Sarojini McKenna is CEO of Dacoco and a co-founder of the most popular onchain blockchain game Alien Worlds.
The emergence of blockchain gaming has turned players from passionate content consumers into something much more. Indeed, no term yet exists that accurately reflects the activities of modern players. Those who make the most of the opportunities afforded to them are a blend of gamer, collector, creator, governor, and entrepreneur.
Releases that reward players for their active participation and entrepreneurial smarts stand a good chance of crowding out even the best-made web2 games in the years to come. The groundbreaking Alien Worlds metaverse, which incentivizes engagement to the extent that gamers form powerful player councils that manage sizable asset treasuries, is a great example of this new paradigm.
Although the rise of blockchain gaming has spawned a subset of players who focus solely on trading of in-game NFTs (as well as the native crypto-assets of the games themselves), these self-motivated types are missing out on the long-term benefits of actively enriching the gaming ecosystem. What’s more, rather than representing the aforementioned hybrid of gamer/collector et al, this particular player is more akin to an enterprising crypto trader.
And the future of gaming certainly doesn’t hinge on the seesawing fortunes of traders.
The power of incentivized entrepreneurship
Alien Worlds has pioneered a model that seamlessly merges gaming, decentralized governance, in-game mining, and game cards which are NFTs. Players are not mere spectators; they become committed participants in shaping the game’s future.
The environment of this particular metaverse is spread across a half-dozen planets, each of which contains Trilium (TLM), a cryptocurrency native to Alien Worlds. The goal is to use a variety of tools to ‘mine’ this commodity from the crust of the planet, as well as to participate in missions to compete for rewards such as Trilium and NFTs.
As well as participating in mining, players can join Planetary Syndicates that control token treasuries, organize events and competitions, and vote on community proposals such as which mini-games and projects to finance. These decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) are arguably the coolest innovation of all in blockchain gaming, as they give regular players the sort of power typically reserved to a game developer or publisher.
By intertwining the aforementioned elements, Alien Worlds represents a vibrant ecosystem where consistent gameplay and strategic nous are rewarded. Effectively, the more you enrich the overall gaming environment by playing, voting and building, the more you stand to benefit. Little wonder the metaverse has attracted over 9.3 million lifetime players and is consistently ranked the world’s #1 blockchain game by DappRadar.
Beyond speculation: building a sustainable future
While the idea of making quick profits through NFT trading carries some allure, it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of such an approach. Engaging in token flipping and speculative trading may yield short-term gains (particularly in a bull market), but it ultimately undermines the long-term viability and health of the gaming ecosystem which should be equipped to flourish in all market conditions.
At the end of the day, what makes games successful is the quality of the gameplay and the passion of the community. And this is something that true gaming entrepreneurs would do well to understand: sustainable profits come from active participation.
Speculators, meanwhile, are a big part of the reason why many traditional gamers (not to mention publishers and critics) are sometimes wary of decentralized applications (dapps) and NFTs: some see such innovations as tools cynically wielded by traders to make a fast buck.
Player autonomy and decentralized governance
One of the key pillars of Alien Worlds is player autonomy. While there is a linear structure to most web2 games, this is not the case in the intergalactic metaverse: players can opt to mine Trilium on any of six planets using a strategic series of tools while weighing up the merits of prospecting on different terrain (grassland, dunes, desert, etc). Or they can focus on procuring NFT points by favoring equipment better suited to finding NFTs than TLM.
Alternatively, some players focus on governance. Or land management. Or competing with other players for a spot on lucrative missions to win rewards. Or developing unique content that powers the player-driven ecosystem forward, and in so doing warrants a grant from the Galactic Hubs Grant Program. You get the idea – this metaverse is a maze, not a one-track road.
As for Alien Worlds’ Syndicate structure, this feature compels gamers to take ownership of their metaverse and make decisions in a democratic fashion, ensuring the community’s interests are at the forefront. Players get to embrace their entrepreneurial spirit by developing and funding initiatives they find interesting and leveraging their skills, creativity, and knowledge. Rather than chasing quick wins, miners and Syndicate members (known as Custodians) are busy molding the metaverse into a thriving and immersive experience for all.
Multiple community programs have come into force thanks to the Syndicates, including an Artists Grant Pilot Program that “effectively deploys DAO resources for real-world results that benefit not only the artists but also their fans, new prospective players, Alien Worlds Syndicates, and the communities that connect them all together.”
Another recent innovation credited to players was Syndicate-specific NFTs backed by Trilium and physical silver, created to reward land-holders on the Neri planet. You see, the Syndicates can make decisions as they see fit, allocating their TLM budgets to outcompete rival planets. All of which is to say that the template for a veritable gaming entrepreneur is coming into clearer focus thanks to this particular metaverse, where players not only have the opportunity to earn income but also enjoy a richer collective gaming experience.
By dedicating time, energy, and resources to metaverse gameplay, player-entrepreneurs are becoming the architects of a sustainable future, laying the groundwork for growth and success far beyond the realm of speculative NFT trading. Alien Worlds has emerged as a leading force in incentivizing players to embrace their entrepreneurial spirit and opt to play rather than speculate.
Find out more about Aliens Worlds via its website.
