Predicting the next big blockchain games

Blockchain gaming is a relatively new phenomenon, but one that’s growing quickly. Wee posted a few years ago now about Ripple initiative Xpring putting $100 million into blockchain game development, and in the time since we’ve only continued to see more investment. Over that same span of time, blockchain gaming has become somewhat difficult to define. But at its core it is a new medium of gaming incorporating blockchain technology in everything from development to in-game economies.

This has the potential to be a lucrative new frontier in the gaming world, which begs the question of where exactly it’s going in the future. Part of that conversation revolves around the types of games we’ll see on blockchain systems, so we thought we’d take a stab at identifying some of the next big gaming trends in this emerging space.

AAA Games Getting in on the Trend

We all know how much big gaming studios like their microtransactions, so it isn’t hard to imagine the appeal of blockchain gaming to them. These studios are generally slow to implement major changes or new features in their established franchises, simply because of the time and cost it takes to develop AAA games (think Far Cry 6, Halo Infinite, etc.). Rather, studios often need to see a proof of concept before they will take the dip into something as (potentially) transformative as blockchain gaming. And with massive gaming marketplaces like Steam being hesitant to move forward with the blockchain concept, it might take some time yet for studios to take the leap with AAA games. Nevertheless, a future of blockchain- and crypto-infused major console games seems inevitable.

Play-to-Earn Spinoffs

Play-to-earn games give players the chance to earn tokens through gameplay, which in turn become the basis for in-game economies. Games like Heroes and Empires use their gameplay to generate new NFTs which can then be traded in for more tokens, in-game items, or even real-world money on an open marketplace. Games like these are already becoming trendy, so it likely won’t be long before some major studios and franchises are getting in on the action. While certain companies like Nintendo aren’t likely to get involved, it isn’t a stretch to imagine a hit game like Hearthstone moving toward a play-to-earn, blockchain model, especially with the wealth of fantastic artwork (and thus potential NFT material) the game boasts.

Emerging Casino Games

There is no shortage of casino games to play online, but there are still new ones popping up all the time. The most prominent example right now is probably the slot-bingo combination known as Slingo. This is actually not a new form of casino gaming, but it is one that has been resurrected of late on Gala Spins. Said platform’s Slingo offerings include a number of exciting titles based on popular entertainment (like Deal Or No Deal) and original concepts alike. These titles are meant to draw attention to Slingo as another exciting form of gaming alongside more traditional games like slots, table games, and so on. However, with casino sites often operating on the cutting edge, it’s also easy to imagine them adopting blockchain connections specifically to promote and draw attention to an emerging category like this. Whether it happens with Slingo or the next casino gaming trend to come along, the use of blockchain transactions and in-game token rewards to attract attention is something we’ll likely see in time.

Blockchain Poker

On another branch of the online poker tree, so to speak, poker has such a strong following that it warrants its own entry. Some “crypto poker” sites have already emerged, and there is clearly quite a lot of potential to infuse various forms of token prizes into games. This is also an interesting category to watch because of its general growth potential. Even though online poker isn’t fully legal in the U.S., it is being legalized and regulated slowly but surely in more states. If this trend continues, we’ll see an online poker industry on the rise, with a lot of money changing hands and all kinds of opportunity for blockchain integration.

We hope this has helped to clarify the potential of the exciting world of blockchain gaming! Please visit us again here at BitcoinerX for news and updates on all things crypto and blockchain.

Source: https://bitcoinerx.com/games/predicting-the-next-big-blockchain-games/