Open Game Ecosystem: A New Solution to Structural Problems in the Web3 Gaming Industry

Key Points Overview

• The Web3 gaming industry has fallen into a slump after experiencing a speculative frenzy, with the closed ecosystem structure identified as a fundamental issue.
• A third-layer infrastructure project optimized for gaming aims to break through the limitations of the Web3 gaming industry by providing high-performance, low-cost customized infrastructure and an open interoperable ecosystem.
• The project's vision is not limited to solving issues in the Web3 gaming industry but also aims to provide a new paradigm for the traditional gaming industry, including community-centric governance models, inter-game cooperation models, and the development of an expanded virtual economy.

The Dilemma of the Web3 Gaming Industry: Speculation or Innovation?

Web3 games were initially seen as a growth engine for the gaming industry; however, public interest has quickly cooled, and skepticism about their innovativeness has continued to rise. Data shows that search volume related to GameFi and trading volume of major GameFi tokens have been steadily declining.

Nevertheless, many industry participants still firmly believe that Web3 games will revive. However, rebuilding public trust becomes difficult after the wave of speculation recedes. While the cryptocurrency industry seeks new growth points through institutional adoption, the Web3 gaming sector is still looking for breakthroughs.

The Web3 gaming industry is currently facing a critical choice: will it become a true vehicle for innovation, or will it descend into the final chapter of a speculative bubble? To move forward, the industry must confront its limitations and formulate a clear breakthrough strategy.

The Fundamental Limitations of Web3 Games: Closed Ecosystems

The core crisis of Web3 gaming stems from the closed ecosystem structure. Despite its selling points of openness and interoperability, the reality often falls short. In theory, blockchain technology allows users to own game assets and transfer them freely across platforms, which is the core value proposition of this field.

However, the current Web3 gaming ecosystem presents a paradox: most games operate on isolated blockchain infrastructures, forming "walled gardens." This fragmentation limits industry growth potential by dispersing user bases and diluting liquidity. Game companies compete in a zero-sum environment, fighting for the "existing cake" rather than collaborating to "expand the cake," and this dynamic hinders innovation and drags down overall development.

To break through this situation, Web3 games must break the closed structure and build an open and interoperable ecosystem. This requires a strategic shift from individual competition to collaborative growth, allowing developers, platforms, and communities to co-create value.

A New Attempt at an Open Game Ecosystem

A blockchain game infrastructure project created by former employees of a well-known trading platform has proposed the "Open Game" vision, aiming to structurally address the interoperability challenges and provide fundamental solutions for the fragmentation of the Web3 gaming ecosystem.

The core of the project is to develop high-performance Rollup infrastructure, providing an optimized environment for games, and assisting game companies in building horizontally scalable "game chains" that maintain interoperability while achieving independence.

This off-chain third-layer infrastructure is specifically designed to meet the needs of the gaming industry. It provides dedicated channels for game transactions while achieving high throughput and cost efficiency. As of July 2024, the cost per transaction for this project is only $0.001, significantly lower than other mainstream blockchains.

On-Chain Gaming Platform: Seamless Onboarding Experience

The project has also launched an on-chain gaming platform, providing users with a friendly entry point for chain games. Users can register with just an email or phone number, and the platform supports integration of various login methods, even offering a guest mode for instant games without login, significantly lowering the entry barrier.

The platform utilizes self-developed account and chain abstraction technology, allowing users to access cross-chain assets instantly through a single login account without the need for bridging or exchanging, providing a smooth experience similar to Web2.

In addition to gaming, the platform also serves as a social hub for player interaction, promoting an immersive experience through real-time tournaments that support both competition and cooperation, with all gameplay processes and rewards recorded on the blockchain to ensure transparency.

Potential Impact of Open Gaming Vision

This open gaming vision brings new possibilities not only for Web3 games but for the entire gaming industry. It seeks to break the limitations of the traditional industry by building a more open, interoperable, and community-driven ecosystem, paving the way for innovative new paths.

1. Game development decision-making power may shift from publishers to the community. By tokenizing community governance, players can directly vote on game projects, and selected works receive funding for development. This makes game development more transparently reflect the interests of players rather than publishers.

2. The gaming industry may shift from competition to collaboration. A global state system allows user data, achievements, and evaluations to be recorded and shared across all game chains, supporting more precise and effective marketing. Various collaboration models encourage games to expand their user base together through cooperation, replacing the competition for exclusive users.

3. The boundaries between gaming and finance may become blurred. An open, extensible economic ecosystem built on high interoperability allows digital assets to be seamlessly used across gaming environments. This expands users' economic activities from a single game to the entire ecosystem, empowering users to truly own and manage the value they create.

Conclusion

The Web3 gaming industry is undergoing a transformation period, requiring a focus on accurate self-assessment, practical problem-solving, and the conversion of innovative value. The vision for open games not only creates new games but also clearly diagnoses the structural issues in the Web3 gaming industry and provides specific solutions.

This vision is expected to address the practical issues in the Web3 gaming industry and inject diversity and creativity into the traditional gaming sector. If successfully realized, Web3 games will have the opportunity to break into niche markets, attract mainstream players, and potentially have a profound impact on the broader gaming industry.