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In the enthralling universe of Web3 games, some titles stand out more than others. Their popularity isn’t merely a function of captivating gameplay, impressive visuals, and earning potential. Behind these games, there’s a vibrant, supportive community acting as the game’s lifeblood. Let’s delve into how top games foster such communities during the phases of pre and post-launch.
As game developers, catching the public eye during the pre-launch phase is imperative. Yet, creating buzz for a new game is often a daunting, resource-draining task. Why? Because modern gamers are savvy — they spend considerable time exploring games before deciding to invest their resources.
The solution lies in nurturing a dedicated community of early adopters, much like traditional game developers do when a game is yet to be launched. This holds particularly true for Web3 games as studies suggest that a mere 12% of non-crypto gamers have ventured into the web3 gaming space. This fact steers most Web3 game studios to cater predominantly to a crypto-savvy audience.
When it comes to attracting gamers during this stage, Ultimate Gamers and All-Round Enthusiast Gamers are your best bets. Ultimate Gamers are gaming aficionados who immerse themselves in various games and platforms, frequently consume gaming content, socialize within the gaming community, and are eager to invest in new gaming experiences. All-Round Enthusiasts, on the other hand, are passionate about playing games but not as dedicated as their Ultimate counterparts. Yet, they have no qualms about spending money on games. Interestingly, these two gamer types are mostly male (around 70%) and hover around the age of 28.
Once a game takes off, it must consistently offer unique value to its players while simultaneously generating revenue to fuel its growth. Diverging from advertisement-laden P2E models, most Web3 games derive their earnings from selling NFTs and in-game tokens.
If the game has demonstrated its value to a group of web3 gamers, the next step is to entice traditional gamers. Game developers can accomplish this by enhancing gameplay and teaming up with gaming influencers, who can champion their game categories and drive audience interest. While web3 may be gaming’s future, it won’t go mainstream without the buy-in from countless traditional gamers. To learn about the hurdles gamers face while joining the blockchain gaming world, check out our previous blog post.
After launching your game, you’ll notice two significant gamer profiles emerge:
Community Gamers actively participate in community dialogues and spread the latest gaming news and events. They’re potent word-of-mouth (or rather, Discord) advertisers for your game and can provide useful reviews to help developers refine their games. It’s likely that two-thirds of this group are males around 27 years old.
When the community reaches a substantial size, the game can broaden its approach to include Mainstream Gamers. As they comprise 23% of gaming enthusiasts, they’re the most significant audience segment. While their in-game spending may be modest, their sheer numbers can amplify the game’s visibility, attracting even more valuable players like Ultimate Gamers or All-Round Enthusiasts.
Once you have successfully launched and managed to attract an initial player base, maintaining that momentum becomes critical. Consistent updates, engaging events, and continuous enhancement of gameplay are necessary to keep the players hooked.
Remember that in Web3 gaming, every player is also a stakeholder. Therefore, value creation for the players — whether through in-game assets, NFTs, or novel experiences — translates into value creation for the game itself. It’s a feedback loop that, when managed correctly, can lead to exponential growth and sustainability.
With time, as Web3 gaming goes mainstream, new gamer profiles will emerge, and your game should adapt to cater to these evolving demographics. For instance, the Casual Gamers — those who play games for relaxation and leisure — might find the financial aspects of blockchain gaming intriguing. Or the Social Gamers, who enjoy games as a means of social interaction, could be drawn to the thriving communities within blockchain games.
Games built on blockchain do not exist in a vacuum. They are part of the broader ecosystem that includes DeFi, NFTs, Metaverses, and much more. Collaboration with other blockchain entities could introduce your game to their user base and vice versa. Imagine hosting an in-game concert with famous virtual artists, or integrating your game’s economy with a popular DeFi platform, or your NFTs unlocking something in other game. The possibilities are endless.
Acquiring more gamers to Web3 is a complex but rewarding task. It requires understanding of gamer behavior, building strong communities, and consistently offering value to the players. However, the rewards, in terms of a dedicated player base and a thriving in-game economy, are worth the effort.
We mustn’t forget that the allure of gaming lies in its fun factor, which is what draws non-crypto-native gamers. Therefore, creating a smooth onboarding process could be the secret sauce to bringing the next wave of 100 million players to the space.
As we embrace the future of gaming with open arms, it is imperative to remember that at its core, gaming is about entertainment. Hence, while we explore new ways to monetize and incentivize, let’s not forget to keep the fun alive!
