The following article is an editorial of Daniil Shcherbakov,
While 2024 ends, the web 3 industry is still at a crossroads. Often presented as the future of the game, with promises of real freedom for players, it has also become a cemetery for ambition – 75% of projects launched between 2018 and 2023 failed in a year.
And as the industry is held on the verge of 2025, hopes are raised, but cracks are difficult to ignore. The market holds its breath, waiting for this year’s statistics.
But before speculating on the next chapter of web3 gaming, it is crucial to look more close to 2024 – a year which could point out an evolution or stagnation. Has the industry started to adapt and mature, or is it condemned to repeat its mistakes, perpetuating its image as a high risk of media threshing?
The endless cycle of rising and slate stars
Part of the story is that 2024 has indeed added another chapter to the failed web 3 web3 project cemetery – even for those who are initially perceived as trust and sustainable.
Take the dimensions, for example, a project that initially adopted the NFT but finally chose to give up The web3 model completely. Or bursts of shells, which were once announced as a promising company but has destabilized Its development trajectory by internal legal battles and sudden team changes. Meanwhile, illuvium, despite its ambitious plans to publish three interconnected games simultaneously, is in difficulty With a basic challenge – keep and engage the players.
This is a familiar story for web3. On many occasions, the industry has been undermined by recurring traps: uncertain regulatory environments, dull user experiences and poorly designed economic incentives. And in 2024, many participants in the web game sector 3 still thought they could continue to overcome and underestimate, focusing more on speculative media threshing than on an authentic entertainment value.
This is why, despite the growing recognition of the potential of blockchain in terms of property and monetization, the playing space may become another history of prudence similar to NFT, ICO and early models of play at reception. Without fundamental changes, if projects continue to compete only in terms of acquisition of tokens and users, rather than providing gameplay experiences as convincing as Assassin’s Creed or World of Warcraft, the industry could stagnate more.
On a dark and dark road, sparkling with hope shines through
But despite its turbulent history, 2024 has marked a potential inflection point for web game3 – a year when innovation has started to reduce noise.
Telegram, for example, exceeded simplistic game models to publish games with greater complexity and greater depth. Examples include Drft Party, offering an ultimate racing experience; Durov Run, a metro surfing style game with a unique turn – a non -stop racing experience full of action on Telegram; Catizen, social entertainment engaging on the theme of cats; And tons of dungeons, a treasure for game fans with endless dungeons filled with awards and traps.
By integrating the features of the blockchain in a transparent and friendly way and by focusing on the commitment focused on the community, the platform finally adopts what the game should be: immersive, significant and truly engaging.
The main web2 game publishers like Ubisoft and PlayStation have also intensified, proving that blockchain in games has real demand and applications. Ubisoft Champion of tactics Has demonstrated how AAA studios can take advantage of technology to offer a real property of players without compromising the gameplay.
Likewise, PlayStation Out of the grid is a testimony to how blockchain can improve immersion and add significant value rather than serve as a simple gadget. These are not small exploits – Ubisoft and PlayStation report that the Blockchain game is getting closer to consumer acceptance.
Even more revealing is the institutional change towards the web3 game. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation partnership With Carv highlights a new wave of government support. Such initiatives suggest that even national economies see web game3 not only as a niche experience but as a long -term evolving opportunity.
And this momentum changes the story. If the giants of the web2 game, a global Superapp and governments are ready to invest and defend web games3, they clearly recognize its unexploited potential. The demand is real, the evolution is visible, and for the first time in years, the industry can really free itself from its cycle of media and failure. They are not only glimmer of hope – these are the constituent elements of a lasting future.
The players are wiser now, unfortunately for many of those who have come just for fast money
Thus, the games move slowly but regularly but regularly from Play-to-Bearn models to the game and reception models. But this transformation did not occur overnight because the publishers decided at random that it was time for quality projects. This stems from an undeniable reality: players become resistant to bad experiences that are based solely on token drops as incentives.
The players sent a clear message: they are looking for entertainment, not programs designed to drain their wallets or waste their time with promises of speculative gains. Successful projects understand that convincing gameplay, not just Tokenomics, must sit at the heart of their conception.
Another important evolution is the way players perceive blockchain assets. The utility now reigns supreme. Players are no longer influenced by hollow promises to owner assets and interoperability. They require articles that really improve their gaming experience – skin, characters and unique tools that add tangible value, can be moved between games or are negotiable with other players.
Projects that do not adapt to these requests may alienate their main audience, the retention rates of players falling day by day. This change highlights an important trend: players take control of the future of the industry and shape it under their conditions, whether some game publishers accept it or not.
This time, players establish the rules of the game
So there are good and bad news. The bad news: the web3 game remains at a crossroads, with certain projects stuck between obsolete game models and significant new designs. The good news: there are signs of promising progress.
Over the next 3 to 5 years, the sector’s trajectory will be shaped by the success of occasional and mobile games that integrate blockchain technology in a transparent and usefully manner. Models like the play-to-bas and creation-benefit, which reward players to improve games and inspire creativity, will open the way.
However, for most web games to achieve real parity with their web2 counterparts, they have to cross several critical steps. First, accessibility must take the front of the stage: the games must be intuitive and pleasant, even for players who do not know cryptocurrency.
Second, forging precious partnerships with the leaders of the established web2 industry will be essential for credibility and wider adoption. Third, the sector must navigate effectively with regulatory obstacles, because no level of engagement of players can compensate for a lack of security and compliance.
Most importantly, the web3 game must demonstrate why the integration of blockchain is a necessity in this new era of the freedom of the game. It is only by achieving these objectives that the web 3 can achieve its potential and emerge as A solid alternative to legendary and classic web2 play stories.
