Shaping the Future of Gaming: Navigating the World of Fully On-Chain Games
Summary:
This article discusses the challenges and potential of fully on-chain games in the Web3 space. It underscores the frictions encountered in existing Web3 games and the importance of improving user experience. Mention is made of groundbreaking games like Axie Infinity and CryptoKitties, which, while innovative, do not fully utilize on-chain features. Additionally, the notion of “Autonomous Worlds” (AWs) is explored along with strategies for implementing this concept in future gaming. The piece concludes by highlighting the vision of on-chain gaming as an industry that encompasses decentralization, player sovereignty, and community collaboration.
The revival of Web3 after a year of reduced activity can be attributed to the influence of the gaming industry, which also serves to ensure widespread adoption. Nonetheless, the ambition to fully achieve Web3 gaming is faced with numerous obstacles, predominantly the smooth integration of on-chain features without compromising the fundamental principles of decentralization and player freedom.
For novel users, inconveniences should occur as infrequently as needed, and only at advanced stages. However, this is not the current state of most existing Web3 games. Users are forced to overcome numerous difficulties such as interfacing their wallets from the onset and confirming transactions, before actually playing the game. These roadblocks are in stark contrast to the concept of a fluid, accessible gaming world that completely on-chain gaming aims for.
Games including, but not limited to, Axie Infinity and CryptoKitties, while innovative, fall short of being completely on-chain. Completely on-chain games secure all game assets, workings, and statuses on the blockchain. This revolutionary method ensures unmatched transparency, safety, and player autonomy, fostering an entirely decentralized gaming experience where players govern and manage their digital footprint.
Creating the ultimate game mandates a workable, efficient amalgamation of on-chain features and the rich user experience of conventional games. Equating Web3 games to Web2 standards is misleading as they each possess distinct requirements, values, and scopes, albeit catering to similar audiences. Web3 games resolve long-standing problems such as hierarchical models, restricted user autonomy, and domineering gaming corporations. This can only happen by employing substitute models, procedures, and principles, rather than mimicking the results garnered in Web2.
As such, this context calls for a redefinition of common terms like, “engaging,” “seamless,” and “problem-free,” supplemented by components such as community involvement, real in-game value, and user-generated logic.
Building Web3 games mandates addressing novel challenges, preferably with innovative technologies and models that are congruent with notions of self-governance and collective administration. This involves the construction of “Autonomous Worlds” (AWs), a new idea in 2022 propounded by Ludens, founder of Lattice.xyz, to portray “a world with a blockchain foundation.”
Furthermore, contemporary games must foster and cater to the growing community of problem-aware gamers who seek actual solutions to the contentious issues inherent in traditional gaming, as opposed to mere bounty hunters and temporary profit-seekers.
Ironically, games like Axie Infinity and CryptoKitties, despite being trailblazers in blockchain gaming, were not entirely on-chain. They were experimental, niche, and predominantly crypto-centric, identifiable by their cumbersome user interfaces. Although they unlocked new paths, they did not constitute autonomous worlds either. Users had insignificant or no governance over the game's rules and orientation, only certain elements of the game states were on-chain.
Dark Forest, which emerged in 2020, was the pioneer decentralized real-time strategy game. With the use of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (zkProofs), a cryptographic protocol, it created a “fog of war” effect, leading the way in building incomplete information games on-chain.
By utilizing zkProofs, Dark Forest sustained gameplay integrity and protected player privacy on a blockchain. This method resolved the critical problem of revealing sensitive game states, which is achievable on centralized servers but quite challenging in decentralized settings. Dark Forest's solution served as a benchmark for real-time strategy gaming on the blockchain, laying out the structure for future on-chain game development.
All-inclusive on-chain games also inspire gamers to place greater importance on their on-chain gaming pursuits. Crucially, on-chain logic affords gamers a meaningful say in what is considered valid or invalid within the game-world.
Moreover, the inclusive, participatory nature of AWs inspires a stronger drive for mastery among gamers. They are more motivated to discover creative solutions to problems, design mods and plugins to set up separate economies within the game. This active involvement leads to a stronger link to the game, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork within the community.
Looking ahead, the journey towards all on-chain gaming holds many challenges but also offers immense potential. By transforming engagement, ownership, and control within the digital space, on-chain gaming promises to provide experiences that closely echo real-world interactions and relationships.
The core principles of decentralization, player supremacy, and community collaboration will lead the way, shaping the future of gaming into an inclusive, democratic and thrilling digital frontier.
Felix Xu is the co-founder and CEO of ARPA. He received Finance and Information Systems degrees from New York University, and his professional background includes venture capital investment in fintech, big data and AI startups. He also headed blockchain sector research and early-stage investment at Fosun Group, one of China's largest conglomerates.
Please note this article only offers general information and should not be regarded as legal or investment advice. The views expressed herein are the author’s personal views and may not reflect or represent those of Cointelegraph.
Published At
3/12/2024 1:57:33 AM
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