Ensuring that staking provides substantial benefits to enhance gameplay and advance progress, Web3 games have a unique opportunity to engage every player.
With the surge of Proof-of-Stake blockchains like Ethereum, staking digital tokens has become a captivating facet of the crypto landscape. Investors, by locking away crypto in smart contracts for weeks or even months, can earn passive income while contributing to blockchain security and transaction validation.
Staking has gained traction on cryptocurrency exchanges, utilizing locked-up tokens to provide liquidity. This activity has attracted a new wave of DeFi investors, allowing them to generate impressive yields rather than solely relying on token price appreciation.
What Is Staking?
In late 2023, blockchain data revealed that users had staked over $20 billion worth of Ether tokens, demonstrating the popularity of staking. This trend extended to other PoS chains like Solana, BNB Chain, and Cardano, with additional billions being staked. Despite varying returns and crypto volatility, the allure of generating passive income remains a significant draw for investors.
Staking has emerged as a favorable option as the crypto industry transitions away from the energy-intensive Proof-of-Work mechanism. The Proof-of-Stake system considered more environmentally friendly, involves users staking tokens chosen at random to validate transactions and earn crypto rewards.
While PoS consumes less energy than PoW, it requires a substantial number of users to stake their tokens into shared staking or liquidity pools. The chosen user validates the next block, earning rewards from that block.
Staking in GameFi
The popularity of staking has naturally found its way into GameFi, a prominent Web3 sub-domain, particularly in blockchain games. The GameFi industry, encompassing play-to-earn games like Axie Infinity, Splinterlands, and The Sandbox, merges DeFi capabilities with video games, allowing gamers to earn rewards from their endeavors.
Web3 games aim to enhance the user experience by integrating staking functionality into their platforms. Games like MixMob, LandRocker, and Alien Worlds are incorporating staking seamlessly into their gameplay, boosting player earnings and increasing liquidity.
Integrating Staking into Web3 Games
Addressing the challenge of unfamiliarity with staking mechanisms, Web3 games have ingeniously integrated the staking process into the core gameplay loop. Instead of treating staking as a separate, complex activity, game developers present it as an integral part of playing the game.
Take MixMob, for example, a fantasy-inspired game set in a futuristic world. Players engage in various modes, including racing and player-vs-player battles, with DeFi mechanics seamlessly woven into the gameplay.
Spectators can stake $SUD tokens during races, earning a portion of the revenues generated by each Arena. This dynamic pricing model adjusts potential yields based on demand, creating a symbiotic relationship between gameplay and staking.
Similarly, LandRocker, a space exploration and mining-based metaverse game, integrates staking into the player experience. Players stake $LRT tokens to generate fuel for mining operations and advanced machinery, effectively merging passive income opportunities with in-game progress.
In-game staking not only enhances the gameplay experience for players but also contributes to the in-game economy by boosting liquidity. Developers like MixMob and LandRocker showcase the seamless integration of staking as a necessary function of the game, eliminating confusion and uncertainty associated with traditional staking mechanisms.
Staking Enhances Gameplay
Web3 games can seamlessly blend staking into their platforms to benefit both players and the in-game economy. By ensuring that staking provides substantial benefits, developers can effortlessly encourage every player to participate.
Games such as MixMob and LandRocker serve as trailblazers, utilizing staking to empower players to obtain valuable in-game NFTs and crypto rewards essential for progressing in the game. This integration positions in-game staking as an integral and transparent aspect of the Web3 gaming industry.
