Online blockchain games are are gaining popularity. I went a bit deeper into Blockchain, DeFi and Web 3.0 gaming mechanics to find out – Is there anything new? Is there a place for NFTs? Can it be compared to traditional gaming? These topics I will try to cover – hope in!
In my previous post I mentioned that useless NFTs that are just unique can’t keep users attention too long. It was a hype and it’s gone – NFTs fell as low as rural offline merch.
Two most popular online blockchain games are Splinter Lands and Alien Worlds according to recent Footprint Analytics. These two games are roughly 33% of the total market.
Let’s check two most popular online blockchain games Splinter Lands and Alien Worlds for NFTs.
Splinter Lands is a 100% collectible card game. The machanics is as follows: you need to buy cards that are NFTs to play with them. The strongest set of cards win.
What particularly the blockchain brings into the game?
- Rarity and exclusivity. Only you own this card with this abilities as it is an NFT;
- Access to NFT marketplaces like Open Sea and Peak Monsters. You can trade your NFT cards there;
- Internal currency on BlockChain – Dark Energy Crystals (a tradable, digital currency used to buy items in the shop).
Sure they have all modern features like airdrops, prizes, collectible cards of varying rarity, card packs.
As we see the blockchain brought nothing into this game. Buy, sell, lease NFTs on very simple game mechanics. Cards are unique and so what?
Alien Worlds are more complicated. The guys tried to create something like Eve or Masters of Orion. A game about space where users can cooperate, manage planets via DAO, complete missions via buying NFTs. At the same time mine, lease land and fight.
What particularly the blockchain brings into the game?
Participate in planets life by voting.
- Participate in planets life. There are planets DAOs based on local currency -Trilium.
- Buy land, mining equipment, minions, weapons, avatars and access to missions. All these are NFTs.
- Complete missions. You need to buy an NFT to complete a mission.
I don’t see anything new. The lore in the games was always traded. The common internal gold is substituted by crypto coin – Trilium. To access the game you need to pay for the game i.e. buy NFTs.
Both these modern DeFi games can be hardly compared with top traditional multiplayer games. Gaming mechanics are about buying, selling, mining and staking. It is not about playing and enjoying the process. It is about speculating and enjoying the profit. I can say these games are closer to Forex Brokers and Crypto Exchanges with some nice pixel art added.
If you are interested in this topic – feel free to contact me. I provide consulting services for new projects.
Read more about:
NFTs fell as low as rural offline merch
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