We all know how popular video games are. Collectively, they surpassed movies a long time ago to be the most popular form of home entertainment. Reasons include advancements in graphics, sound, effects, and much deeper gameplay than ever before. Technology, as always is the key here, and each advancement opens up new opportunities that didn’t exist before. One of the most exciting new technologies making waves in the entertainment world right now is in the crypto games sector. This article will look at what crypto games are, what makes them special, and a few stand out titles leading the pack into 2020.
Broadly speaking these are games run on blockchains. The original cryptocurrency, bitcoin, was the first introduction most people had to the new technology. A blockchain is a list of blocks that are chained together using cryptography. Each block contains a record of the previous block, transaction data, and a timestamp. Blockchains are virtually unalterable. In essence, they are public ledgers of transactions which are completely transparent and open for anybody to view. Crypto games make use of the properties inherent in blockchains to create brand new gaming experiences for users. There are fundamental properties that designers and gamers can take advantage of.
One of the most important benefits is the unchangeable nature of a blockchain. What this means for developers is that they can create game elements which are 100% unique. Not only are they unique, but anyone can verify their existence. This allows the creation of game items that can become desirable due to their rarity. Users are able to harvest and produce their own items which are also completely unique. This allows legitimate marketplaces to spring up where users can buy and sell items from other players. It also affects things like loot boxes. Now, there can be records of exactly what was in a loot box that users can check. No more feeling ripped off by ‘rigged’ loot boxes. Everything is out in the open, unchangeable, and trustworthy.
If there is one gaming sector that stands to benefit from the widespread adoption of bitcoin and blockchain technology it is gambling. We can already see changes creeping into the industry from multiple angles. Consumers are reaping the reward from the shift. For one, bitcoin is ideal for cross border transactions. It can be transferred anywhere in the world, quickly and with little to no cost. Bitcoin casinos provide an additional layer of security because users never no need to expose their bank details online. Hackers are not able to gain access to accounts that way. Non-traditional forms of gambling such as crash games and dice games also require few player details. Some crypto games don’t ask for any – not even an email address. They provide a username, players deposit BTC, and away they go. Safety and anonymity are huge benefits when it comes to bitcoin gambling.
What has dramatically helped the rise of bitcoin gambling is the use of provably fair algorithms. With so much anonymity, you might think it is hard for betting providers to prove their trustworthiness. Without the stringent licensing required at a traditional online casino, it could be easy for cowboys to flout the rules. Crucially, the opposite is true. The solution to these issues is the use of provably fair algorithms. Bitcoin stands for decentralisation, of users taking charge of their part of the world. This spirit is bolstered by provably fair games. High-quality bitcoin casinos provide part of the source code that drives their games. For example, each hash in the chain represents one game round. Anyone can take the source code, hash the game number and compare the results. In this way, bitcoin games can provide higher levels of trust than any other form of gambling. No one can throw a game, no one can cook the results, and everything is there for the public to see. As you might imagine this fact is a key reason in the steady growth of bitcoin casinos.
Crash games are a uniquely crypto driven phenomenon. They are proving a huge hit in the gambling community and popularity is soaring as we head into 2020. There are many reasons for this. Some we have already mentioned, such as security, anonymity, and provably fair gaming. Many reasons are genre-specific. The first is the sheer pace of the game, which provides a constant stream of betting opportunities. Rounds come thick and fast, and there is no telling what will happen on each one. Secondly, crash games are hugely social. No longer do players need to sit at home alone pressing the spin button. Now everyone is in it together, in a social environment, communicating through a chat box. A good example is Rocketpot which complements the interactivity with leaderboards, hall of fame, and side jackpots. The result of these elements is a bitcoin gambling phenomenon that is wholly new. Crash games have steamrolled through 2019 and are picking up pace and popularity as we head into the next decade.
Bitcoin coin driven games are increasing in the non-gambling arena as well. We touched on blockchains immutability which is having a big impact on this genre of gaming. It provides developers and ultimately, players with the ability to do things that were impossible before. Let’s look at a few examples to clarify what we mean. Take a crypto game like EOS Dynasty. Players in this RPG game can harvest and produce items that are all tied to the blockchain. This makes them 100% unique, which they can use to enhance their character or sell on an open market. Sandbox is an older game that was given an update for 2020. In this bitcoin game, players can buy and sell unique plots of land. Some might wonder who would buy virtual real estate. But, after watching gamers go crazy for virtual pets in Cryptokitties, there is potential there. After all, some virtual kitties were passing hands for over $100,000 each! Blockchain driven video games are where some of the cleverest innovations in the use of blockchain are coming from. Players love novelty, and bitcoin games are set for further growth in 2020.
For some people there is nothing more satisfying than solving a particularly tricky puzzle with little help and guidance. Bitcoin has combined the best aspects of puzzle-solving while adding in a desirable prize element. One of the most famous is Monte Crypto. Developer Concrete Games drops players into a steampunk world with 24 fiendish puzzles to crack. This wasn’t just for the sheer challenge – which was significant, to say the least. No, the first person to do so picked up 1 BTC for their efforts. The same occurred with The Legend of Satoshi Nakamoto, which resulted in a 5 BTC reward for the winner. What surprised the gaming community was the incredibly sophisticated solution required to solve it. This was matched by an equally intrigued and motivated public who spent three years tracking down clues until it was finally solved. Successful puzzle games such as these showcase a tight-knit community who rallied around crypto games. It is dedication like this that helps propel the popularity and quality of blockchain-driven games.
Some players are keen to earn bitcoin without the risk of losing any of their investment. Once again the industry has spotted a trend and produced a bunch of titles to cater to this need. One is Satoshi Quiz which rewards users in BTC for being the first to answer trivia questions. Another is Bitcoin Run which rewards players for completing missions in a scrolling arcade-style game. Spark Profit is an interesting one. It offers a trading simulator that rewards top-performing traders. The company makes money by using their strategies to trade in the real world. These three represent the tip of a very large and growing iceberg of reward games. With real reward and no risk, expect this to be another growing category of crypto games.
They say predicting the future is a mug’s game but let’s give it a shot anyway. There is no doubt that 2019 was a solid year for bitcoin games. Its influence seeped into just about every type of gaming experience imaginable. The benefits and advantages are there for all to see. Just as importantly, so are the possibilities that blockchain and crypto games bring. New worlds are opening up for both developers and players to explore. Yet, the industry is still at a fairly early level. There is so much more possible. Because of this potential, expect 2020 to see an even greater adoption of blockchain and bitcoin games. As more cross over to the mainstream the quality, quantity, and popularity of crypto games is sure to flourish further.
What are crypto games?
Broadly speaking these are games run on blockchains. The original cryptocurrency, bitcoin, was the first introduction most people had to the new technology. A blockchain is a list of blocks that are chained together using cryptography. Each block contains a record of the previous block, transaction data, and a timestamp. Blockchains are virtually unalterable. In essence, they are public ledgers of transactions which are completely transparent and open for anybody to view. Crypto games make use of the properties inherent in blockchains to create brand new gaming experiences for users. There are fundamental properties that designers and gamers can take advantage of.
The benefits of blockchain for crypto games
One of the most important benefits is the unchangeable nature of a blockchain. What this means for developers is that they can create game elements which are 100% unique. Not only are they unique, but anyone can verify their existence. This allows the creation of game items that can become desirable due to their rarity. Users are able to harvest and produce their own items which are also completely unique. This allows legitimate marketplaces to spring up where users can buy and sell items from other players. It also affects things like loot boxes. Now, there can be records of exactly what was in a loot box that users can check. No more feeling ripped off by ‘rigged’ loot boxes. Everything is out in the open, unchangeable, and trustworthy.
The benefits for cryptocurrency gambling
If there is one gaming sector that stands to benefit from the widespread adoption of bitcoin and blockchain technology it is gambling. We can already see changes creeping into the industry from multiple angles. Consumers are reaping the reward from the shift. For one, bitcoin is ideal for cross border transactions. It can be transferred anywhere in the world, quickly and with little to no cost. Bitcoin casinos provide an additional layer of security because users never no need to expose their bank details online. Hackers are not able to gain access to accounts that way. Non-traditional forms of gambling such as crash games and dice games also require few player details. Some crypto games don’t ask for any – not even an email address. They provide a username, players deposit BTC, and away they go. Safety and anonymity are huge benefits when it comes to bitcoin gambling.
Provably fair games build solid levels of trust
What has dramatically helped the rise of bitcoin gambling is the use of provably fair algorithms. With so much anonymity, you might think it is hard for betting providers to prove their trustworthiness. Without the stringent licensing required at a traditional online casino, it could be easy for cowboys to flout the rules. Crucially, the opposite is true. The solution to these issues is the use of provably fair algorithms. Bitcoin stands for decentralisation, of users taking charge of their part of the world. This spirit is bolstered by provably fair games. High-quality bitcoin casinos provide part of the source code that drives their games. For example, each hash in the chain represents one game round. Anyone can take the source code, hash the game number and compare the results. In this way, bitcoin games can provide higher levels of trust than any other form of gambling. No one can throw a game, no one can cook the results, and everything is there for the public to see. As you might imagine this fact is a key reason in the steady growth of bitcoin casinos.
Crash games rocket for the moon
Crash games are a uniquely crypto driven phenomenon. They are proving a huge hit in the gambling community and popularity is soaring as we head into 2020. There are many reasons for this. Some we have already mentioned, such as security, anonymity, and provably fair gaming. Many reasons are genre-specific. The first is the sheer pace of the game, which provides a constant stream of betting opportunities. Rounds come thick and fast, and there is no telling what will happen on each one. Secondly, crash games are hugely social. No longer do players need to sit at home alone pressing the spin button. Now everyone is in it together, in a social environment, communicating through a chat box. A good example is Rocketpot which complements the interactivity with leaderboards, hall of fame, and side jackpots. The result of these elements is a bitcoin gambling phenomenon that is wholly new. Crash games have steamrolled through 2019 and are picking up pace and popularity as we head into the next decade.
Video games go blockchain
Bitcoin coin driven games are increasing in the non-gambling arena as well. We touched on blockchains immutability which is having a big impact on this genre of gaming. It provides developers and ultimately, players with the ability to do things that were impossible before. Let’s look at a few examples to clarify what we mean. Take a crypto game like EOS Dynasty. Players in this RPG game can harvest and produce items that are all tied to the blockchain. This makes them 100% unique, which they can use to enhance their character or sell on an open market. Sandbox is an older game that was given an update for 2020. In this bitcoin game, players can buy and sell unique plots of land. Some might wonder who would buy virtual real estate. But, after watching gamers go crazy for virtual pets in Cryptokitties, there is potential there. After all, some virtual kitties were passing hands for over $100,000 each! Blockchain driven video games are where some of the cleverest innovations in the use of blockchain are coming from. Players love novelty, and bitcoin games are set for further growth in 2020.
Tough puzzle games with top prizes to match
For some people there is nothing more satisfying than solving a particularly tricky puzzle with little help and guidance. Bitcoin has combined the best aspects of puzzle-solving while adding in a desirable prize element. One of the most famous is Monte Crypto. Developer Concrete Games drops players into a steampunk world with 24 fiendish puzzles to crack. This wasn’t just for the sheer challenge – which was significant, to say the least. No, the first person to do so picked up 1 BTC for their efforts. The same occurred with The Legend of Satoshi Nakamoto, which resulted in a 5 BTC reward for the winner. What surprised the gaming community was the incredibly sophisticated solution required to solve it. This was matched by an equally intrigued and motivated public who spent three years tracking down clues until it was finally solved. Successful puzzle games such as these showcase a tight-knit community who rallied around crypto games. It is dedication like this that helps propel the popularity and quality of blockchain-driven games.
General bitcoin games with rewards
Some players are keen to earn bitcoin without the risk of losing any of their investment. Once again the industry has spotted a trend and produced a bunch of titles to cater to this need. One is Satoshi Quiz which rewards users in BTC for being the first to answer trivia questions. Another is Bitcoin Run which rewards players for completing missions in a scrolling arcade-style game. Spark Profit is an interesting one. It offers a trading simulator that rewards top-performing traders. The company makes money by using their strategies to trade in the real world. These three represent the tip of a very large and growing iceberg of reward games. With real reward and no risk, expect this to be another growing category of crypto games.
Conclusion and a word about the future
They say predicting the future is a mug’s game but let’s give it a shot anyway. There is no doubt that 2019 was a solid year for bitcoin games. Its influence seeped into just about every type of gaming experience imaginable. The benefits and advantages are there for all to see. Just as importantly, so are the possibilities that blockchain and crypto games bring. New worlds are opening up for both developers and players to explore. Yet, the industry is still at a fairly early level. There is so much more possible. Because of this potential, expect 2020 to see an even greater adoption of blockchain and bitcoin games. As more cross over to the mainstream the quality, quantity, and popularity of crypto games is sure to flourish further.
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