Blockchain technology is facing backlash from players and game developers, forcing some studios to avoid the “buzzwords” associated with Web3.
Cointelegraph was on site during the second edition of the Madeira Blockchain 2023, held between November 30 and December 1. The event explored regional Web3 developments, as well as how the Portuguese islands are looking for startups and tech talent to grow their economy. in the digital age.
During a roundtable discussion at the conference, gaming studios working on blockchain features discussed the challenges of integrating the technology into games, including gaining acceptance from developers, players and publishers.
Redcatpig is a Web3 game development studio, but the company has encountered obstacles in integrating the technology into its pipeline. “One of the most difficult challenges I faced was communicating with my internal team to help them understand this [blockchain] technology can greatly benefit gamers and improve games,” said Marco Bettencourt, CEO of the company.
Developers at Redcatpig have been working together on blockchain gaming solutions. The company’s first blockchain-based game, HoverShock, will be released in 2024 and features non-fungible, token-based skins and drones that can be traded on an in-game marketplace and purchased with fiat or cryptocurrencies.
Despite the studio’s extensive work on blockchain integration, it has avoided buzzwords related to the technology. “We all know there is new technology. We all know about NFTs and proprietary technology. And you don’t sell games using buzzwords. […] Players don’t need to know it’s Web3 or blockchain. All they need to know is that when they buy a skin, they own it, and they can sell it tomorrow if they want,” Bettencourt said.
Another company that has seen backlash for integrating blockchain into its development is VEU. Founded in Los Angeles, the company specializes in AI-powered solutions for navigating virtual worlds, but the community was not in favor of the introduction of blockchain technology.
“Players don’t even need to know what we do; they just need to perceive the product. […] I don’t need to know any technology to use this. […] So I think that’s the pivot, that’s the transition that the industry is going to have to deal with. As before, other types of technologies only became accepted when people stopped talking about them,” says Nuno Rivotti, Chief Product Officer at VEU.
Despite the backlash, game developers have not slowed down in integrating blockchain. In Portugal, the technology has become one of the key innovations incorporated into the government’s gaming product pipelines and investment strategies through the eGames Lab, a consortium of 22 public and private entities that aim to support the country’s video game industry towards internationalization.
“As part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, there is a specific agenda for blockchain, which includes training components, in addition to research and development, software production and marketing,” said Pedro Dominguinhos, chairman of the National Monitoring Commission for the Recovery and Resilience Plan in Portugal, told Cointelegraph.