Why merge these two?
Since the boom of online gaming over a decade ago, game developers and multinational companies have been trying to develop the next big thing for the gaming industry. This highly competitive sector has been constantly changing and evolving to adapt to technological changes, ever-increasing demands, and breathtaking graphics which leave you feeling like you have just immersed yourself in an entirely different reality. Merging technologies has been one of the go-to moves to revolutionise, and offer the best gaming experience to players. Blockchain which at its very core, is a vast, anonymous ledger of secure data blocks, accessible to only users, stands to be one of the most sought after underlying technology to be used in gaming.
How can these two be united?
The data stored in the blockchain can be utilised in several ways, and taking advantage of it in its entirety stands to bring the entire gaming industry to a new level. The data can be used to allow players' feedback to be saved securely, and thus develop a more personalised experience for them.
It can also be used to make player avatars universal in different gaming platforms, allowing a more synced and smooth playing field.
It can also be used to give real life value to certain game items by either allowing them to be traded in-game between multiple games, or giving the players a platform to exchange them for real life goods or money. This transaction can be made secure and effortless since blockchain can only be accessed by the player and the company or developer themselves. This will also simultaneously keep players' records, data and items safe from online criminals. This will also help in hindering attackers from duplicating or replacing rare game items.
On the same hand, it benefits the companies since balc market trading can be curbed, and they will stop getting cut out of profits generated by illegal transactions.
The real life implications of this will be monumentous. People usually want to follow trends, and will jump on the chance to earn rewards and real time money, all while enjoying and immersing themselves in a high-tech, visually stimulating world. This will result in a boom which will propel the already highly profitable gaming industry to newer heights. It will result in more game development, richer universes, faster growth for both blockchain and games, real time correlation and broadening of horizons in never-seen-before directions.
Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the way video games are played, traded, and monetized. Here are some of the ways blockchain can work in video games:
Ownership and trading of in-game items: Blockchain can enable players to own in-game items as digital assets with unique ownership records, allowing them to trade or sell these assets on blockchain-based marketplaces. This can create a more transparent and secure way of owning and trading in-game items, as players can verify the authenticity and ownership of these items through the blockchain.
Decentralized gaming platforms: Blockchain-based gaming platforms can provide players with decentralized, peer-to-peer gaming experiences without the need for intermediaries like centralized game servers or game developers. This can create more player-driven, community-based gaming experiences where players have more control over the games they play.
Secure payments and microtransactions: Blockchain-based payment systems can provide more secure and efficient ways of processing in-game purchases and microtransactions, reducing the risk of fraud or chargebacks.
Player incentives and rewards: Blockchain can enable game developers to create new ways of incentivizing players through digital tokens or cryptocurrency rewards. These rewards can be tied to in-game achievements or other player actions, creating new ways of engaging players and encouraging them to continue playing.
Virtualinfocom, one of India's first game development companies and one of the fastest adapting companies in not just Bengal, but the whole country, has two blockchain games already in its arsenal- Commando Fight and Lalkamal Nilkamal. The meshing of blockchain in these two games is seamless, and further proof that this is the new direction for the industry. The ledgers are used to keep track of every detail, and are immensely useful for both the company and the players.
Conclusion
Mankind will soon take its next big leap, and experts have often predicted that this will be from the technological or the gaming sector. Since this is merging both of these vast, largely unexplored areas, it is likely that this might just grow into the next big thing.
