In the early days, gaming was a pixel-based world. Nintendo and text-command games like King’s Quest ruled the youthful worlds of wonder we inhabited. As the games got more and more complex, what used to be fun became more of a chore.
Now, as casual mobile games become more popular and we pivot back to pixel to become cool and retro, the definition of “gamer” is changing once again. With the dawn of Web3, gaming is going to keep changing – and so will gamers, their experiences, and their expectations.
Read to find out more about the future of gaming and how the Metaverse will play an important role.
Three Possibilities for the Future of Gaming
Vast cloud computing power combined with new technologies and creative storytelling is proving to be limitless. As we approach the new Web3 world and the attention gained from consumers, let’s take a look at three areas full of possibilities for the future of gaming.
Play-To-Earn
First, it’s important to understand one of the underpinnings of Web3; the blockchain. This definition is helpful:
"Blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network. An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding). Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and cutting costs for all involved.”
Blockchain technology has exploded onto the scene over the past few years. The most attention has been on the intangible side. NFTs or Non Fungible Tokens (basically, digital collectibles) saw astronomical growth in 2021, followed by a massive cratering of value in 2022.
NFT ownership powers one segment of new-age gaming segments called Play-To-Earn. The idea of in-game digital collectibles or currency has been around for years, but P2E crypto currency-backed games, like Axie Infinity and Wolf Game. allow a consumer to play while earning assets that can be sold for flat currency like USD. This is a risky segment of Web3 gaming but proving fun for gamers.
VR (Virtual-Reality) Gaming
Consider this example: a group of kids all play on a travel baseball team for the summer. They all came from different cities and went to different schools. At the end of the season, the kids all stayed in touch by playing Gorilla Tag on their Oculus devices (owned by Meta).
Gorilla Tag is a sort of mashup of AOL Instant Messenger, group iMessage chats, and old-school LAN parties (yes, that’s a dated reference), is a multiplayer game that only requires the player’s own movement to play.
This example shows the true potential of the metaverse. Consumers are truly “plugged in” to an immersive experience and a lot of time there. If brands need to reach consumers wherever they are spending their time, the metaverse could be the place to find them. Only time will tell if the walled gardens take it over or if the world will be decentralized. Either way, Mark Zuckerburg has hedged all his bets on the metaverse – and when it works as well as it does in Gorilla Tag, we get why.
Metaverse “Lite”
The Metaverse is truly about erasing the borders between the real world and the imaginary ones created for entertainment. But there are also huge worlds existing today that are what we call "Metaverse Lite." Platforms like Roblox allow people to enter those worlds without needing to “unplug.” Roblox allows users to create their own games and experiences. This attracts the attention of brands as well and includes a whole new way of looking at metrics. While the platform has seen tremendous growth, the big brands are still struggling to figure out how to make money on it. Still, the idea of "Metaverse lite” offers opportunities in the future of gaming and more.
What’s Next?
These are just a few examples of where consumers will be spending their time in the future. Many of us gamers here at Code3 enjoyed the pixel renaissance. But it’s important to know where your customers are, and being tuned into the future of gaming can help you reach your audience.
Paying attention to Web3 gaming can be an investment in attention – you never know where your next fan will come from.
Ready to get started? Contact us now or check out more of our expertise on marketing opportunities in the Metaverse.