Web3 expected to be embraced by major game studios, predicts Sandbox co-founder

In an exclusive interview with crypto.news, Sebastien Borget, the co-founder and COO of The Sandbox, discussed the challenges that web3 gaming faces as it strives for mainstream adoption.

Web3 gaming is revolutionizing the gaming industry by providing players with new and decentralized ways to engage with games. These games give players more control and ownership over their in-game assets, allowing them to trade, sell, and create their own assets.

Major game publishers, such as Ubisoft and Sega, have already dipped their toes into web3 gaming to enhance the gaming experiences of players. For example, Ubisoft integrated NFTs into its popular game Ghost Recon: Breakpoint.

Despite the potential benefits, web3 gaming has not received a warm reception from the wider gaming community, which still prefers traditional web2 games. According to a report by the Blockchain Game Alliance, 51% of users believe that player onboarding is the biggest challenge, while 37.2% consider poor gameplay to be an issue.

Even gaming giants like Ubisoft and Sega have slowed down their efforts to release new web3 games as they struggle to crack the code for mass adoption. In fact, more than 75% of web3 games launched in the last five years have failed, according to a report by CoinGecko.

However, despite these setbacks, the web3 gaming sector is expected to grow significantly and become a $30 billion industry by 2030. Borget, who is also the president of the Blockchain Game Alliance, shared his insights on the matter.

Borget believes that larger game companies are likely to wait for smaller studios to innovate in the web3 space before entering themselves. The established companies are less inclined to embrace new innovations because they have already earned substantial profits from the traditional web2 model. Smaller studios, on the other hand, are more agile and willing to explore new avenues.

However, there are some big players, like Nexon, Come2uS, Ubisoft, Atari, and G2A, that are entering the web3 and blockchain gaming space. These companies are setting up separate teams that are not constrained by the limitations of big companies.

One of the biggest challenges facing the development and adoption of web3 games is the lack of emphasis on fun and gameplay. Efforts are being made to improve the player experience in web3 games and make them more attractive to users.

Another challenge is the user experience (UX). Onboarding users in web3 games involves multiple steps, such as setting up wallets, which can be time-consuming. However, the UX in web3 has shown improvement over the years, and there is optimism that it will continue to evolve positively.

To compete with current web2 games, web3 games need to overcome technological hurdles related to distribution and access to players. However, on the development side, it is becoming easier thanks to integration with major gaming engines like Unity and Unreal.

Game developers should focus on making great and fun games and use middleware solutions to reduce the complexity of implementing blockchain technology.

To attract traditional gamers to the web3 gaming ecosystem without alienating them with the complexities of blockchain technology, game creators should prioritize fun gameplay and offer new experiences. Onboarding education and the involvement of larger platforms can also help simplify the user experience.

NFTs and token economics play a crucial role in enhancing gameplay and player engagement in web3 games. They allow players to become active stakeholders in the game and benefit from their contributions. This drives engagement and creates a sense of ownership and empowerment.

There is an increasing intersection between AAA gaming and web3, which creates an economy that empowers both players and developers. This transition moves from an economy of renting assets to owning assets, where players have the ability to trade and own digital assets.

In conclusion, while web3 gaming still faces challenges, it has the potential to transform the gaming industry and empower players and developers alike.