. You might be imagining tech titans purchasing their contracts, crushing the competition. And ok, some Web3 games are really doing that right now. But here's the thing: pay-to-win existed long before blockchain. Loot boxes, microtransactions… these are classic gaming sins, not Web3 newcomers.

It’s not that monetization exists, it’s that players have no ownership. Traditional games are black boxes. You could spend hundreds of dollars on skins, weapons, and power-ups, and at the end of it own nothing. The day the servers go dark, or the game falls out of popularity, poof, all that investment disappears. Web3 offers an alternative: true ownership. You buy an NFT, you own it. You can sell it, you can trade it, you can use it from game to game (someday! Essentially, it’s as if you own a piece of digital art, rather than just temporarily renting some pixels.

This isn’t a question of turning gaming into a profession, it’s about allowing players to have agency. This is about understanding that your time and investment is really valuable.

Environmental Guilt Trip? Time to Evolve

The environmental argument is a convenient smokescreen. To be clear, yes, early blockchain technologies such as Bitcoin certainly were energy hogs. The story that all Web3 is bad for the environment is old news and quite honestly, lazy. Projects are in an arms race to migrate to more sustainable “proof-of-stake” systems. Ethereum, the underlying technology behind so much of the Web3 universe, already completed that transition.

Think about it: how much energy does your gaming PC consume? What’s the impact of all this e-waste with the constant churn of new consoles and graphics cards? Are you donating to offset that footprint? Probably not. Holding Web3 gaming to a higher standard while looking the other way on traditional gaming’s environmental footprint is downright hypocritical.

The environmental discussion is valid, it should be about pushing for sustainable solutions, not outright rejecting an entire technology based on outdated information.

Fun? It's Still The Point, Stupid

This is the biggest misconception of all: that Web3 gaming is only about making money. That it sacrifices fun for financial gain. Sure, some of the earliest play-to-earn games did indeed go heavy on the “earn” part. They completely dropped the ball on making that gameplay fun. That’s not the inevitable outcome of Web3.

Future of Web3 gaming isn’t substituting fun for finance. It's about augmenting it. Now, picture a game where you are able to earn real world rewards for your skill and dedication. Where your in-game achievements have real-world value. How you can help shape the game’s development and governance via decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs).

Think about the creative possibilities! Now picture these games where player-created content could easily be integrated and monetized. Where communities can self-govern and self-determine the management of their own virtual spaces. This is about empowering players, giving them a stake in the games they love, and creating new forms of interactive entertainment that we can't even imagine yet.

Consider the art world. For thousands of years, art was the exclusive province of aristocratic elites. Until the internet broke down all of those barriers to entry, giving everyone access to all art, while allowing artists to reach consumers without intermediaries. Today, NFTs have completely changed the landscape. They empower artists to monetize their work in new ways and cut out traditional gatekeepers.

The Unexpected Connection: Art and the Blockchain

Web3 gaming is on a similar trajectory. It’s time to dismantle the wall that separates developers from the people who play their games. By working together, we can support creators and create equitable, sustainable gaming ecosystems.

Look, I get it. Change is scary. New technologies are confusing. To write off Web3 gaming entirely is not only short-sighted, it’s frankly arrogant. Capture this moment or you’re going to find yourself holding on to yesterday while tomorrow is being constructed around you.

Open Your Mind, Level Up Your Thinking

So, before you write off Web3 gaming as a scam, a fad, or an environmental disaster, take a closer look. Do your research. Play some games. Get to know the innovators who are shaping this new mobility landscape.

You may find that it’s more interesting and surprising than you’d expect. You’ll discover that Web3 gaming isn’t about destroying the industry of the games you love. Rather, it’s the opportunity to tear down to create something much better! It’s about putting players first, rewarding creative innovation and creating a more open and inclusive gaming ecosystem where everybody can thrive. Quit being a Luddite and level up your paradigm.

You might just be surprised at what you find. You might just discover that Web3 gaming isn't about destroying the games you love, but about creating something even better. It's about empowering players, rewarding creativity, and building a more open and equitable gaming world for everyone. Stop being a Luddite and start leveling up your thinking.