If you’ve spent time on Web3, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Play-to-Earn. Play-to-Earn was arguably the most hyped innovation in blockchain gaming in the past year. However, as with many meteoric rises, it crashed-landed in the bearish market.
Yet, it’s not the bear market that’s entirely to blame.
Play-to-Earn has an inherent conflict with the ethos of gamers: to have fun. Play-to-Earn orients the game as simply a vehicle to earn money. It places financial gain above the game itself. This approach has a trickle-down effect on the user experience.
Studios that focus on Play-to-Earn will inherently focus on the financial rewards of the game above the core gameplay mechanics. Focusing on economics may seem prudent if the goal is the game economy. However, a suboptimal game with over-hyped rewards will only be counting the time until enough users become bored or frustrated, leading to a vacant game AND a collapsed economy.
Gamers attracted to the Play-to-Earn model will focus on their monetary gain. They may be willing to overlook the issues with the game mechanics, aesthetics, or overall design as long as it serves their financial interests. However, not everyone can earn a profit. When whales remove themselves from the economy, it can create a domino effect that leaves the remaining players with less valuable assets and an underwhelming game.
That’s why Sabre Games always orients our players and studios with the Play-and-Earn model.
The games we develop must always hold the game above all else. We create what gamers want to play, AND we build on the blockchain. This rewording solves a fundamental issue in gaming, wherein the studio retains all asset ownership, allowing players to earn from their gameplay. It’s a subtle distinction that reminds both parties we make good games that, if you put the effort in, can also grant you rewards.
Sabre Games is building out the future of Web3 gaming. That’s why we must orient ourselves at the onset of blockchain gaming. With a proper value system and direction, we can ensure our players arrive at the right destination; if they’re good, they can make some extra money when they get there.
