Gm Tigers, 2023 is going to be a huge year for Web3 gaming, and to demonstrate that to y'all, we called three of the best games from the Polygon ecosystem. Unlike their predecessors, these games rely on awesome gaming experiences to attract players and focus on creating sustainable in-game economies. Listening to the full conversation will be enough to fill you with optimism for Web3 gaming; however, don’t worry if you missed it; we've got the best insights from the conversation right here.
But first up, introductions:
The Fabled: The Fabled is a souls-like RPG that incorporates blockchain technology and rewards players for their skill and dedication. It has been in development for 4 years and recently unveiled an alpha demo that can be accessed through the game's website or OpenSea.
Infinite Drive: Infinite Drive is a real-driving simulator game built for mobile devices. The race tracks in the game are based on real-life tracks. On top of that, they are partnering with some of the biggest real-world car manufacturers to bring the digital versions of some of the best cars to their game.
Shatterpoint: Shatterpoint is a free-to-play game that has been in secret development for a year and is set to release an alpha demo next week. It takes inspiration from Diablo III and Rick and Morty and features avatars exploring a sci-fi world and fighting monsters in the Shatterverse.
Why The Fabled and Infinite Drive chose Polygon
The Fabled uses blockchain technology to turn the real pseudo-economy of its game into a real one. The developers originally planned to build on the Ethereum network, but they switched to Polygon due to the high cost of transactions on the former. Polygon's low transaction fees helps to remove a barrier for players that can’t afford to invest thousands of dollars in a game. Aside from being cost efficient Polygon also has a budding Web3 gaming ecosystem and an awesome business dev team helping emerging projects on the blockchain. Infinite Drive tells us that they chose to build on Polygon due to the blockchain's already established web3 gaming ecosystem and its commitment to being carbon neutral.
Shatterpoint's gameplay mechanics
As we mentioned above, Shatterpoint takes inspiration from popular games like Diablo III and the animated series Rick and Morty to create a unique sci-fi world. One of the most interesting aspects of Shatterpoint is its lore and how the developers have managed to integrate Web3 technology into it so seamlessly. The builders of Shatterpoint have also given immense focus to making the onboarding process for the players as simple as possible. The game automatically creates a custodial wallet for you as you sign in; this way, players are saved from signing transactions every time they take an action in the game. Also, it's a free-to-play title, just so you know.
Challenges of building web-based games
One of the biggest challenges for web3 games is choosing the right blockchain to build on. In addition to the high cost of transactions on Ethereum, web3 games must also consider the scalability and sustainability of the blockchain. Another challenge is attracting Web2 gamers, who may be hesitant to try out new technologies like NFTs. To attract these players, it is important for web3 games to prioritize creating a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
importance of creating a fun game
Ultimately, the most important aspect of a game is that it is enjoyable for the players. This is obvious to most of us, but for some strange reason, Web3 developers ignored this fact for a long time. The general consensus, it appears, is that if we give players enough financial incentives to interact with the game, they won’t give a damn about gameplay. But they forgot that open economies cannot be controlled and financial incentives may not always be there. That is exactly what we saw in the last year as the profits of playing a game dried up and players left almost immediately. Compare that with a classic like RDR2 or the GTA series that gamers have played for years. Our opinion is that the incorporation of Web3 technology should not be the main focus of the game, but rather a means to enhance the player experience. To make the transition to web-based gaming as seamless as possible for web-based gamers, it is important to minimize the intrusiveness of the technology and make it as easy to use as possible.
The need for flexibility and sustainability Web3 game economies
As with any game, a web3 game's economy must be sustainable in order for it to thrive. However, as we discussed above, the market is not under the control of the developers. which means they need to be extremely flexible and have the ability to pivot fast if things take a turn for the worse. While there’s immense utility in providing digital ownership of in-game assets to players, the addition of blockchain technology brings its own challenges. It is important for developers to factor in these challenges while designing their game's economy.
In Closing
This is what starting the year with a bang feels like. What an insightful Twitter Spaces session this was. The narrative has changed in the industry, folks, and the insiders have learned their lessons. The coming years will bring us amazing games and opportunities, so stay tuned to Tegro to be the first to know about them. Until next time!
