Competitive gaming has always been about fast battles and quick moves, with a stylistic approach to the plays that look good for all. However, trying to bring the same within the blockchain community has been very difficult.
People have already built expectations around blockchain gaming, and not all are positive. The old “Play to Earn” focus has steered the ecosystem away from the fun factor and focused too much on the earning mechanic.
Countering it is the new phenomenon, Skill to Earn. Pioneered by Tapzi, a project that’s currently undergoing presale, this approach brings the old school gameplay to the Web3 fold. Its mission is only one: “making gaming great again.” But how can this new face of Web3 change the competitive gaming market forever?
“Exploratory” is the word that comes to mind when talking about the current state of blockchain gaming. There has been a push to expand the blockchain gaming market already. Currently, it is worth $23.6 billion, and by 2030, projections show that it could rise to $328 billion.
Interest is reportedly also growing in gaming, with the number of blockchain gamers expected to increase to 102 million in 2025.
However, these aspects are limited to paper. The market continues to encounter headwinds. Many Web3 games that emerged with promises to provide users with a new frontier, and potentially bring them into the same space as Web2 have lost the script. They have now disappeared. The blame is being put on the complex onboarding process and the high friction due to gas fees that exist on a constant basis.
Thankfully, there are companies that have grown wiser about the current state. They no longer blindly believe Web3 gaming to be the “future of crypto gaming.” Developers have started to understand the fallacy of believing that. Therefore, there is a rapid shift. Where the old models focused only on Play to Earn, the focus is now on Play to Own. The difference between the new model and the old is simple: a gameplay-focused approach is now emerging.
However, beyond Play to Own, there is another, better one on the horizon, powered by a singular project currently on presale, and it is Skill to Earn.
The premise is simple with this concept: if players have the skills to beat the game and the opponent, they will earn rewards in the form of tokens or even goodies.
Since actual skill is involved, the focus of the game is fun. The concept is being pioneered by Tapzi.
According to the official website, Tapzi’s goal is to change the broken GameFi models and provide users with something truly unique. Luck from the old games is to be replaced by skill. Prizes that were traditionally inflated by inflation will now be filled by players. The onboarding method that involved multiple technical hoops that no one cared about is now being replaced by simple operations.
Every element within the ecosystem has been given a fair touch. The gameplay results are based on skill, and the rewards are based on gameplay-focused cryptocurrency dynamics, which means Skill to Earn can and will change the face of the competitive gaming scene.
The concept is new, and the system is a blend of old tech and the new. Skill to Earn dictates that the gameplay happens off-chain. The development process is simple, and the sense of familiarity could add to the fun elements. What is the role of blockchain then? The outcomes of the games will be stored on-chain.
But the real question arises: which are the types of games that could use this system best? Tapzi’s principle is simple in this regard—provide the best perks, however simple they are.
High-octane 3D games cannot make it considering the current level of tech. So, Tapzi has embraced simplicity when providing Skill to Earn games.
The games are simple, their nature is nostalgic, and they are easily recognized. They are games like Tic Tac Toe, chess, crossword puzzles, and more. With time, more competitive games will make their way onto the Tapzi platform, all thanks to a launchpad with tools for developers to create and monetize their games.
Skill to Earn is a natural progression of web3 gaming. It highlights an honest approach to gameplay, one where luck factor is removed and users are given a choice to enhance their earnings through games. While a simple premise, it has only now created the whirlwind necessary to change the face of crypto gaming, and gaming in general, forever.