Folks have thrown out this term for a long time. It’s frequently accompanied by a vision filled with depictions of unwieldy user interfaces, exorbitant gas fees and a general aura of exclusivity. What if it didn’t have to be like that? Imagine what it would look like if web3 gaming was inclusive and accessible to all, not just the crypto–supported one percent.
That’s the existential question Delabs is asking with its imminent launch of Ragnarok Libre and the associated $DELABS token. And to be honest, that’s a question it will be critical to watch.
Accessibility: Gaming for the Masses?
Delabs' bet isn't on hardcore blockchain enthusiasts. It's on you. It’s up to your mom, your neighbor, the person behind you in line at the coffee shop. Why? The latter, because they’re integrating directly into the messaging apps that people are already using – Telegram and LINE. Think about it. No more forcing users to navigate complicated crypto wallets or learn a whole new ecosystem just to play a game. Lowering the barrier to entry is critical.
This isn't just about convenience. It's about inclusion. Just how many future gaming superstars have we lost to the web3’s technical barriers? With the multiverse of opportunities present everywhere, Delabs is now concentrating on the tried and true platforms to lure a whole new audience. This reaches those who might have never considered themselves “web3 gamers.”
Remember the early days of the internet? It was clunky, confusing, and largely inaccessible. Then user-friendly interfaces, then faster connections—and boom, everybody was online. Delabs’ strategy might be just that – the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back, tipping the balance toward the mainstream.
Empowerment: A Voice for the Players?
The $DELABS token isn't just another cryptocurrency. It's a key that unlocks a potentially revolutionary concept: player governance. Picture this—having real influence on the creation of a video game you’re passionate about. Picture this—you’re given the chance to vote on new features, balance changes, even the overall direction of the game.
This is the promise of decentralized governance. And although it’s early days yet, the possibilities are vast. Now, rather than just being consumers of the product, players instantly become active participants in the process, stakeholders in the game’s success. In doing so, they help create the game’s ecosystem and can be rewarded for their labor. That's a powerful incentive.
Think of it like this: You're not just playing Ragnarok Libre; you're helping to build it. You’re not just a customer base, you’re part of a community. That feeling of ownership can be the most powerful motivator.
We have to be realistic. And if so, will it result in concrete empowerment to players in meaningful ways? Or will it simply concentrate power in the hands of those who hold the most tokens – the dreaded "whales?" This is a fair and reasonable concern, and an important one that Delabs needs to budget for and address head on.
Fair token distribution is paramount. We need mechanisms to ensure that a handful of people don’t completely control the governance of the game. Community-driven solutions, like voting mechanisms that reward engaged constituencies, can go a long way towards creating a more fair playing field. The future success of $DELABS will depend on whether it delivers a genuinely democratic and equitable gaming ecosystem.
Reality: Can We Build a Better Future?
Delabs’ pivot, powered by the insights gained from the trenches of web3 gaming, is an audacious one. Having been surprised by the success of Boxing Star X, it shows what might be. This is an important time to remember that this is an incredibly new space. There are no guarantees.
Turning attention to an overarching “token utility first” approach is brilliant. Releasing the $DELABS token concurrently with Ragnarok Libre means we can give it immediate utility and value inside the game’s economy. Their integration of ZENY, tradeable via $DELABS, deepens the complexity of the game’s asset marketplace.
A thick, multi-layered, open economy can be a double-edged sword. It has potential to open up new concurrent gaming experiences where players can earn and freely trade in-game assets. Yet sprawling tax avoidance not only causes harmful effects like inflation, it promotes malfeasance and market manipulation, ultimately creating more economic imbalances. In order for Gravitas to live on indefinitely, Delabs must continue to tune and control the game’s economy.
Delabs’ vision for where gaming is headed next is pretty incredible. It’s all about blending crypto, AI, deep IP like Ragnarok and lived experience gameplay — or what they call their four core pillars. From their “nimble, experimental, and web-native” approach, it’s clear they’re ready to pivot and iterate as new use cases or web3 challenges emerge.
The success of Ragnarok Libre, and by extension the $DELABS token, depends on Delabs’ expertise. To do this, they must design an entertaining, educational, inclusive and captivating gamer experience. It’s not enough to just add a token on to a game that already exists and say that it’s “web3.” You need to foster a real community, give your players the tools and motivation to create, and design a robust economic ecosystem that rewards all participants. If Delabs is able to execute on that, they very well could be the key that unlocks web3 gaming for the masses.
Let's hope they do. The reason is that with the right execution, there is so much room to make this an utterly ground-breaking gaming experience. And that's something worth fighting for.
