The Importance of Community in Web3 Gaming

One of the key driving forces behind the most successful game of our generation is the community behind the game. No matter the genre, the developer, or when it was released, gaming communities have always acted like the spine of online games.

The same is true in Web3, all the projects that survive the turbulence have strong, passionate communities behind them, that support them through thick and thin. Every community has its own way of showing support, whether its be through showing off a profile pic, or the unstoppable onslaught of shills. Communities have now become ingrained in the project themselves.

The strength of community has always played a significant role in the success and expansion of brands. As more and more brands transition into the digital sphere, it is becoming increasingly vital to harness the power of community in order to grow and thrive. With the advent of Web3 and the evolution of online communities, the way in which they are formed and operate has also undergone significant changes, with communities now becoming an integral part of the brand itself.

What is a Gaming Community?

Gaming communities are more than just groups of people who play the same game. They are an elite group or warrior, equipped with a unique set of skills and unwavering faith in the games they play. Online games and their communities provide a sense of belonging and camaraderie for players from all around the world, and oftentimes can also lead to meaningful connections and experiences that can last a lifetime. In some cases, communities can even define the games themselves! The most notorious example being the trickshotting community that emerged from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 led to the formation of organizations like FaZe, which has become a $30 million company.

For developers, gaming communities are one of the most important stakeholders. Why? Well they are the ones ultimately playing the game, and give the most actionable feedback! Some developers fail to listen to their communities, and as a result end up failing the test of time. Games that listen to their communities are the ones that succeed, remember, no one knows a game better than those who play it day and out!

Community in Web3

Community plays a pivotal role in the growth of Web3 projects. Building a community can have a far-reaching impact that goes beyond the bounds of rationality. There are various ways to establish and engage a community, and each method has its own significance in driving growth. By creating and maintaining a community, a project can demonstrate interest and engagement, which in turn builds trust – an essential factor in the Web3 space, particularly after the events of 2022. In addition to establishing trust, creating a community can unite people around a shared purpose, fostering interaction, idea-sharing, and, most importantly, growth. It's a space where sustainable, long-term value creation can take place!

Some of the biggest web3 projects, as we mentioned, have a strong community backing. Projects like Bored Ape Yacht Club, or other games such as Axie Infinity have amassed communities stronger than you can imagine, which have supported them and allowed them t blossom

What is Web3 gaming?

Web3 games are the next step in the evolution of online games, and harness the power of the web3 tech stack, to create decentralized, player owned gaming experiences, keeping us gamers safe from the ever engulfing hand of big tech. The space has seen super growth over the last  year, with funding hitting $4 Billion in 2022. Games like BLOCKLORDS have seen backing from the industry's biggest investors, and the wave is getting bigger. 

The use of web3 technology has some major benefits to the world of gaming, and here are some to name a few!

Transparency

The base of web3 is distributed ledger technology (DLT for the abbreviation junkies), all transactions and data transfers are open to inspection and querying. In the world of gaming, this creates trust and robustness in in-game economies and peer-to-peer actions. A safety net for all, as transaction open for all to see, eliminating the threat of fraud.

Decentralization

Distributed ledgers, as the name suggests, means that data is stored in many different places, and can be completely decentralized, rather than sitting on a single centralized server. This keeps the control out of any single person/entity’s hands and takes the security of the game to new levels, as to take down the server, one must take control of every single node, which are spread far and wide across many lands. Safe to say, it's no task for your average Joe.

Ownership

One of the most significant benefits of Web3 gaming is that gamers now have control and complete ownership over their assets and experiences, which has been a crucial aspect for gamers for decades. In traditional gaming, if a game developer decided to shut down the game, all the time and effort spent grinding and playing would be lost. However, in Web3 gaming, players' in-game assets are owned completely by the players. These assets exist permanently on the network unless deliberately burnt. With this ownership, players can rest assured that their assets cannot be taken away, providing them with greater security and control over their gaming experience.

Gaming DAO’s - The Future of Gaming Communities?

Gaming DAO’s are a new type of organization that have been birthed from the marriage of web3 and gaming, and are the vehicle that will drive the next generation of gaming communities, as they break down the glass wall between gaming studios and gamers. DAO’s, or Decentralised Autonomous Organisations, are very much prevalent in web3, and are able to run thanks to web3 tech. They enable communities to have a say in the future of their project, using governance tokens at their core. The combination of the gaming and web3 industries has given rise to the evolution in gaming communities, gaming DAO’s. With gaming DAO’s becoming more and more prevalent, gamers will have greater sway in the future of their favourite titles. Using governance tokens, developers can give the community an opportunity to be involved in future developments of games, and show players that they do really listen to what they have to say - which is what we want!. This will lead to a more sustainable, and open relationship between gamer and studio.

Final Words

The importance of community in web3 gaming cannot be knocked, given how integral community is in both industries separately. Gaming DAO’s give players the opportunity to be well and truly part of the game. It's an important step towards achieving a harmonious gaming experience - a synergy between developer and player unlike nothing we have seen before.