The promise of Web3 gaming is tantalizing: true digital ownership, player-driven economies, and a future where gamers are rewarded for their passion. We’re all kind of tired of hearing about it, to be honest. At this point it seems like they’re just looking to milk more money from us players. Are we really on the path to a player-owned future, or simply speeding toward a new breed of digital landlord?
Is This Really For The Players?
The current implementation landscape is filled with red flags and alarming signs. What we’re observing are games constructed with the crypto feature, but actually improved without it. Instead of prioritizing playing experiences entwined with long-term value creation, the emphasis has been on speculative tokenomics and ephemeral NFT hype.
Think about it. How many of these “play-to-earn” games would you have played for fun? How many work like that second job, hustling for small gains that melt away with the next dip in the market? It's easy to get caught up in the potential for financial gain, but we need to ask ourselves: are we having fun? Is this actually a better gaming experience?
This is very much like the early days of the internet. Like in the last tech bubble, everybody rushed to put a new-fangled “.com” on their business model, looking for a fast buck. We need to be smarter. We need to demand more. But profit over people is a dangerous model, and that’s all that our current infrastructure fosters. I still believe in Web3’s promise, but for now, we’re speeding down a dead-end highway.
The key is shifting the power dynamic. Cryptocurrencies are capable of playing an essential role in this transition, but only if done deliberately.
| Feature | Traditional Gaming | Web3 Gaming (Current) | Web3 Gaming (Potential) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Developer | Developer (Tokenized) | Player |
| Revenue | Developer | Developer (and Early Adopters) | Player (Based on Contribution) |
| Community Role | Consumer | Investor | Co-Creator |
| Core Motivation | Fun | Profit (Often Disguised) | Fun & Meaningful Impact |
From Wall Street to Game Street
Rather than a world of pump-and-dump tone-deaf token schemes, we should use these discussions as a way to find out how crypto can genuinely empower players. Picture an actual, playable game where you truly own your in-game items—not the idea of a game, but the actual game. You can freely buy and sell them on the open market. Trade them between games or destroy them to earn a share of the game’s revenue!
This isn't just about making money. It's about having agency. It’s about having genuine investment in the games we’re passionate about. It’s not just about having more diverse representations on-screen. It’s about having a more democratic, more equitable, more fun gaming ecosystem.
Think of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations). What if players were able to vote on major game updates, balance changes, or even the direction of the narrative? Imagine if community members could have a direct hand in the game’s development—as creators, collaborators, or testers—and be compensated for their contributions. This isn't a pipe dream. It’s a limited, eminently achievable result, but it’s the kind of future I want to see in gaming.
We, the players, are the ones who have the power to develop the direction Web3 gaming should go. We need to be vocal. We need to be critical. We need to demand better.
Let's Build A Better Web3 Together
The true power of Web3 lies in the community it fosters. That’s a crucial point, because we need to keep in mind that it’s not all in the technology itself. Together we can build a gaming ecosystem that is fair and equitable, as well as a rewarding experience for all participants. When we do, we’ll be able to tap the full promise of Web3!
The other option is an ugly future. In this doomsday, profit-hungry companies and money-laundering investors have taken over gaming, reducing gamers to pawns in a profit-making scheme.
- Developers: Prioritize player empowerment over short-term profits. Build games that are genuinely fun and engaging, and use crypto to enhance the experience, not to exploit it.
- Platforms: Create marketplaces that are fair, transparent, and accessible to all players. Combat scams and rug pulls, and protect users from predatory practices.
- Players: Do your research. Don't blindly invest in every crypto game that comes along. Support developers who are prioritizing player empowerment and community building.
Which future do you want to build? The choice is ours.
The alternative? A dystopian future where gaming is dominated by greedy corporations and speculative investors, where players are reduced to mere cogs in a profit-generating machine.
Which future do you want to build? The choice is ours.
