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GameFi products are increasingly prioritizing gaming experience, moving away from speculative interest. What is behind this paradigm shift?
Crypto games have never been a part of the gaming industry. They also did not resonate with ardent crypto enthusiasts.
The popularity of even the most famous GameFi projects faded, as a rule, in a fairly short period of time. Their speculative potential quickly got boring, and the quality of the gameplay could not compete with “traditional” games.
But now, things seem to be changing, as recent crypto games have attracted the attention of the community, and blockchain technology has once again come to the attention of gaming giants.
Will this success last, and what led to it? You will find out the answers to these questions below.
TON, clickers, and two successful apps
Crypto games managed to regain the interest of the community thanks to The Open Network (TON), a network that managed to turn the very idea of decentralized products upside down. It not only offered a simplified platform for their development, but also provided access to one of the largest messengers in the world, Telegram.
Telegram provides a unique platform for direct interaction, helping games reach a wide built-in audience. As a result, projects on TON now have the advantage of direct, community-focused outreach.
More importantly, TON acts as a kind of “shortcut” for apps.
While traditionally, decentralized services of any type require a lot of intermediary actions to set up, applications on TON greatly simplify this process. Thanks to this, each application is “at the user’s fingertips”.
However, obviously, TON alone could not change the situation. What drew attention to the network was the first successful products based on it.
One of the most notable of them, Notcoin, not only became a huge success among users but also brought attention back to GameFi and community-oriented projects (such as memecoins).
However, it was the gameplay of Notcoin that turned out to be important. It was this intuitiveness and simplicity, which consisted of a simple “tap” that turned from a functional necessity into a business card that ultimately changed the rules of the game.
Simplicity = quality
TON-based games have gained popularity not only among the crypto community but also among ordinary players, largely due to their simplicity and user-friendly design.
Unlike many blockchain games that require players to navigate through complex wallets, gas payments, and token exchanges, TON-based apps simplify the gameplay, making it intuitive even for those who have no prior knowledge of cryptocurrencies.
Many recent cryptocurrency games have tried to enrich the gameplay with intricate logic, and this has not resonated with the community. In contrast, the latest TON games prioritize simplicity, which ensures their high-quality interactivity.
Although this “complexity” used to be the result of the natural structure of the blockchain, TON has made progress in this direction as well. Instead of constantly “struggling” with the complex functionality of the protocols, TON users can enjoy real-time trading at low fees as part of a game, making the “Play2Earn” model more accessible and less intimidating.
TON has also changed its approach to the financial side of apps.
Material incentives are in the background
Gameplay was not the most important problem with crypto games. In particular, they have been criticized by dedicated enthusiasts who advocated the so-called “games for fun” and “games that promote development”. And there was a good reason for this.
Early GameFi models put a lot of emphasis on the “play to earn” mechanic, which focused on generating profit. This was one of the main reasons for the negative reaction to the sector.
Recent projects, on the contrary, have moved away from financial incentives as a priority and instead focused on creating a more immersive, organic experience.
This statement becomes more realistic if we take a closer look at recent games. In particular, Bybit’s Coinsweeper went beyond purely commercial elements and focused on the uniqueness of the gameplay.
The gameplay of Coinsweeper. Source: Bybit Learn
The gameplay of Coinsweeper is literally an adaptation of the classic Sapper. In this way, the game reflects a deeper understanding of what gamers really value: an immersive experience and the opportunity to feel part of something bigger.
In particular, this approach is embodied in the game Bull Run by WhiteBIT. In this game, players must successfully predict the next micro-movement of the bitcoin price on the chart.
The gameplay itself is visualized as a race. So, if your bitcoin prediction comes true, your game character will run faster.
Bull Run gameplay. Source.
Both of the above games are a clear reflection of the latest trends in the industry. While Coinsweeper evokes a certain “nostalgic” experience, Bull Run gamifies trading for enthusiasts – and opens it up to newcomers.
In addition to the gaming experience, TON-based projects have formed a whole new market that intersects with their commercial side.
The main thing is community building
The lion’s share of TON games are developed by large cryptocurrency exchanges or blockchain companies that also pursue marketing goals. The aforementioned Coinsweeper and Bull Run, as well as Binance’s Moonbix, reflect the latest trend in crypto marketing: the strategic priority is to consistently build a high-quality community instead of generating a low-quality reach.
This approach combines entertainment with brand strategy, creating a new way to reach audiences while promoting awareness and adoption of cryptocurrencies.
In the process, players indirectly get to know the exchange’s ecosystem, learn about its tokenomics, or even receive incentives to open accounts or try out new features.
This strategy was pioneered by the Telegram-based cryptocurrency exchange Blum. It was one of the first to release a clicker as a promotion tool, rewarding its loyal players with Blum Points.
Gameplay of the game by Blum. Source: Blum blog
Although Blum seems to be much simpler and more straightforward than the other games mentioned here, it comprehensively covers the commercial side of gaming, which cannot be neglected.
So what remains to be prioritized?
The game industry has changed dramatically. Its new trends – an increased focus on gaming experience and long-term community building – are certainly doing their job.
According to the Global Market Insights report, in 2023, the GameFi market was valued at $26.38 billion, and its market capitalization is expected to grow by almost 20% over the next 8 years. However, despite the fact that the industry share is showing exponential growth, the debate about the original role of crypto games remains as hot as ever. Although games are becoming more and more entertaining, they retain commercial interest. Both qualities have their place, and perhaps the future of GameFi lies in the balance between the two – just like in the traditional gaming industry.
Only time will tell which approach will ultimately prevail, but it will likely not be about one winning over the other, but about their mutual evolution into something completely new.
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