The world of blockchain gaming is experiencing rapid growth, with gaming being a major driving force behind web3. Nearly one-third of dApps’ daily active audience is made up of gamers, and as more users embrace GameFi, blockchain games are struggling to keep up with the demand. This has led to the development of game-oriented blockchains to meet the growing needs of the industry, making user experience and onboarding simpler and more attractive to new players. This, in turn, is expected to spark further growth in the number and quality of gaming-first blockchain networks.
The idea for gaming blockchains emerged as a solution to the scalability issues faced by blockchain games. In the early days, Ethereum-based games were mainly niche products for dedicated enthusiasts willing to tolerate inefficiencies and poor user experience. However, as the industry grew, it became clear that a more scalable solution was needed. This led to the creation of dedicated gaming blockchains that could better cater to the needs of game developers and players.
One of the pioneers in the gaming blockchain space was WAX, which initially focused on e-commerce transactions but later shifted its focus to gaming. Today, WAX is among the top ten gaming blockchains, with partnerships with major players like Amazon Prime Gaming and Epic Games Store. Another standout blockchain is Ronin, developed by Sky Mavis, the company behind Axie Infinity. Ronin’s proof-of-authority and delegated proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms have helped to reduce energy consumption and transaction fees, making it a popular choice for game developers.
While dedicated gaming blockchains have boosted the industry, they have not solved all its problems. Building a blockchain from scratch is time-consuming and expensive, and it limits the ability to quickly integrate new innovations. As a result, developers have turned their attention to Layer-2 and Layer-3 solutions to enhance scalability and customization for gaming.
These new layers offer faster transaction speeds, lower fees, and increased throughput compared to Ethereum’s L1 network. For example, PlayBlock, a GameFi L3 blockchain running on Arbitrum Orbit, offers a gasless gaming experience with features like account abstraction and relayer technology. This simplifies the gaming experience for players, making blockchain gaming more accessible to a wider audience.
The future of gaming blockchains looks promising, with L2/L3 chains becoming a priority for developers seeking scalability and flexibility. Major corporations like Sony Group are also entering the gaming blockchain space, with the launch of Soneium, an Ethereum Layer-2 platform focused on security and user-friendly gameplay. With the interest of major players and the availability of infrastructure like rollup-as-a-service solutions, we can expect to see more gaming-focused blockchains emerge in the near future, bringing GameFi to mainstream audiences.
Overall, the future of blockchain gaming is bright, with new innovations and partnerships driving growth and accessibility. As the industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see more exciting developments that will shape the gaming landscape for years to come.