The play-to-earn format continues to gain momentum. Non-exchangeable tokens have a dubious reputation among computer game fans. It is worth remembering the negative reaction of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 fans to GSC Game World's desire to release NFTs - the developers had to abandon the idea. The ambiguous reputation of cryptocurrency and frequent cases of fraud hinder but do not cancel the development of GameFi on the blockchain.
The Development of GameFi on the Blockchain
In 2017, a decentralized app called CryptoKitties was released on the Ethereum platform. The game from Canadian studio Axiom Zen created unprecedented excitement in the cryptocurrency community. By the end of the year, the value of some kitties reached the €100,000 mark.
The game itself offered nothing but breeding animals. Once you got a kitten with unique characteristics, you could sell it or use it to increase your offspring. The lack of gameplay did not stop CryptoKitties from growing in popularity - by the end of 2017, there were more than 180,000 accounts.
Now the developers are offering more activities using blockchain in GameFi. Of course, they are still a long way away not only from full-fledged AAA projects but also from high-quality mobile games. Meager gameplay studios are trying to compensate for the increase in user rights and autonomy.
Thanks to NFTs, the player owns a digital item - no one has the right to take away, delete or block the token.
5 Promising Cryptocurrency Games in 2022
Here are the top 5 most promising crypto games with NFTs in 2022.
1. Meland.ai
The developers combined the gaming experience with the ability to learn on the Polygon platform. In Meland.ai, interaction with other users takes place through solving puzzles. The following activities are provided for players:
- Taking quizzes
- Buying lands to get Datamin (this asset is converted to $Meld token)
- Stacking (a variant of mining for which you only need to store coins)
- Building
- Creating quizzes
Potential earnings depend on the amount of land the user owns. Meland.ai is still under development. On 28 March there already was implemented a marketplace where users can exchange NFTs. By this point, the number of coins in stacking has reached 12 million.
2. MetaStrike
This is the first VR blockchain-based shooter. MetaStrike developers promise to add several modes:
- Zombie Mod
- Deathmatch
- Team battles
Players will have the opportunity to create their maps. There will be rewards in cryptocurrency. All equipment is presented in the form of the NFTs. Players will have to pump weapons, armor, and other items. In some modes, it will be possible to collect trophies from the killed enemies.
The project is under continuous development. The roadmap outlines plans for an open beta test in the second quarter of 2022. MetaStrike developers promise to make blockchain public for third-party studios to create their games. New modes may appear in the future.
3. Tank Battle
The game offers users to assemble a unique team of tanks to send into battle. The Tank Battle beta test was scheduled for the first quarter of 2022.
A small demo version is available on the official site, but so far the mechanics of the game resembles the simplest mobile applications. The user collects a team, and during the battle passively observes its progress.
Presented tanks have different parameters. Some models withstand a huge amount of damage, and others have low health points, but attack in the area. In the future, they promise to add PVP battles.
Tank Battle is now available to pre-register on Google Play.
4. Solice
Meta words have become a major trend not only in the cryptocurrency community but also among companies. The Solice project on the Solana blockchain offers users a journey into a three-dimensional virtual world created by its participants. The developers promise to provide a uniquely immersive experience.
In Solice, every square meter of land is represented as an NFT.
In the future, the studio plans to introduce a play-to-earn system. Valuable rewards in the form of NFTs are provided for the completion of quests and victory in the mini-games. With the built-in editor, participants will be able to create custom entertainment for the community.
5. RaceFi
Another Solana blockchain-based project offers PvE and PvP racing. RaceFi at the end of 2021 held a token sale. The developers promise to release the game no later than the second quarter of 2022. In the form of NFTs, it will feature:
- Race tracks
- Cars
- Plots of land
- Garages
On the official YouTube channel are published 2 videos. They are hard to assess the level of graphics, but I want to believe in a decent result. No promising racing games on blockchain yet.
Conclusion: GameFi Beyond Poor Gameplay
This article is not an appeal to Hackernoon readers to invest in such projects, especially at an early stage. Most users have a negative view of NFTs, and partly rightly so. The dubious startups in GameFi raise millions of dollars, and the players end up with:
- Cheesy graphics. Most projects are hard to look at without tears.
- Poor gameplay. Players are most often required to do very little.
- High entry threshold. To participate in the game you need to have NFTs, such as a character or a car.
As a result, the release version is a browser or mobile clicker with cheesy graphics and built-in cryptocurrency.