N3XT Play #32 What’s Poppin’ in Gaming for 2025?

Here are key insights from my recent readings:

New Revenue Models:
DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) will play a bigger role in GameFi, simplifying collaborative investments and governance. Imagine players owning a piece of their favorite game and making decisions about its future.

AAA Titles Entering the Arena:
Major game studios are starting to notice GameFi. The introduction of AAA games will attract token-less audiences from Web2 to Web3, accelerating adoption and development in the space.

• Notable Milestone: Gunzilla’s Off The Grid has made waves as the first blockchain game on PlayStation 5. With companies like Sony, Square Enix, and Ubisoft investing heavily, a groundbreaking flagship blockchain game might just be on the horizon.

Enhanced Player Engagement:
Web3 technologies will enable new ways to engage players, creating richer and more personalized experiences.

AI Agents Revolution:

• AI-powered agents will simplify Web3 experiences, making the ecosystem more accessible even for Web2 audiences.
• Projects failing to integrate AI effectively into games risk revenue losses and player attrition.

Sustainable In-Game Economies:
Unstable in-game economies remain a leading cause of project failures. Building sustainable token models is key for Web3 gaming. Strategies such as dynamic loot distribution, stake-based rewards, and player-driven economies via DAOs will likely emerge as best practices.

The Comeback of NFTs:

• Reports indicate a revival of NFT gaming in 2024, with games like InfiniGods and Pirate Nation seeing significant activity surges.
• While NFTs may not return as the primary Web3 component of play-to-earn (P2E), they are likely to serve optional and more creative purposes in games.

The Rise of Hypercasual Web3 Games:
The success of hypercasual games within the Web3 sector, bolstered by platforms like Telegram and others, signals a promising trend.

Epic Games’ Push into Web3:
In 2024, Epic Games added over 80 Web3 titles to its store, marking a significant shift in mainstream industry perception. Despite Steam’s restrictions, Epic’s efforts indicate growing acceptance and potential for broader adoption.

So, what’s gonna happen? Let’s wait and see — but in the meantime, we keep working hard and staying curious. These insights might not all come to life, but hey, we’re just connecting the dots based on trends and needs. One thing’s for sure: exciting things are on the horizon!