Blockchain Posing New Challenges to the Gaming Industry

We spoke about the influence of blockchain on gaming in an earlier article, but things seem to be changing at such a rapid pace that there is already a need to write another article on the topic of gaming and blockchain.

This is mainly because both the industries (gaming and blockchain) have a demographic overlap. Gamers are said to have a sharp mind and tend to adapt to new technologies quickly, which is why they’d be willing to invest in a new technology.

The gaming sector is one of the most technologically advanced industries today. In fact, we already have digital assets in the gaming world. People spend real money to buy these virtual assets to improve their gaming experience and increase their chances of moving ahead in the game.

Considering this, a partnership definitely looks like a good deal. However, as highlighted in our previous article, many games are already using the blockchain technology. But, most of them have failed to set the cash registers ringing.

However, there are hopes thank to game-specific cryptos and platforms like Game Machine and Xsolla that allow gamers to monetize games and earn money. But the development process itself is not easy.

Implementing a solid game on blockchain is going to be a tough battle given the number of challenges one has to face.

Blockchain and Gaming: The Challenges

Lack of Entropy: Most games require a random number to complete certain tasks. However, since blockchain is a deterministic system, generating random numbers on the platform can be a very difficult process, which makes it hard to create quality games on the platform.

Cost of Execution: The use of blockchain involves cost. This does not only help run the system but also provides protection against DOS attacks and spam.  However, this is bad news for games since the cost can be very high in the long-run.

Speed of Transaction: A lot has been written on how slow blockchain can be at times, depending on your selection and other such factors. Bitcoin transactions can take about 1 hour to confirm with an average block time of 10 minutes. While there are alternatives, they do not appear to be very fast either with average Ethereum block time being 15 seconds. This can cause response lack which prevents developers from working on certain concepts.

Of course, developers are working to improve the situation. They are working on games that require fewer transactions, hence reduced cost and time. However, this is not a long-term solution.

So far, we have only used Bitcoin and Ethereum to provide players with a decentralized gaming experience. But, we can opt for other blockchain options as well, some of which are more affordable and faster, too.

Are Developers Not Concentrating on Results?

You can find some games on Google Play that make use of blockchain. These include the likes of Miner Simulator and Itadaki Dungeon. Get your hands on these games and you will notice how they are not very different from traditional games in terms of experience.

You will not even notice that they work on blockchain technology, which is a big drawback. What’s the use of a technology if its benefits are not apparent?

Developers appear to be using blockchain as a way to promote titles and make money instead of improving gameplay. Things will not improve until they concentrate on what’s more important, which is the overall gaming experience.

Fortunately, some developers are already working on that. War Field, a game that is based on Counter Strike, is making giant strides in the blockchain world. The game appears to be a step in the right direction with its ICO also making the right kind of noise.

Image credit: Soumil Kumar