Play-and-earn is the secret adopted by mainstream NFT games

Since 2017, dozens of projects have created the use of blockchain and Non-fungible token (NFT) Technology. The overall vision is encouraging and also attracts a solid fan and investor base. However, the industry is still in its infancy, and we still have a long way to go to achieve mainstream adoption.

There are various obstacles on the road to this promised land. Some of the main obstacles are that NFT games rely too much on their money-making features as a selling point, and lag behind traditional games in terms of attracting game mechanics. But it will not always be like this.

related: How the NFT market uses blockchain technology to achieve explosive growth

The current state of NFT games

To understand NFT games, we must first understand NFT. NFT stands for Digital Project It is indivisible, scarce and unique.Recently they have almost inevitably appeared in the news because of various artists and celebrities Have been issuing and selling them As a rare collectible. While this does take advantage of one of the inherent use cases of this technology, this is just the beginning.

It is possible for video games to adopt NFTs and make them the main cornerstone of their economy, which may give players considerable power, because in-game purchases will truly be “owned”. As NFTs, these items can be resold, lent, transferred out of the game on the secondary market, and basically become a tangible investment. Developers can get more ideas. For example, projects can be divided, pooled into an index fund, exist in multiple games, change every time they trade, and so on.

related: The art of reimagining: NFT is changing the collectibles market

Some things went wrong in the game

An important problem with many currently offered blockchain games is that they are created and promoted as blockchain games, not a great game where the blockchain is just one element. The company focuses on ownership, tradability, and money making, inserting basic game mechanics into visual effects composed of assets or pixel art from the Unity Asset Store. It may appeal to those interested in making money, but many gamers return to their mainstream games at first glance.

It’s not just that blockchain game developers failed to win gamers. These titles are often inherently unsustainable. Think about it: If the main attraction is the possibility of making money, then these platforms will naturally attract those who want to make money, rather than other aspects of the game. This means that their only goal is to get as much value from the platform as possible while contributing as little as possible. We are talking about trading and gambling games, not traditional “AAA” games.

related: NFT makes it possible for gamers to own digital property rights

Under this system, the more experienced players are often the ones who profit from the new players, and the players who are “not good at” making money will leave the ecosystem. Since there is no real gameplay, the traffic of new players who are interested will quickly dry up. Once the value of local assets or currencies depreciates as a result of this process, the original exploiters will almost certainly switch to some new games, where they can do so again, making the previous game a relative ghost town. If we are to see broader interest or important developer support, these game models need to change.

Disruptor

We have identified some of the possibilities that decentralized technology can provide, but as shown in the figure, this does not always translate into a great product. Several obstacles still need to be overcome. On the one hand, game developers targeting mainstream audiences need to find ways to convey the benefits of blockchain in their games, rather than using it as their main selling point. They need to figure out how the true ownership of the assets in the game enhances the actual gameplay. Any emphasis on playing games for the purpose of making money is risky, even if it is technically correct, because it attracts the wrong audience and is considered a gimmick or unsustainable.

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Similarly, developers need to find a solid balance between NFT assets and traditional in-game assets.no everything Must be NFT or cryptocurrency. Making every item tradable and purchaseable brings real risks and only exacerbates the problem of the “pay to win” model that plagues too many modern games. Users with sufficient resources may skip important game elements, and unfortunate players will be completely defeated, thereby weakening the experience of both.

It’s up to developers to find a balance, but having projects with different levels—some on the chain and some off—can help solve this problem. Perhaps high-level NFTs can be publicly traded, but only high-level actors who are engaged in work can actually use them. There are many possible solutions, but it is quite possible that a certain level of skill is required here to maintain a good balance between the game and the evolving market.

Finally, the way game players interact with blockchain projects is not yet intuitive and seamless. Currently, many decentralized platforms still require some education to use them correctly, but this is too frictional for most gamers. If the user buys, sells, or transfers anything, the process needs to be reliable, fast, and with as few clicks as possible. This is already the type of interface that gamers expect, so ideally blockchain shouldn’t get in the way.

Earn while playing instead of earning while playing

This leads me to my last point, but also the most important point. Tomorrow’s NFT games need to be fun. The user needs to say, “Honestly, I will play it anyway, but the fact that I own what I earn makes it better!” When there are already so many entertainment options, anything less than this reaction Any actions will make it difficult to retain players. Providing gamers with the opportunity to make money while doing their favorite leisure activities is the real selling point here—not a digital substitute for daily work.

The fact is, NFT games are easy. In fact, we are just waiting for more developers to crack the correct formula. This is not an easy task. Creating high-quality games requires an experienced team, funds, and a lot of time, and most AAA studios may be afraid to introduce NFT into their games because they are worried that consumers will strongly object. However, once it happens, we will see a major shift in the industry to NFT games, even in the largest franchises.

Admittedly, not every game requires NFT, but one day blockchain functionality may be as common for games as Internet connectivity has become commonplace in the past 20 years. Developers just need to make sure that these games are at least as interesting as the games players love now, or even better.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading action involves risks, and readers should research on their own when making a decision.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are only those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.