Blockchain gaming has grown over the years, but only a few companies are household brands in the crypto gaming industry. However, the great majority of companies now functioning in this industry are blockchain startups that are independently run and whose primary objective was to first bring together the realms of gaming and cryptocurrency.
These companies have created many video games over the last several years, most of which have been commercially viable and critically acclaimed. In fact, the blockchain gaming space has grown a lot since last year. According to CoinDesk, the number of "active" blockchain games doubled to almost 400 in the past year.
In addition, a number of these companies have been active participants in the gaming industry for an extended period, suggesting that they will provide financial resources, talented people, and important influence to the sector. Therefore, to guarantee everything that's going on, it's a given that the crypto gaming business will continue to flourish rapidly for the foreseeable future.
Triple A Crypto Gaming is growing
Most of the time, cryptocurrency games' visuals and gameplay are not regarded as among the best in their respective industries. For instance, video games such as Axie Infinity include cartoon-like graphics with a gameplay style that has been dubbed "boring" by some gamers. Players are lured to the game primarily to make money via the play-to-earn system, which is one of the game's key selling points. However, suppose we want to see a genuine boom in the popularity of cryptocurrency gaming. In that case, it is vital to see the application of the same concepts from traditional gaming to the arena of blockchain gaming.
Instead of making the experience of playing a game monotonous by emphasizing the game's native token, game designers should make the pleasure of the game's participants their major concern while developing the game. We have already seen some games in the works, such as Illuvium, The Sandbox, and Big Time in the works, but in order for the crypto gaming industry to thrive, we will need to see more titles like these games in the future.
Arker, a running blockchain game, announced the launch of its final 2D full redesign version of its flagship gaming title, Arker: The Legend of Ohm. The latest development follows a year of innovation and improvements in the game, with Arker witnessing growth in the team, marketing, and partner campaigns.
Arker also unveiled one of its major developments, the long-awaited 3D version with Triple-A graphics and built on the Unreal Engine 5, which will launch in alpha later in the year, possibly in Q4 2022.
The latest developments on Arker: The Legend of Ohm will welcome gamers and users to a fully-fledged, playable alpha of the 3D metaverse, allowing them to discover the battles and gameplay of the reign of Ohm. The Arker team is currently completing “the implementation of all the HUD and the system of fights against the enemies that appear in the open world of Ohm,” the statement from the team reads.
Arker is an online blockchain game that stars the main player, alongside their pet, in a quest to regain control of their land, the Kingdom of Ohm. The game includes a fantasy metaverse where gamers have limitless options in the gameplay.
For example, players select their own champions and customize them in any way they like. In addition, battles occur in Player-vs-Environment (PvE) and Player-vs-Player (PvP) setting
According to the team, the launch of the 3D version is just an extension of the 2D version, as they promise to keep working and maintaining the latter version.
“We have to emphasize the point that we are not neglecting the current 2D version or the progress of the players in it,” the statement reads. “We also have to make clear that the 3D version we are working on for this year is an alpha version, in which the game will be tested in a controlled way.”
The launch of the 3D version will allow cross-play across blockchains, allowing all types of players, no matter which platform they are using, to play the online multiplayer game. Furthermore, all current players will be able to use their account in the 2D game to follow their progress in the 3D world and vice versa, so that they will not lose anything of what they have achieved so far, enjoying all their items in both versions.
The 3D version will also introduce more content, quests, and minigames within the ecosystem. The new version will also allow players to visit the landmarks of the city of Ohm, enter the buildings, or in the future, acquire lands where they can create their own business. Players can also earn passive income from the game by playing in the Arker metaverse. The game pays out its tokens which can then be traded on exchanges or used for in-game purchases and utilities.
The game has already attracted big players in the industry in their quest to create a global gaming title for the players. As one of the first blockchain-based games to land on Nintendo Switch, the Arker team promises more partnerships and developments in the near future to “bring the game to the maximum number of possible platforms,” the statement adds.
Play-to-Earn Gaming is on the rise
The phrase "play-to-earn" refers to the fact that certain gaming outcomes, such as reaching the top of the leaderboards or winning tournaments, may result in monetary rewards for the players.
Players may now gain in-game objects that have value in the real world. This allows players to earn back some of the funds they invested in the game or perhaps earn a profit if they trade or sell the items on the secondary market. It is reasonable to assume that everyone is ecstatic about the possibility of having fun and making money at the same time.
The use of blockchain technology is hastening the spread of the play-to-earn model, a novel idea in the gaming industry. In the past, gamers could pay for their gaming experience in various ways, including a one-time payment or freemium models with in-game purchases. In addition, it didn't cost players anything to operate the games they were playing. However, the advent of the blockchain-based play-to-earn model has changed that. For example, high gas fees can make it cumbersome for players to buy, transfer and trade in-game NFT assets for some games.
In what ways are these fees being tackled in the crypto gaming space? Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) solutions are a viable answer to this problem. Since transactions on Layer 2 blockchains can be executed for pennies, these games don't have to charge exorbitant fees for players to participate.
The play-to-earn model is still an emerging sector in the blockchain gaming ecosystem. Still, the video game business only experiences radical shifts every decade, so watching its evolution will be intriguing.
Looking forward
The designers of crypto games still have work to do in order to make the games more engaging, but the goals of blockchain games shouldn't be limited to collecting virtual items. Participating in things that might heighten one's perception of one's coolness is often something people are interested in doing.
They get a buzz whenever they can show skeptics and themselves that they were incorrect and come out on top, whether in a competition or when presented with a situation that seems impossible. In addition, they want to witness scenes that are fast-paced and have interesting stories. Since blockchain games do not yet include these components, there is space for development and extension.
The creators of blockchains need to discover answers to problems like scalability challenges, high transaction fees, and excessive energy utilization. Fewer people will be interested in blockchain gaming if anything like that happens.