Blockchain gaming is already in our lives, whether you are looking for games on the Epic Games Store or on your phone. There are thousands of blockchain games right now. However, big game developers were initially reluctant to incorporate blockchain technology into their game titles. There were several reasons for this delay. First of all, blockchain technology was fairly new, and it was not widely accessible. Secondly, even if video game developers wanted to create a unique AAA blockchain game, it would take them several years to develop it successfully. Blockchain adoption was inevitable, but we had to wait for a while.

Over the last few years, several things changed within the gaming industry. The popularity of gaming rose across the globe, the indie games boom came about, mobile gaming moved into a new phase.

There were also bigger challenges such as monetization. We all know several game companies were condemned by the gamers for being greedy. The questions about the integrity of game developers started to spread. Blockchain technology might be the answer to solve some of the problems within gaming.

A new scientific study, commissioned by Stratis Platform and initiated by the agency Opinium, found that game studios are already incorporating blockchain technology into their game development.

The survey focused on 197 game developers in the United States and the United Kingdom, and the results are quite interesting. According to collected data, 58% of game developers are already using blockchain technology in one way or another, and nearly 50% of the developers are introducing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into their upcoming games.

The Stratis study also revealed that more than 60% of developers expect blockchain technology to become more prevalent in the gaming industry. Nearly 75% of the game developers expect to use blockchain soon, and more than half will use it over the next year.

There are several reasons why game developers are trying to implement blockchain technology. First of all, the security of blockchain assets is much better than what games offer. There have been many incidents over the years in which the accounts of gamers were hacked. Secondly, blockchain technology offers a new way for players to be rewarded with real-world value, which in return boosts the gaming market to new heights. The gameplay becomes more interesting and fun, and the gamers have a real asset. Another factor is that it allows for a player-driven game economy. Blockchain gaming’s success is a catalyst for the industry, therefore we see new games being released every day, the market became much more competitive over the last year.

Recently, we have seen AAA game developers such as Ubisoft, EA, and even Square Enix announce that they will work on blockchain games in the near future. The development cycle for AAA integrations will still take a while. For now, the blockchain gaming industry is pulled forward by indie game developers.

There are other industries within gaming that could also benefit from blockchain technology, such as esports. Esports is generally considered a by-product of gaming. However, esports is actually one of the biggest factors that drove gaming to a new level. Esports are ready to integrate blockchain technology into the industry since the digital atmosphere of the esports industry makes it easier to incorporate digital assets. It is easy to create a whole economy with smart contract technology, from NFT tickets to online platforms, most can integrate this technology.

Esports players can also benefit from blockchain technology. Fans worship esports stars as much as traditional sports icons, such as Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, and Tom Brady. These famous athletes have had their IKONIC sports moments captured for the world to replay and enjoy over and over again. But the times are changing; we are living in a digital world. Today, traditional sports seem to be on the decline. People watch esports stars playing games, and they try to emulate them, they live through them. But the esports players are suffering from an inherently flawed system that blocks their potential.

Esports pros should have more economic freedom, and they deserve a place in history. With IKONIC, we encourage players to create fantastic collectible moments. We are trying to solve a fundamental problem at the player level. Players create these amazing moments every day — who can forget the “six million dollar slam.” These moments should benefit the players, because what defines esports players is their gameplay. We believe esports players and fans should OWN THE MOMENT.

Join the IKONIC community to experience the change in esports and the gaming world.