Crypto gaming and blockchain future

Perhaps soon enough, the term “crypto-gaming” will be on everyone's lips. Even now, news about the successful symbiosis between blockchain technology and computer games is already breaking. And you can read about how to calculate crypto-tax here.

Crypto games are games in which players can own certain digital property, the authenticity and uniqueness of which is confirmed by a blockchain, and are free to exchange or sell that property, both within the game and on third-party trading platforms. To take a simple example, imagine if in Hearthstone you could sell any card you don't need and use the money to buy what you want, or take the money out of the game and spend it however you want. In addition, digital property in crypto games can not only be bought, but also obtained during the game, as various rewards. Thus, in theory, crypto games allow you to monetise the time you spend on them. Moreover you can buy Instagram followers and in future sell them the currency or share the experience.

Unfortunately, it's not all that simple. Today, crypto games are just emerging as an independent field and any project is a pioneer in its field. Developers don't yet have the relevant experience, and players are wary of becoming victims of scammers. And if we remember how it all started, we will realize that players' fears are quite valid.

There are a few key categories in which DeFi and NFT components are most effective:

  • Metaworlds. Virtual worlds where you can create your own character/avatar, buy “plots”, decorate plots and houses, get pets, participate in competitions with other users, communicate, etc. An example of this is Decentraland.
  • Fencing. The main theme is fighting in tournaments with other players. To win, you need to improve characters, skills, weapons and equipment. Themes can be different, from outer space to the Middle Ages. An example is Cryptoblades.
  • Card and collectible games. Some projects are focused on working with NFT-collectibles, for example, collecting virtual baseball cards. There are also games like Blizzard's Hearthstone, but on blockchain — such as Splinterlands. You can use the cards to play, or you can sell them as NFT rare items.

The first cryptogame appeared in late November 2017 and almost immediately blew up reddit. Unforgettable cryptokitties! People rushed to buy up digital kittens, breed them and sell them to each other. You can find quite a few stories online of fabulous prices, incredible prospects and expectations if you want to. The volume of transactions quickly topped $4 million. I think active users of the Ethereum network still remember this nightmare. The blockchain literally froze, transaction costs skyrocketed, and transactions themselves could go unexecuted for days. Fortunately, by the end of December the fuss about kittens had died down. Oddly, no scandals or courts occurred.

It's worth noting that the audience for crypto games, at the moment, is not as high as that of regular games. Mind you, the trend itself is just emerging right now, so if a game has more than 1,000 players online, it can already be called popular. At the very least, you can pay attention to it. But there are also clear leaders, games with 2500 – 3000 players a day, Steem Monsters and My Crypto Heroes. EOS-based games also have high online presence, but there is one tricky part. Before you can start playing a crypto game, you need to have an account on the blockchain on which your chosen game runs. In the case of the EOS blockchain, this is not a simple matter, and if you're just getting started with cryptogames, it's best to opt for the more beginner-friendly option.

My Crypto Heroes is free to start playing, but you'll still need some ETH cryptocurrency to play fully, and the process of exchanging fiat money for crypto is tricky. Steem Monsters is a paid game, starter kit costs $10, but you can also buy it with fiat money via paypal. In my opinion, it is the best option for beginners.

FAQ

What are cryptocurrency games?

  • Blockchain-based games that allow you to interact with tokens or NFTs and earn additional income.

What is Play-to-Earn (P2E)?

  • A gaming model in which users can earn real financial rewards for actions in the game.

What kind of cryptocurrency games can be?

  • Any genre can be found: card games, strategy games, arcade games, farms, collections.

What are the most popular blockchain games?

  • Axie Infinity, Sandbox, Decentraland. New projects often appear and are actively promoted by Binance and other major exchanges. Many companies buy Instagram followers to get a high rated position.

What are the pros and cons of crypto games?

  • Decentralized transparent structure, earning opportunities are among the pros. The minuses are insufficient elaboration of the gameplay, a lot of cheaters in the sphere, delays with high blockchain load.

What is NFT?

  • These are irreplaceable tokens — each one is unique and cannot be replaced by another. The NFT format often offers different game objects, and the value depends on the rarity of the particular item.