The Web3 gaming space is experiencing a significant shift, with game developers prioritizing engaging gameplay and high-quality graphics. Something noticeable is that a lot of games are moving away from crypto jargon and weird onboarding loops in order to appeal to traditional and incoming gamers. This new generation of games focuses on integrating NFTs as in-game assets for digital ownership, narrative-driven content, and MOBA mechanics while striving to appeal to both traditional gamers and Web3 enthusiasts.
That said, at reNFT we identified a couple of games that are currently focused on what’s important: folding NFTs into the game as digital assets to promote digital ownership, good ole lore, MOBA, and Esports. One more thing, it’s not surprising that most of these games drew inspiration from the greats.
Our selection of games has learned from the achievements (and shortcomings) of their predecessors and introduced advancements in gameplay, strategy, and mechanics. Each game is seeing growth in different metrics and has attracted substantial venture capital investments.
Blockchain mechanics enable folks to own their assets and justify the sheer amount of time spent playing a game. Game giants such as Ubisoft, Nexon, Netmarble, Sony, and others, are seeing value in NFTs as a new revenue stream and way to keep up, so we’ll see more of them begin to integrate NFTs into the landscape in a way that does not require the user to deal with these technicals on the frontend. In the long run, games that find a middle ground and create wallets for users to store their assets will be in the lead.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most anticipated up-and-coming Web3 games, with hopes that they will eventually get to drop “Web3” from the title and be known as truly great games. We dive into the studios building them, and the platforms that will likely dominate this ever-growing industry.
Games to Watch in 2023 and Beyond
1- Shrapnel
Shrapnel is a cutting-edge, multiplayer AAA extraction first-person shooter with modifiable elements, developed by a team of award-winning game experts who identified the demand for this type of game in the early 2000s. Recent advancements in Web3 and game engines have enabled Shrapnel to offer a rich gameplay experience, allowing players to co-own the game and influence its development. The game represents a new stage in extraction shooters, with each session telling a unique story as players compete for resources and evaluate risk and reward. This mirrors on-chain ownership, where stakes are tangible. Distinctive visual designs, an unfolding extended fiction, and the ability to create, own, buy, and sell vanity skins and maps peer-to-peer make Shrapnel a groundbreaking gaming experience. Collaboration between the community and developers means the game’s future is full of possibilities.
Player-created content is a vital aspect of the Shrapnel experience, with access to professional-quality creator tools built on the same Unreal engine technology as the game itself. These tools allow players to design in-game assets and maps that can be minted as NFTs and traded in the Shrapnel marketplace, providing earning potential based on their popularity. With around 40,000 Twitter followers and about 35,000 Discord subscribers, Shrapnel has rapidly built a large, dedicated fan base on social media platforms. Web3 gaming industry peers have also praised the game, with Bored Box founder Bored Elon Musk commenting on Shrapnel’s trailer: “This is one of the best game trailers I’ve seen this year. Period. Not mentioning Web3, blockchain — period. It looks beautiful…”
2- Illuvium
Illuvium is an AAA-rated gaming experience operating as a fully decentralized protocol. To achieve a more distributed holding of $ILV tokens within its community, Illuvium initiated a liquidity mining program. This approach has helped the Illuvium community grow to over 345,000 Twitter followers and nearly 200,000 Discord subscribers, making it a critical part of creating a decentralized, self-regulating protocol that deters bad actors and governance manipulation. Illuvium is the first AAA-rated game to blend DeFi with cinematic-quality special effects and an engaging open-world RPG. The game offers players complete ownership of their in-game assets and LAND NFTs, featuring captivating earning opportunities through PVE quests that enable players to collect and upgrade their Illuvitars — ownable in-game characters. Additionally, the game includes in-game wagering on matches in its PVP battle arena. Illuvium’s team recently released a mining game mode called Zero, available on Windows, Mac, and Android devices.
3- Treeverse
Treeverse is a mobile-first fantasy MMORPG centered on ownership-based gameplay. The game combines exceptional gaming experiences with social gaming and NFTs to create a unique kind of cooperative gameplay that promotes true ownership and long-term player retention. While NFTs play a crucial role in Treeverse, the game remains accessible to gamers without specific Web3 knowledge. Treeverse focuses on its community and features a distinctive art style compared to traditional games, attracting users and maintaining community engagement. NFTs elevate Treeverse from a fun, visually appealing, casual game to a groundbreaking Web3 entry point. Players can earn within the game starting with Treeverse’s founder’s plots and ownable in-game characters through the Timeless NFT collection, in addition to its original driver, NFTrees. Treeverse exemplifies the power of NFT communities, transforming from a relatively simple NFT collection by Loopify (NFTrees) into a comprehensive, community-driven gaming project with a 50-person team after raising $25 million in a round led by Animoca, SkyVision Capital, Stani Kulechov, and other angel investors.
4- Pulsar
Pulsar, developed by Twelve Random Words, aims to offer an accessible and enjoyable game that utilizes Web3 to provide genuine ownership. The game is free-to-play and does not require any Web3 knowledge or a crypto wallet to participate. However, players interested in leveraging Pulsar’s Web3 components can do so at any time. Pulsar’s gameplay emulates the mechanical and economic complexity of RTS titles like Starcraft while providing a truly massive multiplayer experience. Players aim to construct bases and armies to dominate the world of Pulsar, mining resources and engaging in combat, contributing to a fun and ever-evolving gaming environment. Pulsar’s premium Web3 options include four Land NFT types known as Biomes, with attributes such as Land size, available $PLSR (Pulsar’s native token) for mining, extractable resources, rarity, and security from enemies. Additional Web3 elements focus on mining and battling.
5- Ascenders
Ascenders is an open-world action RPG with a complex economy centered around DeFi. The game’s dynamics are shaped by the interplay between its GameFi and gameplay components. User-generated NFTs, such as weapons and armor, are essential for success in the game, often requiring players to trade with each other through the Ascenders in-game marketplace to acquire missing resources for crafting items. This creates an endlessly fascinating economic loop as a full-fledged economy develops around user-generated NFTs and the resources they require. Other critical Web3 aspects include a governance token, a currency token, NFT Land, character NFTs, and cosmetic NFTs. The Ascenders team boasts award-winning game developers, including those behind Ghost Recon and the Grand Theft Auto series, and is backed by industry giants such as Blizzard and Sino Global Capital.
6- Eldarune
Eldarune is a fantasy RPG that fuses web 2 and Web3 by blending engaging gameplay and an immersive storyline with interactive P2E elements. The game primarily focuses on PvP battling, but it also offers complementary game modes, including a campaign, resource farming, and boss fights. NFTs serve as the foundation for Eldarune, with three of its four-game modes revolving around character NFTs known as champions. These NFTs are upgradable, and tradable, and can be used to earn the game’s ecosystem token, $ELDA. Eldarune empowers its community through both passive and active earning opportunities. Active earning includes PvP battles and campaign mission rewards, while passive earning is possible through staking $ELDA and renting out champions. Eldarune is currently incubated by Seedify, one of the most prominent blockchain gaming and metaverse launchpads. A full-game release and an in-game real estate sale are expected in the upcoming quarters.
The Platforms Leading the Way
As Web3 gaming continues to grow, the top platforms expected to dominate the space include Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and Immutable. These platforms offer a combination of scalability, accessibility, and support for a wide variety of decentralized applications, making them ideal choices for the future of Web3 gaming.
The Future of Web3 Gaming
The future of Web3 gaming is bright, with a focus on high-quality gameplay, true digital ownership, and NFT integration. This new generation of games is set to redefine the industry and attract both traditional gamers and Web3 enthusiasts. With a focus on accessibility and appealing to gamers without prior Web3 experience, these games present a massive opportunity for the blockchain space to onboard millions of new users.
With incredible titles like Shrapnel, Illuvium, Treeverse, Pulsar, Ascenders, and Eldarune on the horizon, there’s no better time to explore the exciting world of Web3 gaming.
Web3 technology brings much-needed true asset ownership to the gaming industry, creating new opportunities for gamers and companies alike
At reNFT we understand games, in fact, a lot of us not only are gamers but worked within the games industry. Today, we bring our know-how to game developers. Our leading rentals protocol supercharges game devs by lowering onboarding barriers and by boosting their game economies and engagement. If you’re working on your dream game, you’d love to be part of your success! Come talk to us and learn about rentals!