A lot of new games and Roadmaps of blockchain games were announced in July.
Have you been able to catch up them?
Blockchain gaming world is changing too fast. Honestly, you may be tough. So in this article, I introduce the latest trends based on a map focusing on topicality games and projects.
Contents
dApps Games (Blockchain games)
- Focus on on-chain：Using blockchain for assets of the game. Using Smart Contract as well.
- Existing game x Blockchain assets：Tokenizing only assets. Other systems are off-chain.
- Existing game x Cryptocurrency：Using cryptocurrency as a currency in the game and trading items.
- On/Off Hybrid: Game assets have both used blockchain and not.
Focus on on-chain→Side chain with scaling
Etheremon, AXIE and ETH.TOWN are popular in Japan. In above all game, characters are on blockchain and game system is operated with a smart contract using blockchain. (Now, rank match of Etheremon is in off-chain.)
We couldn’t play for a while in middle July because of soaring gas price by trading mining of Fcoin. All three games implements some kind of scaling solution. Etheremon announced that they will use ‘Zilliqa’ project related to sharding that distributes processing of transactions. AXIE and ETH.TOWN also announced that they will use the side-chain project ‘LOOM Network’.
If these are implemented to above games, they can achieve comfortable play with the features as a blockchain game.
Existing game x Blockchain assets
This type is a genre that taking advantages of existing and blockchain game.
The part related to gameplay is operated off-chain. And the essential part (e.g. characters, monsters and so on) is used blockchain. Above method can keep comfortable gaming play and attribute ownership of blockchain assets to players.
“CrypticConjure” and “9 LIVES” correspond to this type.
The response was better than other games when I uploaded related articles. I can see that every gamer want to play a fun game while expecting a feature of blockchain gaming.
Token utilization game
You can use cryptocurrencies (token) to buy something and get by reward in this type game. The gaming system is based on an existing game.
Recently, the information of this type is not much. Related game I introduce in this article is “NovaBritz” and “Beyond the Void”, so it’s a little old information. This type, not using blockchain for assets, seems not to be attractive as it takes more process to change cash to cryptocurrency.
On-chain/Off-chain Hybrid
I expect this type dApps game individually. We can play both of using and non-using blockchain assets.
‘Contract Servant’ and ‘My Crypto Heros’ are announced as this hybrid type game by Japanese developers. One of the challenges of blockchain gaming is that the number of player is significantly small. Of course, there is awareness problem, but the necessity of cryptocurrency raises the bar for new entries.
We can design a game as like that ‘The tutorial part is off-chain asset → the main part is on-chain’, ‘The level cap of the off-chain asset is XX, those who want to play beyond the cap need on-chain assets’. I expect that type will extend the entry of new players.
Non-dApps Game（Related cryptocurrency）
This type of game provides cryptocurrency to you.
The base system is similar to existing games and rewards cryptocurrency, or you do Mining by your PC resource for items in the game or paying playing fee. ‘CryptoChips’ of GMO is used for a game rewards Bitcoins, ‘HecatonCave’ of Smile Maker is used for a game providing mining system.
CryptoChips is announced to be implemented in ‘Whimsical War’. It is scheduled to be able to receive cryptocurrency as a playing reward from this August. Any game implementing HecatonCave is not announced yet.
- Becoming a Platform from a game
- Constructing a platform by jointing with a game
- Linking an existing game with a blockchain
- A platform with development elements such as SDK
- A Marketplace of a blockchain
Becoming a Platform from a game
Some of the blockchain games have functions not only games but also as platforms.
CryptoKitties which is an origin of dApps announced a new platform ‘Kitties Verse’. Kitties Verse is a third party development platform. A developer using Kitties Verse can get supports from organization of CryptoKitties. This is the first movement that one game is becoming a platform. I think that this can be done because CryptoKitties has established a firm position.
On the other hand, ETH.TOWN is a game having an assumption of becoming a platform from the beginning. ETH.TOWN schedules launch in August. This platform has a possibility to expand in case of other games join to ETH.TOWN. MMO games also have some platform function, but I’ve seen many cases that the development term is too long to success. Because of ETH.TOWN collects small contents in one place like an amusement arcade, I think Ethatown is going well.
Constructing a platform by jointing with a game
BitGuild is a platform having own marketplace. Players can play games with chatting.
Players can play EtherOnline and Magic Academy now. In the near future, ETH.TOWN and Axie will be added in this platform. There is “PLAT” as a unique token, but since this currency is not listed yet, it can be exchanged only ETH to PLAT. (Not PLAT to ETH)
Fair.Game has their own games, additionally, they ties-up ‘Everdoragons’ and ‘CryptoSpaceX’ and so on. They intend to implement their unique token ‘FAIR’. Once the marketplace is created, players will be able to trade across the games using this FAIR. Although Ethereum also can be used for buying and selling, FAIR will have a dividend function in the future. This system will be an incentive that player wants to use FAIR.
Linking an existing game with a blockchain
It is hard to develop a blockchain game from scratch. Also, there are a hurdle in obtaining cryptocurrency for users. I introduce a platform aiming to build an economy by putting existing games on a blockchain.
‘Bryllite Platform’ is a project of Hanbit as known as Korean developer of Granado espada. Players can earn money by trading in a game by placing assets of online-game on the blockchain.
WAX is a token developed by Marketplace called OpenSkins. You can trade existing digital assets by using WAX token. Since OpenSkins has many FPS users, it has a possibility to build a huge token economy.
A platform supporting to developers
ENJIN, which is famous for ERC1155 having an ability to send several tokens all at once, is also a platform of development and has an own token ENJ. ENJIN has the wallet as well and will implement marketplace. Furthermore, it is decided to install the blockchain asset as a plug-in to Minecraft. I introduce it as a development platform, but actually, it is an ecosystem operating everything. Creating a game with ENJIN and players enjoy it. There is a potential for building a big economy. ‘War of Crypto’ and ‘9LIVES’ are being developed based on ENJIN. They are receiving a lot of attention.
Nebulas is a search platform of the blockchain. Blockchain contents with a high rating of Nebulas will be displayed at the top. This is similar to google algorism. Nebulas has a rewards system for dapps developer additionally. The key feature is that Nebulas announced the partnership with cocos game development application platform. If Nebulas prepare their infrastructure, existing programmers may be able to easily create dapps.
A Marketplace of crypto asset
In blockchain game, there is in case official marketplace, but third-party marketplace is also active.
Opensea is the most famous one as a marketplace of blockchain assets. The usability is steadily improving by development progressing. Currently, ETH is traded in Opensea, but they may develop their unique token as looking at the trends of other platforms.
Atomic Bazaar is another marketplace that you can trade with blockchain assets and cryptocurrency together. The trade system is useful. For instance, you can offer like a ‘How about with Blockchain assets + 0.1 ETH?’.
However, Opensea has offering system as well. When OpenSea will implement similar specifications, Atomic Bazaar will lose because of the users’ number, I think. The impression of blockchain assets marketplace is that Opensea is the strongest at the moment.
The perspective of blockchain gaming world
I explained a summary of latest blockchain gaming world.
In the viewpoint of the gaming side, a pure blockchain game that uses of scaling solutions such as side chains and a hybrid type that incorporates existing games are expected.
Honestly, I have no idea what the platform will win, but I must pay attention to ENJIN.