We are all gamers at heart.
Think back to those rainy Saturday mornings of your youth. The excitement of rushing to your PC or console, ready to dive into a full-day gaming session—that feeling—is what being a gamer is all about.
Yet, the gaming industry has slowly turned sour over the past decade. Year after year, game studios prioritize profit over fun, becoming less innovative with new releases and increasingly predatory with their monetization strategies.
The magic that once defined gaming is fading.
But there's hope on the horizon. Web3 gaming offers an alternative, a way to reshape the industry and bring it back to its glory days by realigning incentives for both game publishers and gamers – making games fun again while, at the same time, rewarding you for your time and effort, instead of only extracting value.
To understand this exciting frontier, we sat down with three Immutable Ambassadors - Saltorious, GaspodeWD, and Synix.
These passionate gamers shared their journeys, insights, and visions for the future of gaming. Here's what they had to say:
The journey from web2 to web3 gaming
As a traditional gamer, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of investing countless hours and money into a game, only to realize that you don’t truly own anything.
The publisher controls your prized in-game items, characters, and achievements.
Saltorious highlights this pain point: "You spend all this money on Hearthstone and at the end of the day, all the cards, all the stuff, all the gear that you're working for belongs to Blizzard. With these types of [web3] games, the work and effort that you put in can be exchanged for actual monetary value down the line. You actually own these assets, you actually own these cards."
This concept of true ownership is at the heart of web3 gaming.
GaspodeWD adds another perspective on the benefits:
"It allows people to trade easier. You've got proof of provenance in terms of where assets came from. You can check who really owns these assets on the blockchain."
In layman's terms, your gaming hours build something of lasting value. That rare item you earned or the character you've customized…you own it, can potentially use it across different games, or even sell it.
Your in-game accomplishments now have real-world value.
However, the transition to web3 gaming can seem overwhelming. Many gamers worry about complex cryptocurrency setups or poor user experience. That's why Synix offers this advice for those making the transition:
"Play the games and enjoy yourself first. Don't immediately worry about the web3 features—focus on having fun. Once you're familiar with the games, you can explore what you can do with your assets or the tokens you earn from leaderboard wins."
This approach allows you to ease into web3 gaming, appreciating the familiar aspects of gameplay while gradually discovering the new web3 features it offers.
All aboard to web3 gaming! Your Immutable Passport, please
We've discussed the benefits of asset ownership, but historically onboarding has been difficult. Not anymore. A key innovation here is the Immutable Passport, which simplifies your entry into this new world of gaming.
Synix is enthusiastic about its user-friendly interface: "Minting NFTs is a breeze—just two clicks on my phone, with no extensions or apps needed. It's fast, gas-free, and you can create an Immutable Passport in seconds. No seedphrase required, just log in with Google, and you're good to go!"
GaspodeWD appreciates the convenience of a single sign-on: "I love signing in with my Google stuff because I forget all my other stuff all the time. I don't need to create a new account for every game. I don't have the time for that and I'll forget it every time."
He acknowledges that while some might worry about centralization, the ease of use outweighs his concerns.
However, the Passport does more than just simplify logins. As Synix points out, "it consolidates everything in one place, enhancing convenience and accessibility for players."
This means you won't have to struggle with complex wallet setups or worry about losing access to your digital assets. You can focus on what you love—playing games—while the technology acts as a centralized hub for all your favorite games and assets, streamlining your web3 gaming experience.
Synix goes on to explain: "To attract players, it's essential to offer enjoyable and engaging games even without Web3 integration. Once players are hooked, they can be introduced to the benefits of owning NFTs, including buying and selling them."
With our Passport, your transition into web3 gaming becomes as simple as logging into your go-to social or email account.
Exploring the exploding web3 gaming ecosystem on Immutable
We’ve established that getting into web3 is pretty easy, but what then? A wide world of web3 games is at your fingertips. As of today, over 380+ games are being built on our platform. GaspodeWD remarks on this impressive growth on Immutable:
"It's just the sheer sense of scale. It's bringing everyone in. Some of the great games I've been following and playing for a while before they've picked a chain, have now picked Immutable. It's all coming into one place."
If you're a fan of high-quality graphics and immersive worlds, Synix recommends checking out Illuvium:
"I've been playing Illuvium, which has AAA graphics and an incredible IP. The creatures look amazing, and the team is constantly building and improving. There are already three games available."
Immutable games are pushing the boundaries of visual fidelity. Games like Space Nation Online, a AAA Space Opera Web3 MMORPG, bring console-quality graphics to the blockchain space. Even strategy games are getting a visual upgrade, with titles like Medieval Empires offering a richly detailed historical world.
For mobile gamers, there's a growing selection of options.
"Even though I'm not typically a mobile gamer, I can see myself making the switch more and more. Games like Guild of Guardians, Treeverse, Hunters On-chain, and many others that I enjoy are all available on mobile," Synix adds.
From AAA titles to innovative indie games, there's something for every type of gamer.
Community is at the heart of web3 gaming on Immutable
Beyond the games, one of the most exciting aspects of web3 gaming is the vibrant community you'll become a part of.
"The Immutable Community is an amazing place for those who truly enjoy gaming," Synix shares. "There's no talk of tokens or trading meme coins, and you don't have to worry about the crypto market. It's all about playing games and having fun."
Moreover, you'll find unprecedented access to game developers and fellow passionate gamers.
Saltorious notes, "You can get so close to people building the games in web3 because the space is so small. You wouldn't be talking to the founders and CEOs of traditional games for the most part, except maybe some of the smaller indie ones."
It allows you to engage with web3 gaming on your terms, appreciating the benefits without feeling overwhelmed by the tech side.
The challenges facing web3 gaming
As web3 gaming continues to evolve, we're learning valuable lessons about what truly matters to players.
While the promise of earning rewards is appealing, it's become clear that the fundamental joy of gaming can't be overshadowed.
GaspodeWD emphasizes this point: "Games should be mainly fun, not ROI-based. Being rewarded for your time and effort is great, but the game needs to be enjoyable in the first place."
He further elaborates on why play-to-earn mechanics alone aren't enough: "Earning $5 playing a game isn't enough to make me play a game I don't want to play. Even $20 an hour isn't enough because I value my time."
This perspective aligns perfectly with our vision at Immutable. We understand that gamers value their time and only play games they genuinely enjoy. So what’s needed are high-quality, fun, and engaging games.
Web3 gaming is about creating experiences that are more engaging, rewarding, and meaningful than ever before. As a gamer, you have the opportunity to be part of this evolution, shaping the future of an industry we all love.
The future of gaming is on Immutable
As web3 gaming evolves, its potential to reshape the entire gaming industry becomes clear. The sector is experiencing growth in technology advancement, player numbers, and user engagement. The numbers don’t lie.
Immutable zkEVM alone has surged to nearly 2 million monthly active users, and Passport recently hit over 1.5 million signups.
Major players like Netmarble are migrating hit titles to Immutable, bringing millions of players into the web3 ecosystem.
GaspodeWD offers an insightful perspective on the future: "I think there's going to be one game that breaks out, gets mainstream success and brings a spotlight to Web3 in general. The risk profile will go down as the quality keeps going up."
This view aligns with the current trends we're seeing in the industry and on our platform.
As more high-quality games enter the market and the technology becomes more user-friendly, mainstream adoption will likely accelerate.
Web3 will transform gaming—that's a given. The real question is: Are you ready to participate in this exciting new world?
