Crypto research firm Delphi Digital has identified possible ways that players can accept non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as part of their gaming experience, such as using the technology for additional aspects that do not affect the core experience.
The comprehensive report was published by Delphi Digital on Wednesday (20/7) and explores how NFTs can be integrated into games without affecting the core gaming experience or the “true competitive play” that gamers tend to value.
The report argues that if monetization and NFT elements can be properly combined, players may not be so strongly opposed to the idea:
“If it is not tamed, money will always be the dominant motivator. As such, the first port of call is to separate market games from the main game loop itself.”
Delphi Digital highlighted that one way to do this is for the game to provide a free base experience for anyone to enjoy while using NFTs for optional experiences like tournament tickets, new character skins, side games, and competition rewards.
The company explained that this would allow those who use the game for monetization purposes to thrive, while those who are just for fun can play without being forced to buy NFTs or struggle to compete with the big spenders in the gaming markets.
“No one is fooled into playing the other’s game,” the report noted.
The report also argued that “the more people are interested in a game”, the more likely they are to spend money on it, suggesting that the core game experience should be meaningful enough to make undecided players consider purchasing one. Game NFT:
“Theoretically, the more people are interested in a game, the more they will spend directly on metagames. By maximizing meaning generation and competition in the core game, we can maximize revenue with peripheral monetization around it.”
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The report addresses the mainstream gaming community’s dislike of crypto games, stating that there is “truth to many of the criticisms” that have surfaced.
In particular, Delphi Digital highlighted that much of the hostility towards cryptocurrencies seems to stem from the negative effects of monetization on traditional games, such as developers intentionally limiting functionality to force users to spend more money to get the full experience:
“Parts of the traditional gaming industry have turned to aggressive monetization practices that sometimes hurt the player experience.”
“So, when gamers see the need to buy NFTs to play early crypto games, or when major publishers announce plans to build in the sector, they assume it is another attempt to make money and avoid it,” the report added.
Delphi stressed that this “doesn’t mean that all forms of monetization are bad”, but coding or not, it needs to be done in a way that doesn’t negatively affect the game.
Commenting on the current state of cryptocurrency gaming, the report also notes that the industry has so far seen the monetary component of gaming becoming a “dominant driver” for users. As a result, he argues, the actual quality of the games has suffered while whales have managed to capture most of the games for speculative purposes:
“The gameplay of these early titles suffered on two fronts: 1) most of the player base’s main motivator is the expectation of monetary reward rather than gameplay and 2) the main competitive circuit is governed by pay-to-win mechanisms in which whales can spend their way to success.”
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