Drum up

It’s not uncommon for traditional gamers to push back on blockchain initiatives by online gaming companies. A job posting by the Pokémon Company International seeking a corporate development principal with Web3 expertise has disappointed some fans over the potential blockchain integration into the monster-battling game. Others such as Ubisoft Entertainment, the French maker of Assassin’s Creed, and South Korean game developer Krafton have either suspended or stumbled on their blockchain game launches after drumming up their Web3 branch-out during the crypto boom.

Andy Lee, partner at Hong Kong-based crypto fund Everest Ventures Group, predicts it will take at least another two years for Web3 games to go mainstream. He says one way to onboard traditional gamers is to lower the technology barrier by giving them free NFTs and centralized logins that are already connected to a crypto wallet. But retaining these gamers will require “strong social elements” including not just in-game chats but a platform that allows them to quickly share their gaming experience, Lee adds.