My Honest Take On Crypto Gaming- ($AXIE, $GOD, $MGOD)

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With the play-to-earn model, players are rewarded with cryptocurrency or NFTs just for playing games. In less than a year, crypto games like Axie Infinity absolutely took off, and seeing the immense o...

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It's been a wild ride in the blockchain gaming world since Axie Infinity blew up a year ago, opening up a ton of opportunities, but also creating some serious pitfalls. This deep dive into crypto gaming aims to give you an honest take on where things stand, looking back at why some games soared and others stumbled, and what to keep an eye on (or avoid) as this space continues to evolve. While we're still at the very beginning of this trend, there are definitely some key lessons to learn from early successes and failures.

Here's what you need to know about the current state of crypto gaming:

* The Metaverse is a Game-Changer: Imagine using your favorite in-game sword in not just one game, but across multiple platforms and even different games, whether you're on your phone, PC, or PlayStation. That's the power of the metaverse, made possible by public blockchains. This cross-platform compatibility could seriously lower the cost of getting new players, because they can bring their stuff with them from one game to the next.
Easy Item Trading is a Double-Edged Sword: Blockchain makes it super simple to buy, sell, and even fractionalize in-game items across various marketplaces. This is awesome for players! However, developers need to be careful. If trading becomes too* easy, it can accidentally become the main reason people play, rather than the game itself. Think about Diablo 3's early auction house – players spent more time trying to be "medieval eBay" traders than actually slaying monsters, which ultimately killed the game's fun for many.
* Digital Land Ownership and Passive Income are Huge: Concepts like owning virtual land, as seen in Decentraland, open up new ways to earn passive income. Owners could potentially get a cut of event ticket sales or other in-game activities happening on their digital property. Blockchain makes this kind of ownership much more accessible and tradable, allowing even non-players to invest in game ecosystems and tokens, like how people bought Axies or AXS tokens early on to join the Axie ecosystem.
* Play-to-Earn (P2E) is a Driving Force: The idea that people, especially in developing countries, can earn real income just by playing video games was a massive reason for Axie Infinity's success and will continue to fuel the growth of many future blockchain games. It's a powerful incentive.

Why Axie Infinity Blew Up:

* Smart Breeding Mechanics: Axie didn't reinvent the wheel; it took the breeding concepts from earlier NFT projects like CryptoKitties and added more depth. You could breed Axies with different body parts and cards, creating more strategic gameplay.
* The Genius of SLP (Smooth Love Potion): Instead of using expensive Ethereum for breeding, Axie introduced a secondary token, SLP. The limited supply of SLP meant that you couldn't just flood the market with new Axies. This scarcity kept Axie prices up as more players joined, seriously extending the game's lifespan.
* Scholarships Created a Community: Axie's QR code login system allowed players to easily share accounts. This led to "scholarships," where owners would lend out Axies to others who would play and earn SLP, splitting the profits. This incentivized experienced players to mentor newcomers, rapidly growing the community and making the game more accessible.
* Simple Graphics Allowed for Rapid Development: Axie isn't a graphically stunning AAA game; it's pretty simple 2D. This focus on core mechanics and quick development, rather than flashy visuals, allowed the team to innovate quickly and launch efficiently.

Axie's Current Headaches:

* High Entry Cost: For an "indie-level" game, Axie's entry cost can be thousands of dollars, way more than a typical $60-$70 AAA title.
* Profit-Driven Players: Many players are in it solely to earn money, either by farming SLP or breeding Axies to sell. This becomes problematic because if new players stop coming in to buy these bred Axies, the whole system could collapse like a pyramid scheme.
* Future Fixes: The developers are looking into solutions like "Fusion" (which would "consume" Axies, reducing supply) or a "version 2" of the game to try and fix these economic challenges.

Why Gods Unchained Didn't Quite Hit the Mark (Compared to Axie):

* Looks Can Be Deceiving: Gods Unchained looked amazing, like a true AAA game, and even received way more funding than Axie (over $10 million compared to Axie's less than $1 million).
* No Gameplay Innovation: The big problem was that Gods Unchained felt like a direct copy of Hearthstone. When a blockchain game offers no real innovation in gameplay, players will just stick to the established non-blockchain alternatives.
* Trading Backfired: Unlike Hearthstone, which wisely removed trading to protect its in-game economy, Gods Unchained allowed easy card trading. This either drove card prices down to a "race to the bottom" or made them too expensive for developers to monetize, ultimately harming the game's overall health.
* The "Token Lifeline": In true blockchain fashion, Gods Unchained eventually launched its own token, which often acts as a lifeline, bringing in more funding and community attention, and giving early investors a chance to exit. They also plan expansion packs, hoping to turn things around.

What to Look For in Future Crypto Games:

* Teams That Can Build and Innovate Fast: You want to see teams that can quickly develop new gameplay ideas and implement them efficiently, even if it means starting a bit rough around the edges.
* Strong Multiplayer and Social Features: People in the blockchain space love to show off their NFTs and digital assets. Games that facilitate social interaction and allow players to flaunt their unique items will thrive.
* Focus on Gameplay Over Graphics: Don't get caught up in flashy trailers. The truly successful games will prioritize deep, engaging gameplay over stunning graphics. Graphics might draw you in, but solid mechanics keep you playing.

A Project That Looks Promising: Metagods

* Metagods is an 8-bit shooter that brings back retro vibes but with a modern twist. It's an MMO where players team up to take down bosses.
* It's exciting because it nails the social aspect, allowing easy invites via Discord or Twitter links, so you can jump in and play with friends instantly.
* The 8-bit style gives the developers a lot of room to focus on gameplay innovation, rather than spending all their time perfecting hyper-realistic graphics.

Things to Steer Clear Of in Crypto Gaming:

* Bad Tokenomics: Watch out for poorly designed tokens. If a project has "no cliff" (meaning early investors can sell immediately) or "short vesting" periods (meaning private sale tokens are released very quickly, like within a few months), it can create massive sell pressure and cause the token's value to crash. This is a huge red flag.
* "Trailer Games": Be wary of games that show off amazing trailers but offer little explanation about the actual gameplay, or where the in-game experience looks nothing like the polished preview. Remember, game development takes years of hard work, not just a few months. Don't be fooled by flashy marketing; demand to see actual gameplay.

Ultimately, remember that good games aren't always about the best graphics. It's the depth, innovation, and community that truly make a game shine.

Transcript

Blockchain gaming. What is the honest take on blockchain gaming right now? Is it full of opportunities still or are there a lot of dangers that are present because it's been a year since Axie Infinity took off, blew open the gates and flooded everyone with the immense opportunities that is blockchain gaming. That's why in this video we're going to be very honest and candid. We're going to take a look at just going back to the basics. What are the unique opportunities presented by blockchain gam...