The Resurgence of Web3 Gaming: Exploring Six Gamefi Projects

Introduction

In 2023, the Web3 gaming sector, often termed GameFi, is experiencing a significant resurgence. This revival is marked by advancements and changes that reflect the industry's adaptation to new challenges and opportunities.

One of the most notable changes is the increase in investment and development within the sector. The "State of Web3 Gaming 2023" report by Game7 underscores this growth. This comprehensive analysis, examining data from over 1,900 blockchain games and 170 blockchain ecosystems, reveals a vibrant and expanding landscape. The report indicates substantial investment flows into the sector, with blockchain gaming attracting $1.5 billion by the third quarter of 2023.

Geographically, the Asia-Pacific region has emerged as a leader in Web3 game development, hosting 40% of the developers. This highlights a shift in the global gaming landscape, with significant participation from countries like South Korea, the UK, Singapore, Vietnam, and Australia.

The report also sheds light on the challenges and innovations in distribution. More than half of Web3 games are not accessible on mainstream platforms, pushing developers to rely on direct channels or Web3-native platforms. Yet, mainstream platforms like the Epic Games store are increasingly supporting Web3 games, suggesting a gradual integration of these games into conventional gaming channels.

As Web3 gaming continues to evolve, it's not just about gaming but also about creating decentralized experiences where players have more control and ownership. This shift from traditional gaming models is attracting a new wave of gamers and developers, eager to explore the possibilities of digital asset ownership and cross-game interoperability. In light of this resurgence, we will be covering six notable GameFi projects that exemplify the innovation and growth within this sector.

Illuvium

Illuvium stands out in the blockchain gaming world as a high-quality, AAA Ethereum-based RPG that merges fantasy battle elements with role-playing. It's designed to captivate both casual gamers and DeFi enthusiasts. In Illuvium, players explore a world filled with unique creatures called Illuvials, which they can capture and nurture. These creatures then become key assets in battles against other players.

The game is structured around strategic combat and collection, emphasizing the synergy between Illuvials of different classes and affinities. It offers a free-to-play model, with enhanced experiences available through the purchase of ILV and sILV tokens.

In the realm of tokenomics, Illuvium introduces two types of ERC-20 tokens: ILV and sILV. ILV serves as the primary reward currency and allows players to access the Illuvium vault, while sILV offers immediate utility within the game. The ILV tokens have a one-year vesting period, but players can convert them into sILV to bypass this timeframe and use their rewards for early in-game purchases.

Furthermore, the ILV token plays a role in Illuvium's decentralized governance, giving token holders a say in the project's direction. This governance aspect adds a layer of community involvement in the game's development. As a tradable asset, ILV also provides additional value and utility beyond the game environment.

Vulcan Forged

Vulcan Forged (website) is a comprehensive web3 ecosystem that stands out as a hub for blockchain gaming enthusiasts. It's home to Vulcan Studios, a web3 gaming studio. The ecosystem is further enriched by its upcoming MetaScapes project. Vulcan Forged offers over 10 NFT and gaming projects, including VulcanVerse, a popular MMORPG, and Berserk, an engaging trading card game available on both mobile and PC. This community boasts over 20,000 members, emphasizing its role as a leading immersive gaming experience provider.

At the heart of Vulcan Forged is the $PYR token, an ERC-20 token that powers the entire ecosystem. It is used across all dApps and games within Vulcan Forged, offering multiple utilities. Players can use $PYR to buy and sell in the marketplace, stake in land plots, Titans, or Olympians, farm on Vulcandex, or earn it by playing games. It's also integral to participating in the ecosystem's governance through the philosopher's counsel. The token was developed in collaboration with Polygon, aiming to revolutionize the play-to-earn concept in gaming.

The $PYR token primarily functions as a currency within the Vulcan Forged marketplace, facilitating transactions and interactions within the ecosystem. Vulcan Forged also employs a unique staking mechanism for $PYR.

Furthermore, using $PYR to level up lands and Gods in VulcanVerse unlocks additional benefits. Leveling up land grants access to more building tools, better assets, and treasure pits of greater value. Upgrading your God with $PYR enhances the dynamic nature of your NFT image, increases your monthly reward pool percentage, raises your $LAVA winnings, and reduces the seller's fee in the marketplace.

Parallel TCG

Parallel TCG (website) is a free-to-play sci-fi trading card game set in a vast universe where five factions of humans engage in battles for prestige, power, and the in-game currency $PRIME. The game is still in private beta but is a strategic one-on-one player versus player game immerses players in intense battles where the objective is to reduce the opponent's Health Points to zero. Each player starts with 30 Health Points and a deck comprising 40 cards.

The game's core involves deck building, where players must first choose a 'Parallel'—a unique faction within the game's universe—and one of the three 'Paragons' from that Parallel. The chosen Paragon becomes the leader of the player's deck, offering both a passive effect throughout the game and an activated ability when summoned to the field. After selecting a Paragon, players construct their deck with cards from their chosen Parallel and can also include Universal cards to enhance their deck's capabilities.

The game's economy revolves around the PRIME token, a utility token for Echelon and its ecosystem of games, including Parallel TCG. PRIME powers token-gated products, services, and experiences known as 'PRIME Sinks.' Players can earn PRIME through gameplay and use it in various ways, such as in the Vulcan Forged marketplace, staking in land plots, and more. The total supply of PRIME is capped at 111,111,111 tokens.

The allocation of PRIME is strategically divided among different sectors within the ecosystem. Approximately 31.7% of the total supply is dedicated to the gameplay pool, while 19.7% is reserved for Parallel Studios, and 16.2% for Parallel Studios investors. Other allocations include 14.1% for caching, 11.2% for the Echelon Foundation Reserve, and 7.1% for Prime Events.

TVK

Terra Virtua Kolect (TVK) (website) is a unique ecosystem within the blockchain and NFT world, blending cross-platform capabilities with a focus on non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It provides a regulated marketplace, enabling interactions among NFT creators, sellers, and collectors. Deployed across various platforms like the web, PC, AR/VR environments, and mobile devices, Terra Virtua offers a versatile and immersive experience.

The ecosystem's currency, Terra Virtua Kolect ($TVK), integrates technologies like DeFi, NFT, and blockchain. TVK serves as a reward for players and offers the advantage of discounted transaction costs.

Terra Virtua Kolect also features unique functionalities like Terra Virtua Prestige (TVP) and Terra Virtua Reward (TVR). TVP rewards TVK holders with discounts, early access to new releases, and free tokens and NFTs monthly, provided they hold a minimum number of tokens. TVR rewards users who actively interact with the Terra Virtua ecosystem, such as by achieving high rankings in contests or participating in governance.

The ecosystem also includes Terra Forma, which allows users to create virtual acquisitions, unleashing their creativity in a freeform environment. Additionally, TVK enables exclusive farming of NFTs that are not available elsewhere, enhancing its utility within the Terra Virtua ecosystem

BEAM

Merit Circle (website), initially a gaming DAO with over 60 partner games, has undergone a significant transformation, rebranding as Beam. Beam (website) is an open-source blockchain specialized for gaming, designed to simplify the complexities of game development and enhance the gaming experience.

Beam functions as an independent, sovereign network, catering to a diverse range of gamers and game developers. It's an ecosystem that includes smart contract accounts for uninterrupted gaming experiences, a Beam SDK for programmatic control over accounts and transactions, and a chain-agnostic product suite. The Beam Companion App enables players to play, trade, and collect with friends, and Beam’s native game asset marketplace facilitates in-game transactions.

The rebranding to Beam involves launching an Avalanche Subnet specifically tailored for Web3 gaming development and gameplay. This includes existing Merit Circle products, new gaming-focused tooling, an NFT marketplace called Sphere, and three new games: "Trial Xtreme," "Walker World," and "Hash Rush." These games range from a thrilling racing game with over 250 million downloads to an immersive open-world experience and a pioneering Web3 MMORTS game.

Beam aims to offer players more control over their gaming assets and help developers launch games more seamlessly. The platform includes automated market makers (AMMs) for token swaps linked to Beam dApps, an NFT marketplace integrated into games, and support for native Avalanche SDKs, APIs, wallets, bridges, and analytics tools. This robust framework promises to reduce the complexity of on-chain operations and maintain low transaction fees, making Beam a dynamic and participatory ecosystem empowering everyone involved.

Yield Guild Games

Yield Guild Games (YGG) (website) is a pioneering web3 gaming guild that operates as a decentralized network of gaming guilds focused on blockchain games and web3 education. It offers its members opportunities to succeed in the open Metaverse, empowering them to build their Metaverse résumés through initiatives like the Web3 Metaversity and the Guild Advancement Program (GAP). YGG also supports the emerging competitive web3 esports scene with its team of elite esports players, YGG Elite.

The guild is known for its collaborative ethos, encapsulated in the hashtag #togetherweplay, emphasizing community and shared gaming experiences. YGG has achieved notable milestones, including 3108 achievements awarded and 241 partnerships. It is supported by prominent investors like Delphi Digital, Bitkraft, and a16z, among others. The guild's mission revolves around revolutionizing gaming by enabling individuals to play a role in shaping its future, offering free play, adventures, and rewards. YGG operates under the belief that the future of gaming is bright and that it should be accessible and enjoyable for all players

Final Thoughts

It's clear that this sector stands at the forefront of a significant transformation in the gaming industry. The integration of blockchain technology, NFTs, and decentralized finance (DeFi) mechanisms in games like Illuvium, Vulcan Forged, Parallel, Terra Virtua Kolect, Beam, and Yield Guild Games highlights a trend towards more immersive, player-centric experiences. These platforms are not just about gaming; they're about creating ecosystems where players have increased agency, ownership, and potential for rewards.

Furthermore, the rise of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) in this space, such as Merit Circle transforming into Beam and the community-driven approach of Yield Guild Games, indicates a move towards more democratic and transparent governance models in the gaming world.