The Metaverse is fueled by the blockchain revolution and its rise as one of the most powerful and rewarding parts of technology today. It took our understanding of reality and turned it around by revolutionizing how we communicate, view reality, and play games. Gaming is one area where the Metaverse has a tremendous impact. If you are interested in the Metaverse, blockchain-powered technology, or the gaming industry and its future, this article is for you. Read on.
The Metaverse Explained
The Metaverse is a virtual world or universe that seeks to create a parallel between that world and our present world. For example, people could buy land, build, work, sleep, socialize, and form communities in the Metaverse.
The Metaverse uses virtual realities (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to build a reality that parallels the real world. Therefore, users of the Metaverse could do a lot of activities that mirror life. Unlike the virtual reality space where one needs to use special gadgets, the Metaverse does not require any special gadgets like a headset, and it has far more potential for what one could do there than in virtual reality.
However, the Metaverse is still in its infancy and can hardly be differentiated from augmented or virtual reality. Still, it offers more, and it is already revolutionizing different aspects of our activities online, and it will do more in the future. One of the places that this can be seen is in the gaming industry or, more accurately, in blockchain-powered Web 3.0 gaming.
Gaming and Web 3.0 Gaming
The gaming industry has seen a lot of progress from its earliest days. Initially, first-generation games were less interactive and allowed less input from the player. The player also makes monetary financial commitments by buying the console or the gadgets needed for the game. Once the player stops or gets tired, all progress and money are lost as the player cannot transfer this to another game.
This was followed by second-generation games that allowed players to play with or without financial commitment. Most modern games of this generation allow players to save their progress and play on multiple devices at the same time. However, there are in-game purchases that the player can make to enhance their gaming abilities. If the player wants to stop playing, all the initial progress would be lost, as the player cannot move progress from one game to another.
Then blockchain technology helped to usher in a new gaming reality called Web 3.0 gaming, which allows players to move characters from one gaming experience to another. Most of the gaming in this era pays the player through rewards in a model known as the "Play to Earn" model. It has been described as the future of gaming, and one of the technologies making a huge impact on it is the Metaverse.
The Metaverse and Gaming
At this point, one could ask how the Metaverse is changing the gaming industry? Of course, there are many ways, but here are a few important ways.
- Introduction of the NFTs
The Metaverse is a different technology from the Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), but both seemed meant for each other. This is because NFTs are becoming part of the Metaverse landscape. Then the Metaverse introduces the use of NFTs in games. So players could put different NFTs from the Metaverse and use them to play games on their favorite gaming platforms on the blockchain. Also, the rewards earned from these games can be imported to the Metaverse and used in any way the player deemed fit. This integration of NFTS into the gaming industry is very important in the evolution of all three variables as they improve each other and offer more usability.
- Better Gaming Experience -
The evolution of gaming has always been about making a better immersive experience for the player. The player's experience is the most important factor, and the metaverse is helping to redefine it. With the Metaverse, gaming will become more immersive, and individuals will extend their real-life realities into the game, thereby increasing participation. It is making gaming an extension of real life. Apart from the immersive experience, Metaverse offers more usability to the attributes of game rewards or purchases. For example, one could use the rewards to buy stuff on the Metaverse or exchange them for something that one needs or even for money.
- Interoperability and Huge Potential -
The Metaverse allows games to do something that previous generations of games could not: move from one gaming space to another while using the same avatars or attributes. This is called interoperability. This means that whatever one brings into the game can be taken away from another game or used in another space in the Metaverse. Another dimension to this is that there can be characters playing around on their own in the Metaverse without the need for special gaming platforms. This dimension is relatively new and has not been used extensively in gaming, but can be seen in the music industry. Some artists like Marshmallow, Travis Scott, and Ariana Grande have used the Metaverse this way, and the gaming industry is already looking at how to apply them to gaming.
Top Metaverse Games
The metaverse is filled with hundreds of game projects, although not all are created equal. Many are cash grabs or even straight-out rug pulls in some cases. However, there are a few outliers in the lineup of Metaverse Games, let’s explore the options.
- Sandbox
The Sandbox is an excellent metaverse title. You can create, own, and even monetize your gaming experience in a virtual world. The Ethereum Sandbox is still in its early stages. Nevertheless, players have been drawn in by the appealing design and gaming experience.
A well-known blockchain game, The Sandbox, wishes to compete with Roblox and Minecraft. Sandbox provides creators with non-fungible ownership tokens (NFTs). Participation in the ecosystem also rewards players. In the Metaverse, the Sandbox controls nearly 7% of the market.
Users can use Sandbox to create their metaverse games. It is now easier to create smart contracts and blockchain content. Sandbox Game Maker is one of them. In addition, more is taught in the Sandbox. Anyone can use VoxEdit to create assets in the Sandbox. VoxEdit NFTs can also be purchased.
- Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is another popular metaverse blockchain game. The game came out in 2018 and has recently gained mainstream popularity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Axie Infinity saved many unemployed Filipinos' lives. People played the game to earn NFTs and then traded them for more money. As a result, Axie Infinity's popularity has skyrocketed recently. Axie Infinity is a staple highlight of the NFT gaming industry.
Axie Infinity is based on Pokemon, where each Axie is a unique creature with specific traits. You can also battle another Axies in the game and gain experience points. With a $9 billion market cap, Axie Infinity is a must-have for any metaverse games list. Axie Infinity, a popular metaverse game, continues to evolve. Axie Infinity's creators have many new and exciting plans for the game.
- Illuvium
Illuvium has a unique place among the billion-dollar players in the metaverse games list. It's an open-world RPG built on the Ethereum blockchain. The game revolves around exploring the vast virtual world. The game's main goal is to collect powerful entities called "Illuvials." The fact that Illuvium is one of the best metaverse games is striking.
Illuvium, which is set to launch in the first quarter of 2022, has a $1 billion market cap. Most Illuvium discussions show clips from actual gameplay. But, according to Metaverse fans, Illuvium's top features are its stunning graphics and immersive gameplay.
Also, the colorful world of Illuvium is a promising feature in the game. But it's still early to call Illuvium a top metaverse game. However, Illuvium's realistic gameplay experience may help it gain a large user base.
Conclusion
The Metaverse is still a developing technology. However, it is already revolutionizing our lives in many ways, and one of the places where this is apparent is in the gaming industry. There, it has had a lot of impacts. Still, one of the three important ways it is changing the industry is by introducing NFTs, offering players a better experience and allowing interoperability across platforms.
This is the future and one that we need to watch.
