History of Blockchain Gaming
TAKE3, 18 April 2024
Blockchain gaming is a groundbreaking innovation that merges the decentralised power of blockchain technology with the immersive worlds of video games. Emerging in the mid-2010s, blockchain games introduced new possibilities for player ownership, digital asset trading, and play-to-earn economies. Early experiments, like CryptoKitties, showcased the potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to create unique, tradable in-game items. Over the years, blockchain gaming has evolved into a thriving ecosystem, blending decentralised finance, metaverse experiences, and cross-chain interoperability. While still in its infancy, blockchain gaming is reshaping how players engage with and benefit from video games in Web3.
PLAYA3ULL GAMES has detailed the meteoric rise of blockchain gaming below!
Early blockchain gaming experiments (2013–2017)
The early days of blockchain gaming, from 2013 to 2016, were marked by experimentation and a focus on showcasing the potential of blockchain technology in gaming.
One of the first notable examples was Huntercoin (2014), a multiplayer online game that utilised the Bitcoin blockchain. Players collected in-game coins, which could be converted into cryptocurrency, by competing in a decentralised environment where every move was recorded on-chain. These early games were simple, often limited by the technology of the time, and primarily targeted blockchain enthusiasts.
Ethereum Smart Contracts and Cryptokitties (2015–2017)
The launch of Ethereum in 2015 revolutionised blockchain gaming by introducing smart contracts. Smart contracts are self-executing programmes stored on the blockchain and can be compared to a binding physical contract that states when an agreement is reached, an action will follow. Ethereum enabled developers to create decentralised applications (dApps) with more complex functionalities. This innovation laid the foundation for blockchain-based games where in-game assets could be tokenised as NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
One of the most influential blockchain games leveraging NFTs was CryptoKitties, which was launched in 2017. The game allowed players to collect, breed, and trade virtual cats, representing each cat as a unique NFT on the Ethereum blockchain. CryptoKitties became a sensation and showcased the potential of blockchain to create digital economies. The surge in transactions from CryptoKitties caused severe network congestion, leading to slower transaction times and higher gas fees. This highlighted the limitations of early blockchain technology and sparked a push for solutions like layer-2 scaling and more efficient protocols to support the growing demand for blockchain gaming.
Rise of Play-to-Earn (2021–2022)
The play-to-earn (P2E) gaming model took centre stage between 2021 and 2022, transforming how players engaged with games by allowing them to earn cryptocurrency as a reward for playing the game. At the forefront of this movement was Axie Infinity, a blockchain game that lets players breed, battle, and trade virtual creatures called Axies, represented as NFTs. Players could control the Axie supply and sell their unique Axies in the marketplace for Ethereum. With the introduction of their Ethereum sidechain, Ronin, transaction fees were much lower and faster than Ethereum’s layer-1 blockchain. Axie Infinity became particularly popular in countries like the Philippines, where the earnings often surpassed local wages.
The rise of P2E gaming also saw the emergence of game guilds like Yield Guild Games (YGG), which further expanded the ecosystem. These guilds acted as decentralised organisations that pooled resources to invest in in-game assets (via profit-sharing systems), leasing them to players who couldn’t afford the upfront costs. By creating these scholarships and profit-sharing systems, guilds enabled more players to join the P2E movement and kicked off a big year of Venture Capital funding into P2E.
The P2E model eventually disbanded due to unsustainable economic structures prioritising speculation over gameplay. Once token values plummeted, player interest dwindled with them.
New blockchain games with fun at its core (2023 and beyond)
From 2023 onwards, blockchain gaming began prioritising fun and gameplay over purely financial incentives. Web3 video games have been developing for over a year or two and aim to appeal to traditional gamers and blockchain enthusiasts. Games like NEXUS and ORDINEM use multiplayer as the core element and provide an incredible user experience. P2E elements are still in effect to support those in developing countries, but the emphasis has shifted back to fun and immersive games. This is the way video games were designed to be. The future of blockchain gaming is bright by mixing the best elements of Web2 and Web3 video games.
What a blast from the past that was, right? We hope this blog helped you appreciate the journey of blockchain gaming and the improvements made over time for new blockchain games.
Until next time, gamers - GG Well Played!
Want to experience the thrill of another Web3 game called NEXUS with others? The third-person MOBA is free to play now on the Epic Games Store. Download it here.
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TAKE3, 23 January 2025
A 3ULLISH Year to Remember! PLAYA3ULL GAMES 2024 in Review
2024 has been one giant leap for PLAYA3ULL GAMES! We’ve upgraded all aspects of our company, enabled our community to thrive, launched a new game ORDINEM, and even got to exhibit at multiple Web3 conventions.
Gaze into some of our biggest milestones for the year of 2024!
Anniversaries and New Blockchain Games
2024 marked the 2nd anniversary of PLAYA3ULL GAMES building and delivering across all divisions. We rapidly levelled up our team and increased the community team from a small group of moderators to a large department of specialised roles. We futureproofed ourselves and added a new revenue source by announcing a new AI division that supercharges the progress of our games and diversifies revenue via a SaaS product offering.
Our flagship game on the Epic Games Store, ‘NEXUS,’ celebrated its 1st anniversary in 2024. December 24th, 2024, marked the 1st anniversary of the play and earn model within NEXUS. The players were awarded over 365 million 3ULL coins in total. NEXUS boxes were introduced that contained 16 unique NFT skins that players could unlock. It features a wear and tear attribute that adds uniqueness and rarity to every skin. NEXUS boxes and skins can be traded in the marketplace, allowing players to buy, sell, or exchange items. We also welcomed a new game ambassador, ‘Dacrippa3ULL’, to liaise with the community and developers to improve the game. Dacrippa3ULL has logged over 2,100 hours of NEXUS play. Insane, right?
ORDINEM became our second game on the Epic Games Store, including multiple UI and UX updates that significantly improved the player experience. This is an exciting time as we stay true to our ‘30 games in 10 years’ promise.
Our next 3 games are also ramping up production:
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STARVIN MARTIAN is going through a rebuild for PC and mobile. With loads of previews in our weekly recaps, prepare for its official release in 2025.
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DOGS of WAR is set to enter closed alpha in 2025 with stunning environments and quirky characters.
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WAR OF STEEL completed the vertical slice and is currently in the Alpha 1 phase.
Building the ultimate Web3 gaming community
We are thankful for the wonderful community we’ve built on social media networks, especially the ones who interact with everyone in our Discord daily. The Founders connected closely with the community in the PLAYA3ULL GAMES discord general chat. The ‘Big3ULL chat’ was launched, a dedicated space for investors (HODLing 10M+ 3ULL) to connect directly with the team. Introducing guilds fostered collaborations, friendly rivalries, and a stronger sense of belonging in our community.
In 2024, we created the ‘Public Test Grounds’ channel. Community members can use the channel to collaborate with the devs and patch-test the games. The community feedback has directly influenced game improvements, ensuring evolving gaming experiences shaped by the players. Adding the ‘Socials’ category provides a streamlined area for PLAYA3ULL GAMES channels. The ‘Socials’ category also supports community-driven promotion and amplifies our social media footprint.
PLAYA3ULL GAMES ecosystem updates and new partnerships
We’re extra 3ULLISH on the partnerships and general ecosystem updates we’ve had in 2024. In June 2024, we introduced fractional nodes for our community and investors. This gave a new way for investors to pool together with others and own portions of a full node. We upgraded the support system for faster response times and added a 24/7 ticket and support service. The 3ULL coin has continued to make strides in the open market, including listing on XT.com. Buying 3ULL coins on ETH and purchasing 3ULL coins on a credit card became available.
We partnered with Evertreen to plant a tree for every node sold. We also acquired Web3 marketing services from the talented Take3 and PR help with PR Genius. We are now steamrolling ahead into Phase 4 of our marketing plan, which includes paid advertisements and more partnerships. PLAYA3ULL GAMES was also busy in real life, attending four shows.
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Token2049, Dubai.
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Australian Crypto Convention Sydney.
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Digital Assets Oasis, Rak UAE.
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Global Blockchain Show Dubai.
What a way to wrap up 2024 for us! We’ve never been so much more proud than right now of our team and community at PLAYA3ULL GAMES. Here’s to an epic 2025!
Until next time, gamers - GG Well Played!
Want to experience the thrill of a NEXUS with others? The third-person MOBA is free to play now on the Epic Games Store. Download it here.
TAKE3, 09 January 2025
BIG Updates and 3ULLISH Upgrades | December 2024 Recap | PLAYA3ULL GAMES
Welcome to the December monthly recap by PLAYA3ULL GAMES! Here, we’ll give you updates on each game, team, partnerships, and other exciting events happening for PLAYA3ULL GAMES (PG). These include new updates to ORDINEM, STARVIN MARTIAN, and WAR OF STEEL. Previews of new concept art and 3ULLISH Web3 Gaming information that will surely get you amped for the future!
ORDINEM
Fight casually or in a dedicated ranked mode in ORDINEM.
ORDINEM lets you command one of five mythical factions, using your deck of cards to cast spells and summon creatures.
Summon your eyes on these updates:
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Player names are now displayed clearly in the game battles.
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A new custom cursor has been introduced with a sleek gold design.
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Two new battle modes are now available. Casual and Ranked. Ranked provides the perfect mode for competitive players looking to beat the best in ORDINEM.
STARVIN MARTIAN
A new view of terrain and colonies!
Build your farming empire on Mars with STARVIN MARTIAN. Through challenges and rewards, expand your holdings by growing intriguing alien crops and raising exotic livestock.
Voyage into the latest updates:
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More in-game assets that expand the library of objects and buildings for STARVIN MARTIAN.
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Preview of updated terrain and colonies to show off the dynamic and immersive environments.
WAR OF STEEL
The Oni mech is a chill guy waiting for battle.
WAR OF STEEL delivers fast-paced Battle Royale action, combining quick decisions, lightning reflexes, and explosive mech combat.
Dive into its highly anticipated updates:
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New HD renders of the submachine gun with three different colour schemes.
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More beautiful art of the WAR OF STEEL mechs.
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A full textured HD render exclusive look at the Oni mech. An all-rounder mech to control the battlefield.
GLOBAL BLOCKCHAIN SHOW
PLAYA3ULL GAMES showcased our awesome ecosystem in Dubai at the Global Blockchain Show on December 12th and 13th. Our founder, 0ld3ULL, shared the stage with Yat Siu, David Palmer, Johnson Yeh, and Mia Soarez to discuss the open metaverse and Web3 gamification. A later blog will provide more information about the show.
0ld3ULL’s final thoughts about 30 games in 10 years
Watch 0ld3ULL’s full thoughts in the video above.
0ld3ULL outlines his key crypto and Web3 gaming takeaways to propel us into 2025.
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There’s a misunderstanding that PLAYA3ULL GAMES will make 30 games; we also can purchase games.
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Certain new blockchain games will vary in development time.
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We haven’t advertised to more players yet, as we are working on the stability of our current games.
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Building the Web3 capabilities on the PLAYA3ULL GAMES blockchain so other Web3 gaming studios can build on our system.
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0ld3ULL predicts over 300 new games could be playable in the PLAYA3ULL GAMES ecosystem in the near future.
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Potential tournaments for NEXUS and ORDINEM are being discussed, along with big prizes.
What a way to end 2024 for us! We’re extra 3ULLISH running into 2025 with more big games coming out and even bigger surprises around the corner.
With so much going on, stay in touch via Discord to find all the information you need about our upcoming games.
Did you know that we also release weekly video updates? Watch the video below for more sneak peeks of the fantastic games that PLAYA3ULL GAMES are releasing next.
Subscribe to the PLAYA3ULL GAMES YouTube Channel to catch our weekly updates on our games.
Until next time, gamers - GG Well Played!
Want to experience the thrill of a Web3 game called NEXUS with others? The third-person MOBA is free to play now on the Epic Games Store. Download it here.
TAKE3, 20 December 2024
Top 8 Blockchain Game Companies You MUST FOLLOW
With so many new blockchain game companies formulating over the years, finding good, reliable companies to trust can be daunting. With the inception of blockchain technology and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), video games now have a way to verify ownership and give power back to the players. But what are some great companies to begin your Web3 gaming adventure with?
Below is a list of 8 blockchain game companies leading the charge.
PLAYA3ULL GAMES
PLAYA3ULL GAMES is a blockchain game company that is making waves by planning to release 30 games in 10 years. They already have two games out on the Epic Games Store, including NEXUS and ORDINEM, and they are simultaneously working on more innovative games. PLAYA3ULL GAMES is unique because they have their own subnet on Avalanche, and all games integrate their native in-game currency 3ULL Coin. Creating exciting multiplayer games of popular genres, PLAYA3ULL GAMES are constantly pushing the boundaries and even have a new AI division that will speed up game production and give players unique interactions in-game. Check them out if you haven’t already.
Notable Games - NEXUS, ORDINEM, DOGS OF WAR, STARVIN MARTIAN, and WAR OF STEEL.
Gunzilla Games
Gunzilla Games has dived into 2024 with an absolute bang. Their early access game Off the Grid has captured the attention of everyday gamers with the inclusion of popular Twitch streamers and a combination of proven game genres. The addition of NFTs has yet to be implemented in the game, which may deter traditional Web2 gamers from continuing. Still, Gunzilla Games has again shown the power of good blockchain game companies.
Notable Games - Off the Grid and TECHNOCORE.
Illuvium
Illuvium is the first blockchain game with a AAA video game budget. The community helps guide the direction of Illuvium, bolstering a thriving ecosystem with internal councils and decision-makers. The three games under the Illuvium umbrella help capture different audiences and game styles while providing in-game assets that convert to the next game. With Illuvium: Arena already on the Epic Games Store, they are primed to make a big splash in the coming years.
Notable Games - Illuvium: Arena, Illuvium: Overworld, and Illuvium: Zero.
Sky Mavis
Sky Mavis, the studio behind the original Play-to-earn game Axie Infinity, has built itself into a self-sustainable ecosystem of dedicated Web3 gamers. Creating the popular Ethereum sidechain Ronin that hosts many up-and-coming Web3 games and Axie Infinity’s suite of branded games. They were a big deal in the 2021 Web3 gaming run and continue to show dedication in listening to their ever-growing community about the types of games their community wants.
Notable Games - Axie Infinity: Origins, Axie Infinity: Homeland, Axie Infinity: Raylights, and Axie Classic.
Dapper Labs
Dapper Labs is one of the most iconic blockchain companies to blast into the Web2/Web3 world. They are the original NFT game creators that broke the internet with Cryptokitties and supercharged mainstream NFT adoption with NBA Topshots. They continue to wow audiences with their huge collaborations with big brands like NBA, NFL, La Liga, and Disney.
Notable Games - NBA Top Shots, NFL All Day, Disney Pinnacle, and Cryptokitties.
Animoca Brands
Animoca Brands is one of the premier NFT gaming investment companies that also produces their own blockchain games. Animoca continues the drive for better digital rights in the metaverse and publishes multiple research pieces on the current state of Web3 games and ecosystems. Their smash hits include the metaverse juggernaut The Sandbox and mobile gaming giant Benji Bananas.
Notable Games - The Sandbox, Mocaverse, Revv Racing, Phantom Galaxies, and Benji Bananas.
LiquidX Studios
LiquidX Studios is a relatively new blockchain company that has taken responsibility for a fallen NFT project called Pixelmon. LiquidX Studios bought Pixelmon (the most overhyped NFT project) and is steering the game in its intended direction. More impressively, they are creating multiple mini-games under the Pixelmon IP, attracting the casual gamer audience. Diversifying out, LiquidX Studios also has an anime scheduled in 2025 under the name Stealth. This is one company not to be overlooked.
Notable Games - Pixelmon, Wardens Ascent, Warriors of Novathera, Kevin the Adventurer, and Pixel Pals.
Immutable Games
Immutable Games should need no introduction. They are one of the biggest blockchain gaming companies in Web3 and have their own Ethereum layer-2 blockchain dedicated to fostering Web3 gaming adoption. Their two mainline games are Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians, and both are making strides in the Web3 world. Immutable also hosts over 200+ games on its blockchain and is a great destination for gamers at every level.
Notable Games - Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians.
With so many exciting new blockchain companies on the rise, it’s no wonder the web3 gaming world is primed for worldwide adoption. We’ll see you next week for another deep dive into the incredible world of video games and blockchain gaming.
Until next time, gamers - GG Well Played!
Want to experience the thrill of a Web3 game called NEXUS with others? The third-person MOBA is free to play now on the Epic Games Store. Download it here.
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