Image of the stadium in which the DotA 2 “The International 8” yearly tournament was held. Valve
We are living in times when people are making a fortune using ways people couldn’t even imagine 30 years ago and it seems that the gaming industry is entering its own such period. The increasing fondness of cryptocurrencies is seen as a great way to expand the video game market to new heights.
Gaming is bigger than ever, with young adults and the forecasts showing no signs of this massive industry slowing down. If we add the gaming demographics’ acceptance of cryptocurrencies it is no coincidence that developers are trying to integrate blockchain into their in-game assets.
The number of new games that have integrated cryptocurrency as a way of making in-game purchases is rapidly growing. Game developers are introducing platforms where cryptocurrencies can be used to acquire items, skins and basically everything that can be purchased in-game.
One relatively popular example comes from South Africa. A mobile AR game called Augmentors, which has similarities with Pokemon Go, lets users collect otherworldly creatures and battle other players later on. You can acquire all sorts of skins, emotes, and accessories all through the usage of cryptocurrencies.
Of course not all cryptocurrencies are accepted and they vary from title to title as there are all sorts of financial and security hazards. The best way to feel safe about your hard-earned income is to invest in well established currencies, such as Bitcoin.
The beautiful thing about this is that cryptocurrencies in gaming are not only providing a new way of spending money. They also open a whole new world of monetary rewards for people. What’s better than to practice your favorite hobby and earn some money as well?
You might think “well there is already a way to earn money while gaming with video game streaming”, but streaming is not really proportionate to time spent.
You might stream all day but if no one is watching you won’t earn a dime, whereas with crypto-gaming the time spent playing earning tradeable items will always get you a little ahead. Also, because it’s the same currency in-game as it is in the real world you can get immediate value.
Developers are opening their eyes on this new market and the fortune it can bring but some of the big boys are still resisting this evolution. Some of the more popular games such as Fortnite and Clash royale are still lacking this sort of integration which might lead them to a huge loss.
Pro gamers are heavily backing this cryptocurrency evolution as it will bring a new way for them to profit from all their efforts and time spent.
Of course, there are other games that already have entered into partnerships with digital currencies. For example, PUBG were one of the first to announce their partnership with the blockchain-based company, Refereum.
This allows their players to have motivation to play more and be more competitive. This subject has even affected the cinema world. One film that portrays a world where in-game currency is used in real life is Ready Player One.
There is still a long way to go for all this to become a reality but we are now just that one step closer. The future is definitely looking bright for those of you who are looking for a way to combine your favorite hobby with innovative means of making capital.