6 Rules to follow when identifying the best web3 games to play
It seems like every other day, a new Web3 game is announced or shows up on our Twitter timelines. As the industry continues to grow, it can be challenging to distinguish quality games and projects from the vast number of mediocre ones. You don’t want to waste your valuable time on a game that isn’t enjoyable, sustainable, or trustworthy. I’ve compiled a quick guide with some key factors that I think everyone should consider when evaluating a game or a team before they decide to spend time investing or playing.
Your time is valuable. If you have time to only pick one out of thousands, which would you choose?
Gameplay
This comes without saying, but games should be fun. Most people play games for entertainment and for fun, not for work. Games shouldn’t feel like a chore, and making money should not be the main objective of the game. A quality Web3 game should have engaging, fun, and challenging gameplay. The core game loop should be well designed, allowing players to experience a sense of progress and accomplishment, regardless of how much they’ve spent or invested. Players should have an intrinsic motivation or reason to keep playing and progressing. When evaluating gameplay, consider factors such as game mechanics, controls, and replayability. Is the game enjoyable to play, or does it feel like a chore?
Sustainable Economy
This should come as no surprise, but a healthy and well-designed game economy is crucial to the long-term success of any Web3 game. There are great examples of well-designed Web2 economies driving the success of the game for years — games such as World of Warcraft offer great gameplay on top of a thriving player driven economy, one where the player has agency to directly impact gameplay. For example, in WoW veteran players play a vital role in ensuring that rare items and consumables are available for other new players joining the raiding ecosystem.
A well designed game economy should offer incentives for playing and trading, while promoting long-term growth. Look for games that have transparent and well-balanced tokenomics, with clear rules and regulations around the in-game currency. The game should reward players for investing time and resources while also providing a reasonable level of scarcity for items and rewards. A healthy economy will help ensure the game has staying power and continues to be enjoyable for years to come.
Rewarding Skill
Great games reward skill and investment in the game. Players who are the best of the best and put in the time and effort to improve should be rewarded appropriately. Not every game is an E-sport, but players should feel like their time and effort investment is justly rewarded. Unless you are building a single player game, you want your best and most invested players to keep coming back to the game, and to contribute to the game’s community.
Ultimately players should feel intrinsically motivated to improve their skills, achieve goals, and compete for top rankings, regardless of monetary incentives. Players want to be recognised as key community figures and appreciated for their skill. Look for games that offer meaningful rewards for performing well, such as rare cosmetics, items or exclusive in-game bonuses.
Trust and Transparency
Trust is essential in the Web3 gaming space, and it’s important to understand the team and people working on these projects. Reputable teams generally have a history of transparency and open communication. Look at their past experience, if they’ve developed any previous titles before and check out those games to see if what they’ve developed is something that you would want to play. The developers should be upfront about their development plans, roadmaps, and any potential issues that may arise. Identify teams that communicate often and freely with their community on their social channels like Discord or Twitter.
Community
A thriving community is a strong indicator of a successful game. Look out for communities that are active and engaged. A positive community often helps foster social connections through gameplay (e.g. forming parties and guilds, sharing strategies) and creates opportunities for developer-player interactions. A healthy community can help ensure the game is well-maintained and updated over time, and that feedback regularly gets to the developers who can in turn make the experience better for the players.
Innovation
Lastly, seek out games that push the boundaries of what’s possible in Web3 gaming. Unique features, dynamic NFTs, and cross-platform experiences can make a game stand out from the competition. Consider if the game is doing anything new or innovative, and if it aligns with your interests.
Conclusion
With the right criteria in mind, you can make informed decisions and choose the best games for you. Do your own research by reading reviews, watching gameplay videos, and joining the Discord or Twitter communities to get a sense of what the game is like. Ultimately, there will only be a handful of games and communities that are worth your time and investment. Knowing these factors is the real alpha, and will help to save your time and energy.
