According to a representative of the Oasys blockchain project, Japanese gaming titans are preparing to adopt blockchain technology. Gamers opposed to play-to-earn (P2E) will not persuade the organizations against cryptocurrencies and Nonfungible Tokens (NFTs).
Director Ryo Matsubara stressed to Cointelegraph at the 2022 Tokyo Game Show last week that the project’s high-profile partners like Bandai Namco, Sega, and Square Enix are not just joining the crypto bandwagon. There is a long-term vision for blockchain-based P2E gaming.
The Future Of Blockchain Gaming
The Tokyo Game Show in 2022, one of the world’s most popular video game events, returned to Japan this year after a three-year break due to Covid 19 restrictions.
In the last three years, blockchain gaming has pivoted away from simply P2E. Developers now seek to create engaging and fun Web3 experiences, not just reward-driven engagement. The goal now is to make Web3 games fun and exciting to play so that token rewards cease to be the only incentives for playing.
A P2E Upgrade
Japanese gaming giants are positioning for mainstream blockchain game adoption. The section of gamers against crypto will not sway the organization against blockchain development, and nonfungible tokens (NFTs), an executive from the Oasys blockchain project told Cointelegraph.
“We have a shared vision about blockchain at the executive level. They don’t [want to] change that policy. They really understand the future adoption of blockchain. They’re not thinking about, you know, just the revenue, they want to create the next future [of gaming].” – Oasys Director, Ryo Matsubara.
Bandai Namco has developed beloved titles such as Tekken and Pac-Man, Sega’s most famous title is generally seen as Sonic the Hedgehog. At the same time, Square Enix is the developer of the widely popular Final Fantasy franchise.
New Model For Blockchain Gaming
Matsubara confirmed the developers intend to implement their blockchain changes in new games, not by integrating with existing titles. It will be an ultimately “new model” of gaming. Furthermore, it needs more time to mature before these big companies look at broader blockchain integrations with traditional games.
Looking at what has to change in blockchain gaming, Matsubara stated that many projects’ current reliance on the cost of in-game tokens is a “huge concern.” As a result, “speculation” rather than the gameplay itself is in higher demand.
The project seeks to restore Fun! to the heart of Play to Earn games by transforming it into Play And Earn. One criticism of blockchain gaming is that developers don’t consider tokenomic models to the extent they should. They are creating a situation whereby growing games rely almost entirely on in-game trading and NFT sales.
True Buzz For Games
At the heart of gaming should always be the enjoyment of the gamer. As blockchain gaming has grown and in-game earning has attracted more players, the quality of the games has become poorer. Through its new initiative with major Japanese gaming giants, Oasys wants to restore interest in the gameplay itself. Developers will reward players with earnings for playing as an addition to the game, not its central purpose.
Luke Sillay, the leading community manager of Australian game developer and Animoca Brands subsidiary Blowfish Studios, who was also there, expressed similar concerns. Sillay stressed that more players prefer “pleasant to play” games instead of being a hustle to earn tokens during an interview with Cointelegraph.
Blockchain Games Level Up Or Get Left Behind
There are already some awesome blockchain games, like metaverse The Sandbox, that has partnered with celebrities and vendors to create a world of pure imagination. On the other hand, plenty of games out there focus too much on money and not enough on gaming. It’s exciting to know that some of the biggest names in gaming, the giants that created the legends of our youth, are entering the fray.
There has been resistance, however, from traditional gamers. A significant factor could be that established gaming companies tend to monopolize their players and hold them inside tight economic loops. Gamers often complain about ever-increasing costs of access to games and different paid assets and upgrades needed to complete a game or mission.
Oasys’ proof-of-stake blockchain is geared directly toward gaming and will likely complete an official mainnet launch in 2022. Matsubara also hinted that it intends to launch games from its big-name partners next year.
