To Boldly Go: Enjin and the Blockchain Gaming Revolution
You know how certain items and achievements in Hearthstone translate into mounts or pets in World of Warcraft? Well, Enjin’s doing that—but for everyone who wants to get involved.
Make no mistake, Enjin is more than a company. It’s a movement.
As players, we take our ephemeral association with games as assumptions. We find an enticing title, immerse ourselves, and develop strange relationships to things that—as we are so often reminded—“don’t really exist.”
Then, whether suddenly or steadily, we transition to a different world, and the bittersweet cycle begins anew. The upgrades may be gone, but now and then I still find myself whistling Spark Mandrill’s theme from Megaman X or reminiscing of late nights spent with friends in Phantasy Star Online, Halo, or Madden.
If you’re like me, this legacy of trophies and shared triumphs forms a pillar of your identity. It’s time we claim true ownership of that heritage.
Wait. What?
To use a common illustration: you know how certain items and achievements in Hearthstone translate into mounts or pets in World of Warcraft? Well, Enjin’s doing that — but for everyone who wants to get involved. I’m inviting you to take part in a dramatic ascension changing gaming for the better.
Like a Katamari-esque globe, the fun grows with each new contributor, and we’re already on a roll. Examine the wide variety of use cases.
How would you make your mark?
If you’re an indie developer, Enjin means broader access to the digital bazaar.
Steam is an indecipherable labyrinth of content, making it difficult to get exposure when you need it most. If you’re lucky or have the right contacts, you might end up on the front page during the seasonal tithe to GabeN.
In all likelihood, at least one of your titles got buried in the pile, and there’s a tinge of remorse for potentials unrealized. Let’s get you connected to a multiverse of titles where players have incentive to hop from world to world, knowing that what they earn, they can take along for the ride.
For AAA studios, the benefits may be like Snake — elusive, yet solid once you peer under the box.
If you work at one of the big guys, there’s a chance, whether you’ll speak publicly about it or not, that your company is considering how blockchain integration can affect your projects and, ultimately, the bottom line.
There’s no doubt the advantages of incumbency are significant. Developing games on your own proprietary blockchain may seem inevitable, but it’s the lesser of two pills. I’m offering you a larger market with greater opportunities.
The anti-consumer fragmentation of online streaming services proves an unsavory hors d’oeuvre to the fresh buffet of content available in the Information Age. If I may be so bold — please don’t follow suit. We have the chance to do it right.
Be like the guy who said, “You know what, I think Sonic and Cloud should be in Super Smash Bros,” instead of the one who pummels innovation with cease-and-desist letters. It shouldn’t require a $69 billion corporate merger to get X-Men in Marvel films, yet here we are.
Let’s reject the status quo and pioneer an accord that puts gamers first. Join us, and make the dream possible — the dream of every single game existing on a synergistic network enjoyed by all.
And what of the gamers? What does blockchain’s additional functionality mean for us?
If we can trade across titles, if we can have some kind of avatar that persists throughout the decades, we unlock possibilities currently consigned to fiction. I see a world where gamers make a living by farming, trading, and — better yet — acting as living characters that enrich the experiences of those around them.
You could finally be a wandering merchant or muscle-for-hire knowing that your efforts have real-world value to pay the bills with. How many more hours would you have in Dark Souls were there some tangible bounty for every boss you helped slay as a Sunbro?
It’s a compelling reality, particularly for adult gamers with worldly obligations.
Financially, blockchain integration with games makes a lot of sense. I’m much more comfortable dropping money on a skin knowing it’ll be usable long after the original game dies and that, worst case, I can melt it (a concept similar to recycling or Hearthstone dust) and receive Enjin Coin to use as I see fit.
Finally, if there’s no centralized repository to pilfer, hackers put in more work for less reward—and that is better for everyone.
It’s time for a reality check.
The hype for blockchain gaming is enthralling. Unfortunately, con-artists ran amok in 2017, distributing questionable white papers and promising a moon made of barbecue spare ribs. They took a collective dump on the credibility of the entire space. Thanks, Carlos.
The movement I’m describing here is not a fountain of youth, a perpetual motion machine, or the Fyre Festival — these games exist, and you can play them right now.
Want more proof? Come to San Francisco in March, visit us at GDC, and let me introduce you to the remarkable developers showcasing their titles live.
We are laying the foundation on a new frontier, much like the homesteaders who ventured West generations ago.
Big or small, your involvement is integral, because nothing worthwhile is done alone. Join our incredible community on Telegram, download our secure wallet, and see for yourself.
Together, we can orchestrate a harmonious union that redefines the boundaries of gaming. To shirk the power we hold today to change tomorrow would be such tragic waste.
If not us, then who?
