The domain of Web3 gaming has witnessed a significant leap forward as Zynga, a mobile gaming giant owned by Take-Two Interactive, made its foray onto the scene. As an intriguing point, Take-Two Interactive also owns Rockstar Games, the minds behind smash-hit video game series such as Grand Theft Auto and NBA 2K.
Zynga, best known for the FarmVille series, has introduced ZW3, a fresh offshoot and Sugartown, a cross-media world that arguably resembles a gaming platform more than an individual title. If this venture proves to be a success, it might spur other major titles from the same company to leap into Web3, laying interesting groundwork for potential future development.
Despite this promising venture into Web3 gaming, the field isn’t without its issues. At the recent Istanbul Blockchain Week 2023, discussions around the adoption of Web3 games and their inherent problems came to light. It was noted that there are 3 billion traditional gamers worldwide, yet a mere 15 million Web3 gamers. The focus, it appears, has been on features like third-party trading, ownership, and profitability, which have always been present in traditional game environments. What has been overlooked, however, are the gaming mechanics themselves.
For instance, take the Bitcoin casino initiative launched by Ordinals. It’s an innovative concept that enables the Bitcoin base layer to host images, videos, and even basic games, but the platform itself offers only rudimentary casino games like jackpot and slot. The simplicity of its offering, however, is not a drawback, as the focus doesn’t dwell on high-fidelity graphics but on expanding the utility of Bitcoin beyond being just a currency.
Taking a stroll into the colourful world of Sunflower Land, an online farming game built on Polygon, the rules of play impose strict guidelines: no more than one account per player, and absolutely no bots or automation. The gameplay loop, focused on planting, tending, then harvesting crops, echoes the mechanics of older Facebook games like FarmVille and CityVille. The crux of the matter, however, is that Sunflower Land touted as a game, not a financial product, and only time will divulge which facet ultimately prevails.
While the move into Web3 gaming presents promising prospects, transitions are seldom smooth. Nevertheless, the underlying theme of Web3 gaming seems to emulate the paradigm of the real world – play, struggle, reap, repeat. Despite the hint of cynicism, the immersion of major gaming companies into the Web3 scene undeniably signals a giant leap for the future of online gaming.
Source: Cointelegraph
