What is Play to Own Gaming in Web3?

As we have seen, Web3 technology is levelling up the world of gaming in ways which were previously unimaginable, and the world is starting to take notice. Things are starting to take off as investors are starting to invest big bucks into the next generation of world-shaking titles, such as BLOCKLORDS, in 2022 alone over $7b was transacted through Web3 games! Generally speaking, the main framework used in web3 games has been the Play to Earn, which is the amalgamation of Web3 gaming and finance, and enables players to earn on their play time. It all sounds well and good - and can be! But the gaming experience in Play to Earn game are fundamentally different, where the focus on financial gain takes away from the fun! Spending time with friends and creating memories gets replaced by token farming unimaginative and repetitive gameplay. This is where Play to Own steps up to the plate.

What is Play to Own

But what is Play to Own? Play to Own (otherwise known as P2O), is a web3 gaming model, which focuses on sustainable fun for players, and longevity for games. By utilising blockchain technology and smart contracts to create dynamic in-game assets - usually in the form of NFT’s - that evolve and develop with players decisions and actions, there is an emphasis on keeping them, rather than flipping them like any other digital asset. These assets generally hold some utility, whether it be a stat boost, or a cosmetic upgrade, and hence upgrading them by playing the game for what it is gives value to the time, effort and red-bulls spent on games!

Benefits of Play to Own

By incentivising players to keep assets, Play to Own allows players to not only get a more rounded gaming experience and stick around for longer, but get more enjoyment from playing, and experience a journey that's unique to them. The end result is a web3 gaming experience that feels like a web2 game.

These features were sorely missing in Web2 games, items in traditional games are not in the players control, the centralised entity who runs the game has the real ownership of all in-game assets, and can take them away from players with a flick of a switch. With Play to Own and web3 gaming, those days are no more, as players get complete control and ownership over their items, and are free to do as they please with them.

Play to Own utilises the web3 tech stack, to create gaming ecosystems and experiences that are owned and fostered by the players, and put the main priority of gamers at the centre of it all - Fun for all! Pretty awesome if you ask us!

Play to Own vs Play to Earn

Play to Own and Play to Earn both have their place in the word of web3 gaming, and have their own use cases. For the life-long gamers, Play to Own is the way to go, as it offers a gaming experience we are most in-tune with and can get behind - a familiar feeling if you will. A gaming experience where we can just play for the sake of it, and not have to worry about whether there is financial gain behind every move. By focusing on the fun of games, Play to Own gives a more well rounded experience, where players can just worry about how much fun they are having.

Play to Earn’s inclusion of a financial incentive changes how games are played, this is neither a good or bad thing. The wider impact it has had on the world is immense! Giving those in less fortunate circumstances an opportunity to earn a living from video games is amazing, and should be celebrated!  Games, video or not,  should be fun and accessible to anyone, regardless of their background and to see people benefit from playing is always a joy. There have been many successful games built using the Play to Earn model, and it has really popularised the web3 gaming scene and shown the applications of Web3 technology in the form of GameFi.

Both models are totally viable for different games, as we move to onboard the next big games and 1 million players, Play to Own will probably pave the way, as it offers a sense of familiarity for gamers, in terms of intentions and motives, and comes with all the bells and whistles of web3 gaming. 

Play to Own in BLOCKLORDS

BLOCKLORDS is a Play to Own, medieval MMO strategy game, the first of its kind!

The games player-driven narrative gives each player a unique gaming experience, shaped by their own actions and decisions .Choose your path and forge your own destiny, whether it be the peaceful life of a Farmer, the protective station of Knight, the battle-hungry mantle of Raider, the noble role of Lord or Lady, or the all-powerful title of Ruler! BLOCKLORDS is the medieval strategy game the world has been waiting for, and we can't wait to share it with the world. BLOCKLORDS features the best bits of biggest strategy games of our age; the asymmetric civilisation design from Age of Empires, the epic battles from total war, and the dynasty simulation compete with political warfare from Crusader kings, all intertwined into a sophisticated Game of Thrones-esque world, with a dash of Tarantino - the greatest medieval strategy game of our age is upon us. Check out some of the latest BLOCKLORDS gameplay and see it for yourself!

The Future of Play to Own

As the web3 gaming space moves forward, focus will shift to more sustainable gaming methods that focus on the core ideals of fun and user experience. Because of this, Play to Own will be a prevalent and will lead the charge. Its player focused nature and resemblance to web2 games will make it the ideal vehicle to house the biggest titles of our age, on-chain!

Things move fast in the web3 gaming space, and its hard to keep tabs on all of the developments, so check out our guide to elevating your web3 gaming knowledge, to get an idea on how to stay tight with the latest happenings in this ever shifting landscape