The best blockchain gaming ecosystems that provide a nice user experience for gamers!
You’re a gamer and you want to dip your toes in Web3 gaming, but which blockchains should you align with? In this article we will take a look at the best gaming ecosystems available in Web3, and we will take a look at some of the NFT and crypto games available. But first, what is actually required for a gaming chain to be considered good?
When we talk about Web3 gaming, we could be talking about players simply using an NFT as a game character. That’s it. But the potential of Web3 gaming goes a lot further. Gamers need to be able to trade, craft, and gather resources. They need to be able to steal loot, win game items in competitions, and participate in a vivid virtual economy.
In order to facilitate that, the best gaming blockchains need to have a couple of characteristics:
- Transaction costs – transaction costs should be free or just a fraction of a cent to let a game economy thrive.
- Transaction speed – transactions need to be processed within seconds, as gamers don’t like to wait.
- Throughput – the network should support hundreds of thousands transactions per minute.
- Network security – a blockchain needs to be safe, secure and decentralized in order to operate nicely.
The technicalities of a blockchain ecosystem sure are important, but there’s more to consider. Because onboarding and the user experience are both dependent on the software available. How easy is it to get crypto on that chain? How do you make a wallet? Software developers also play a role in creating gaming blockchains that are attractive for gamers.
But now, let’s take a look at some of the best gaming blockchains in a random order:
Polygon CDK
Polygon is rebuilding its ecosystem, with its Polygon CDK and zkEVM at the center. The zero-knowledge proofs of the zkEVM chain allow for faster confirmations with a lot smaller gas fees, while the Chain Development Kit allows any developer to tap into that Polygon ecosystem. It’s not without reason that Maplestory Universe builds its upcoming Web3 game on the Polygon technology. Transactions are already cheap on Polygon, but with zkEVM the costs drop to near zero.
Immutable X zkEVM
Immutable X started as its own Layer-2 network on top of Ethereum, but they have now embraced the Polygon CDK to build Immutable zkEVM. In addition, Immutable has its own unique consumer service with Immutable Passport, creating wallet without the need for technicalities. Immutable has positioned itself as one of the main destinations for game developers, attracting dozens of gaming projects. With Gods Unchained, Cross the Ages, Ember Sword, and Illuvium, Immutable is already home to some of the most recognizable Web3 games.
➡️ Discover games on Immutable
Ronin Network
Once the home of Axie Infinity, Ronin Network has now developed into a gaming powerhouse. Sky Mavis, the development studio behind the popular gaming chain, has been creating developer relationships, and now reaps the rewards. Thanks to the initial success of Axie Infinity, the studio manages to attract various attractive partners to build on Ronin. Apeiron, Wild Forest and Pixels are just the first games coming to the gaming chain famous for its passionate community. Developers know, when you build on Ronin you will have an active and passionate community.
SKALE Network
SKALE Network is a multichain blockchain network that’s completely compatible with other EVM chains, such as Ethereum, BNB Chain and Polygon. DappRadar tracks various SKALE networks, and any developers can choose to create their own SKALE chain. The benefit of that, is that it makes it easier to scale operations. Above all, end users don’t have to deal with gas fees, making SKALE very interesting for game developers looking to attract an audience that’s not Web3 native. With Gamifly, Motodex and 5TARS, the SKALE Network already has some of the more popular gaming dapps.
➡️ Discover the many SKALE chains tracked by DappRadar
Solana
The Solana blockchain has become a favorite among gamers, thanks to their thriving community and low gas fees. The Solana ecosystem also provides a wide variety of services for data storage, cloud computing and other developer focused features. Despite serious challenges, Solana has prevailed and has now become a fan favorite. With the space epos Star Atlas, the move-to-earn game Genopets and the role-playing game Aurory the Solana ecosystem is home to some of the most anticipated games in Web3.
Avalanche subnets
Quite similar to the way SKALE works, Avalanche has also found success. Game developers can opt to deploy their own Avalanche subnet. This means that game developers can use their own private blockchain, secured by the Avalanche mainnet. These subnets can be customized in many ways, creating their own execution logic, gas fee settings, their own token economics, and one subnet can host multiple blockchains through custom virtual machines. DeFi Kingdoms was one of the first games to get their own subnet, but now more have followed. The first person extraction shooter Shrapnel and the MMO role-playing game Domi Online are just two examples of a growing ecosystem.
➡️ Discover all games on Avalanche
NEAR Protocol
NEAR Protocol stands out from the crowd thanks to its ability to scale infinitely, thanks it its unique Nightshade sharding process. This is a Layer-1 network that’s carbon-neutral. Thanks to its Rainbow bridge, NEAR is already compatible with EVM chains, and they are now working with Polygon to bring zero-knowledge prover zkWASM to Wasm-based chains, Polygon CDK chains and Ethereum. That’s great news for developers, but gamers also don’t have to worry. NEAR can operate without the need to pay gas fees, as costs are so low that developers can cover for it. With the move-to-earn platform Sweat Economy and the casual gaming platform PlayEmber, the NEAR gaming ecosystem has two of the most used games.
Arbitrum
Arbitrum is a Layer-2 network on top of Ethereum which uses Rollups to significantly decrease gas fees, and circumvent network congestion on the Ethereum mainnet. The network stands out through its advanced fraud-proof system, thanks to its direct connection with the Ethereum blockchain. With Arbitrum Nova, the ecosystem has a tailored solution aimed at game developers. It’s not a surprise that TreasureDAO, one of the biggest gaming ecosystems in Web3, builds on Arbitrum. It already hosts popular games like the action roguelite RPG The Beacon and the metaverse world SecondLive.
➡️Discover games built on Arbitrum
Base
Out of all the chains listed in this article, Base stands out. Base is a Layer-2 to Ethereum, built by the crypto trading platform Coinbase using Optimism’s OP Stack. The Base blockchain has a direct connecting with Coinbase, which gives developers direct access to a large number of crypto enthusiasts. Above all, Base has become a playground for developers looking to deploy innovative onchain mechanics. The trading card game Parallel utilizes Base, but also the Tamagotchi-inspired game FrenPet, city building game Proxcity and the move-to-earn pet game LOOTaDOG tap into the low-free ecosystem made by Coinbase.
Oasys
The gaming blockchain Oasys is one of the market leaders in Asia. This Japanese organization builds an ecosystem that complies with strict regulatory frameworks, and manages to grow and find success in the process. Users don’t have to deal with gas fees, while the network remains compatible with EVM chains like Ethereum and Polygon. It’s not without reason that gaming companies flock to Oasys. For example, Ubisoft is building the tactical battle game Champions Tactics, while Sega makes the strategy card game Sangokushi Taisen: Battle of Three Kingdoms.
➡️ (not available on DappRadar)
Keep track of the best blockchain games
Above you’ve been introduced to some of the top gaming blockchains in the market. However, every blockchain can host a game, and if you dive into the Rankings you will discover a wide variety of gaming blockchains. Without a doubt, if you’re interested in learning and investing in blockchain games, the DappRadar Rankings is the right place to start.
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