Blockchain technology has been a major game-changer for the gaming industry. It has enabled developers to create games that are more secure, transparent, and immutable than ever before. This guide will provide an in-depth look at blockchain game development and its numerous benefits. We’ll explore the use cases of blockchain technology, the different types of blockchain games available, and how developers can leverage the power of this revolutionary technology to create innovative games that offer players unprecedented levels of security and trustworthiness.
What is Blockchain Game Development and How Does It Work?
Developing games on blockchain is often referred to as ‘Web3’. On the other hand, traditional games are categorised as ‘Web2’. Blockchain games stand out with their transparency and decentralisation. Software developers who have mastered a specific programming language execute the coding through smart contracts. Blockchain game development requires great effort. The prepared games need to be integrated into the relevant blockchain. For example, a blockchain software developer who develops a three-dimensional card game develops the game’s interactions and reward mechanism with smart contracts. Blockchain game development consists of the following processes:
Decentralisation: The games developed are managed through organisations called DAOs, rather than a single central authority. The decentralised gaming platform allows players to gain real ownership over in-game assets.
NFTs: Assets used in the game (such as swords, shields, characters) are processed on the blockchain as NFTs. Players can buy and sell these NFTs or trade them among themselves. Also, games can pay out certain rewards in NFTs. The blockchain industry has developed in the field of decentralised trading (DeFi). Therefore, the integration of NFTs with blockchain offers players an easy gaming experience.
Smart contracts: A trusted set of code that determines the functioning of the game, its rules, logic, governance and reward mechanism.
Blockchain game development works in a phased manner. Firstly, the game needs to be developed. At this point, developers use blockchain platforms such as BNB Chain or Ethereum. Games come to life on these blockchains with software languages such as Solidity or Rust.
All assets inside the developed game are committed to the blockchain through NFTs. Players can hold each piece in their wallet through NFTs and own these assets.
The economy of the game is run on cryptocurrencies. The Play to Earn model is widely preferred. It is aimed for players to earn cryptocurrency as they interact with the game.
Through the blockchain, the game is transparently introduced to the players. Players have a say in the progress of the developed game.
How to Utilise the Benefits of Blockchain in Game Development?
In traditional games called Web2, various cases of cheating and abuse can be observed during the development process. Since blockchain records all transactions in a transparent and unalterable way, smart contract-based games have a more reliable structure.
One of the benefits of blockchain game development is the decentralised economy. Developers can save huge costs by involving players in the development process. This is often achieved through NFT sales or pre-sales.
The cryptocurrency game market is growing and developing day by day. Developers who create cryptocurrency games can create a community in a short time. Community interaction contributes to the faster development and growth of related games. Blockchain games can be adopted quickly and easily globally.
Different Types of Games Built on Blockchain
It is possible to develop games in many areas on the blockchain due to the conveniences it provides such as decentralisation, speed and savings. The diversity of blockchain games enhances the gaming experience and offers new economic models. Games are usually run through decentralised applications (DApps).
The most popular game type in the crypto industry is Play to Earn games. Players earn rewards for every moment they interact with the game. These rewards are allocated in cryptocurrency or NFTs and can be converted into real money. Axie Infinity and The Sandbox are the main games in the play to earn category. On the other hand, metaverse games, an important trend of 2021, bring players together on virtual worlds. Players can buy land or produce works of art in the relevant world. The Sandbox and Decentraland are among the prominent metaverse games.
Sports and fitness games have also gained popularity recently. Players can earn rewards on the blockchain with the healthy life movements they apply in the real world. StepN is a game that has made a name for itself in this field. StepN, which brings players together through the DApp, has a specific reward mechanism per each walk.
Some of the game types based on Blockchain are as follows:
- Education and Training Games
- Simulation Games
- Casino Games
- Strategy and Role Playing (RPG) Games
- Card and Collection Games
DApp mobile games are increasing their player portfolio day by day due to their fast and easy access opportunities.
The DApp game list is as follows:
- Axie Infinity
- Decentraland
- The Sandbox
- CryptoKitties
- Gods Unchained
- My Crypto Heroes
- Illuvium
- Heroes of Mavia
What Are the Best Apps for Game Development on Blockchain?
It is necessary to choose a blockchain where players can get the best experience. Although Ethereum is the most popular blockchain, it has not been preferred recently due to speed and cost issues. Game developers are turning to blockchains such as Arbitrum and Solana. These blockchains allow players to establish fast interactions.
Here are the best practices for developing blockchain-based games:
- Solidity
- Unity
- Unreal Engine
- Godot Engine
- Rust
- JavaScript
All these languages or applications play an important role in the development of games. The answer to the question of how to make a decentralised game application lies in these applications.
Developers design the mechanics and concept of their planned game. How the game will work and what the players will do is determined. It is then decided on which blockchain this game will be released. One of the blockchains such as Ethereum or Arbitrum is preferred.
A developer who chooses Ethereum creates smart contracts in Solidity and a developer who chooses Solana creates smart contracts in Rust. All plans of the game are written to the blockchain with these contracts. Security vulnerabilities in smart contracts are checked through trusted libraries such as OpenZeppelin.
The game poured into smart contracts is developed through a game engine such as Unity or Unreal Engine. Blockchain integrations are available in these game engines.
The developed game is tested and wallet integrations are provided for the use of assets such as NFT.
Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Decentralised Games
As in any field, there are pros and cons to developing decentralised games.
Challenges in developing decentralised games
Technical issues may arise due to the performance offered by the blockchain. For example, Ethereum’s high cost increases the cost, while Solana’s network congestion may negatively affect the player experience.
Blockchain games may face legal regulatory challenges as web2 games take a large share of the pie.
Failure to fully establish the economic model may affect the future of the game. For example, in play to earn models, the game becomes worthless after a while due to the increase in the circulating supply of the relevant cryptocurrency.
User experience, accessibility and complexity are another challenge. Not every player may be able to interact with blockchain games, as adoption is not yet at a sufficient level.
Opportunities in Developing Decentralised Games
Developers do not have to go door to door and present their projects as in the Web2 area. A successful game initiative can find support in the blockchain field in a short time.
Decentralised games provide real ownership and community participation. The community is involved in governance and facilitates developers.
Games built with smart contracts create credibility and offer transparency. All these factors can involve more players in the project.
Results:
Decentralised games aim to create a more impressive gaming industry by using the advantages of blockchain technology. As in every field, there are challenges and conveniences in the blockchain field. Developing day by day, blockchain games have the potential to revolutionise the gaming industry. Estimates are that the trillion-dollar gaming economy will soon shift to Web3.
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