Eastward Bound: Asia Poised to Dominate the Web3 Gaming Landscape
The future of gaming has its gaze fixed firmly on the East, with Asian gamers predicted to dominate the flourishing Web3 gaming market. As reported by iGamingTrends.com, this thrilling insight was revealed in a recent study by DappRadar, partnering with the Japanese crypto firm Pacific Meta. If we’re reading the cards right, it looks like Asia, home to over 55% of the global gaming population, is about to up the ante, potentially making up a whopping 80% of all Web3 gamers.
Now, this is a fascinating forecast, considering the region isn’t without its share of gaming restrictions. For example, in China, you’d find teenagers limited to just an hour of gaming per day, while South Korea has virtually outlawed blockchain games. But, as they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Even amid these constraints, Web3 games are finding their footing in Asia. The proof? Asia-based video game publisher Nexon’s ambitious Web3 venture with MapleStory Universe, and Square Enix’s much-anticipated Web3 game Symbiogenesis. Both these titles are set to utilize Polygon, the go-to network for Web3 gaming, as per the study.
Asian gaming preferences lean heavily towards the role-playing genre, with titles like Final Fantasy, Phantasy Star Online, and Genshin Impact leading the pack. This penchant dovetails perfectly with the interactive and immersive nature of Web3 gaming.
Diving deeper into the Asian gaming scene, Korean game publisher WeMade made waves at the recent Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. The publisher plans to introduce its games in Korea without Web3 features initially, before launching them globally with full-on NFT and Web3 integrations via the WeMix platform.
Web3 gaming seems to be fitting seamlessly into the Asian gaming culture. Sky Mavis Cofounder Trung Nguyen captured this sentiment best at the GDC, stating, “They find it very natural to get into Web3 gaming because in the early days of Web3 gaming, it’s all about rolling, gatcha, having the best characters that you can find, and then [trading] it on the market.”
However, as the focus of Web3 games shifts from financials to gameplay, Nguyen sees a harmonization of expectations from gamers in the East and West.
Further shedding light on the state of Web3 gaming in Asia, Pacific Meta’s survey of over 1,000 Japanese adults revealed that 40% were aware of blockchain games. Of those clued in, nearly 57% found Web3 games intriguing, with about 10% expressing indifference. Interestingly, about a third fell into the ‘neither’ category, hinting at a lack of formed opinion on Web3 games.
When it came to preferred game features, the majority opted for free-to-play games and mobile compatibility, while aspects like player earnings, game quality, famous IP, and console preference took a backseat. Surprisingly, unique blockchain usage in a game was the least of their concerns.
This finding echoes the sentiment among many Web3 game developers—that crypto elements shouldn’t be the primary focus of a game. The platform and initial cost hold more weight for gamers, at least in Japan.
Nevertheless, the journey towards mainstream Web3 gaming still has a few checkpoints to cross. The good news? Major brands like Razer and FIFA are already doubling down on their Web3 gaming projects. So buckle up, folks! The future of gaming is arriving, and it’s got a distinctly Asian Flavour.