Play-to-Earn Gaming Needs a Rebrand
Play-to-earn gaming needs a rebrand. This is something I’ve been thinking about recently, and I’m certainly not the only one to think this and voice their opinions on the matter.
Let’s talk about why play-to-earn might be the wrong label for your game.
Why We Play
Gaming has been a part of my life ever since I was old enough to hold a controller. It was, and still is, an escape from the outside world. Some may have a difference of opinion but it is my belief that a fundamental element of a video game should be fun. If a game isn’t fun, why are we playing?
It shouldn’t feel like a chore or job, games are supposed to transport us away from reality, not remind us of it. This is something I’ve encountered a lot of recently in my experiences with blockchain gaming. Games labeled as play-to-earn are often not enjoyable experiences, and we’re just supposed to look beyond that because we’re given the opportunity to earn a token or make money.
The term play-to-earn itself has an inherently negative connotation. The TO in play-to-earn is driving us towards something, this tells me that if I play your game I’m not doing it to enjoy myself, I’m doing it to earn money. We shouldn’t be playing games to earn anything, games should first and foremost be fun. Enjoying your time with a game and leveling up/completing tasks SHOULD reward you or give you ownership over your assets. But that can’t be a shield for a boring game.
If P2E isn’t the answer, well then what is? I’ve seen two alternatives recently that I really like and that I think are better representations of what some of these games are.
Play-and-Earn
The first of which is PAE or play-and-earn.
Play-and-earn still keeps the gameplay first, but I believe that AND is a much better alternative than TO. I don’t play Crypto Raiders to earn any token or make money, I play it because it’s fun and I have a great time with my friends. I don’t race countless races in ZED RUN hoping to make money. I have made money in ZED RUN, but it was just a nice bonus on top of an already enjoyable experience. It’s just the icing, not the entire cake.
Play-to-Own
The other alternative to P2E I’ve seen and one I really like is P2O or play-to-own. I was made aware of this through an article on Nintendo Life where former President of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aimé was speaking about the future of video games.
Here’s just a snippet of what he said:
“…I say this as a player where I may have invested 50 hours, 100 hours, or 300 hours in a game, and when I’m ready to move on to something else, wouldn’t it be great to monetize what I’ve built?”
The example used in the article is Animal Crossing, and during lockdown I know countless people who spent dozens of hours on their island. Now imagine if they could turn around and monetize that island, something they spent literal days building and growing.
The full article can be read below:
Empowering the Player
Giving ownership of in-game assets to the player can empower them in ways we never thought possible, and allows players to monetize the countless hours of time they have invested into a game. Blockchain technology can empower players to own their assets and monetize their hobby in brand-new ways. But it’s important to not lose sight of why we play video games in the first place, and that’s to connect with one another and have a fun time.
It’s important to remember why we play games, and why they’re such a big part of our lives. Whether it be P2E, PAE, P2O or something else, make sure you’re having fun and it doesn’t feel like a job or chore.
Stay safe, have fun, and I’ll see you in the Metaverse.
