Most game developers in U.S. and U.K. are now using blockchain elements in their games, according to a study released this week. The study, commissioned by a company named Stratis, reveals that the popularity of blockchain, NFTs, and the new play-to-earn model in the crypto market is making game developers change the traditional ways in which games are produced, with the intention of enticing new players and accessing new markets.
Blockchain and NFTs Becoming Mainstream in Video Game Development
The trend of including blockchain elements and NFTs in video games is here to stay. According to a study released this week commissioned by blockchain platform Stratis, and by a research firm called Opinium, 58% of the 197 surveyed developers in the U.S. and U.K. are beginning to use blockchain elements in their games. Furthermore, according to the same study, 48% of these developers are incorporating NFTs in their games.
This is a testament to how the use of these elements, which increase the link that players have with their digital worlds, is slowly creeping into mainstream gaming companies. Some of the biggest gaming companies, like EA, believe that these new technologies are part of the future of the gaming industry. The survey seems to confirm this trend, with more than 70% of respondents saying they would consider using these technologies for new games with 56% planning to do so in the next 12 months.
The reason for this is clear. Innovation and securing value for players in the game were the first two more popular use cases that respondents cited as a reason to use these blockchain elements in the gaming industry. The play-to-earn element, this is, rewarding players with real-word value, followed as the third most popular use case.
AAA Studios Interested, but Indies Are Already Here
Chris Trew, CEO of Stratis, a company that offers an SDK to include blockchain elements in game engines, stated:
With renowned platforms such as Epic welcoming blockchain-based games and NFTs, we certainly expect AAA studios to launch titles incorporating these technologies in the coming years. But there are so many indie game developers that will get there first.
While big companies like Square Enix, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts have been flirting with blockchain and NFTs for some time, there are already several independent (indie) studios that have embraced and included these elements with success. This is the case of Axie Infinity, the game created by Sky Mavis, that made the play-to-earn model popular in the last year and also includes NFT elements to support its economy.
What do you think about blockchain and NFTs going mainstream in video game design? Tell us in the comments section below.
