Web3 gaming was supposed to change the industry. Play-to-earn, real ownership, decentralized economies—it all sounded like a dream. But let’s be real: most Web3 games are struggling.

Why? Because too many teams don’t actually understand what Web3 gamers want. They’re trying to copy-paste Web2 monetization strategies into a Web3 space, and players aren’t having it.

Here’s what’s wrong and what teams should do to fix it.

In Web2 gaming, devs can pump out an endless supply of skins, weapons, and loot boxes, and nobody really cares. People will still buy that limited edition skin even if it’s the 500th one released that season.

Web3 gamers? Yeah, they don’t play that game. If something is supposed to be “owned,” it better feel valuable. If supply is infinite, what’s the point of owning it? That’s why games that just sell NFTs like a Fortnite item shop usually flop.

Axie Infinity nailed this. Axies are unlimited, but players breed them, not the devs. The devs don’t just sell Axies directly—they make money from breeding fees and marketplace transactions. That makes all the difference because players feel like they have skin in the game (literally).

Web3 games need to do the same. Instead of devs flooding the market with items, let players craft, breed, or generate them in a way that makes sense. That way, the economy grows naturally instead of feeling like a cash grab.

Too many Web3 devs come in thinking, “Hey, let’s just sell a bunch of NFTs like Fortnite sells skins.” But that completely misses the point of why people buy into Web3 gaming in the first place.

Web3 gamers expect their items to hold value over time, not just be seasonal throwaways. If you’re constantly dropping new skins and making old ones irrelevant, it’s no different from Web2, and that’s exactly why so many Web3 games feel like scams.

Look at CS:GO skins. Even though it’s a Web2 game, their skins retain value because they’re limited, tradeable, and some even appreciate over time. Web3 games should be taking notes.

Instead of selling infinite skins, why not let players customize, craft, or even burn old skins to make rarer ones? That would create real demand instead of just expecting people to keep buying new stuff forever.

Owning an NFT in a game should feel different from just buying a skin in a Web2 game. But in most Web3 games, it doesn’t. Devs slap an NFT label on items and expect players to care.

Real ownership means you can do more with your assets, trade them, modify them, stake them, rent them out, or use them across multiple games. Right now, most Web3 games just make you buy NFTs and… that’s it. Boring.

Imagine a game where landowners can set marketplace fees, crafters can design their own skins, or guilds can control in-game resources. That’s the kind of ownership that makes a game’s economy player-driven, not just another microtransaction store with extra steps.

If players don’t feel like they have control, why should they even bother?

The early days of Web3 gaming were all about play-to-earn, but let’s be honest, it didn’t work. Most games turned into click-to-earn grindfests where people played just for the money, not for fun. Once token prices dropped, everyone bailed.

Web3 games need to focus on fun gameplay first and let earning be a bonus. Look at Gods Unchained, it’s a solid card game that just happens to have blockchain elements. That’s the right approach.

Nobody sticks around for a game that’s just a side hustle. If a game is actually fun, people will play whether there’s money involved or not. And that’s what will make the in-game economy sustainable.

The biggest issue isn’t the tech, it’s the way teams are thinking about Web3 gaming.

They’re stuck in Web2 monetization strategies, trying to milk players instead of empowering them. If Web3 games want to succeed, they need to:

• Let players control supply, not devs.

• Stop trying to sell NFTs like Fortnite skins.

• Give ownership real value beyond just "you own this."

• Make gameplay fun first, with rewards as a bonus.

Web3 gaming can be amazing, but only if devs actually get what makes it different. Otherwise, it’s just Web2 with extra steps, and nobody wants that.

Web3 gaming was supposed to change the industry. Play-to-earn, real ownership, decentralized economies—it all sounded like a dream. But let’s be real: most Web3 games are struggling.

Why? Because too many teams don’t actually understand what Web3 gamers want. They’re trying to copy-paste Web2 monetization strategies into a Web3 space, and players aren’t having it.

Here’s what’s wrong and what teams should do to fix it.

In Web2 gaming, devs can pump out an endless supply of skins, weapons, and loot boxes, and nobody really cares. People will still buy that limited edition skin even if it’s the 500th one released that season.

Web3 gamers? Yeah, they don’t play that game. If something is supposed to be “owned,” it better feel valuable. If supply is infinite, what’s the point of owning it? That’s why games that just sell NFTs like a Fortnite item shop usually flop.

Axie Infinity nailed this. Axies are unlimited, but players breed them, not the devs. The devs don’t just sell Axies directly—they make money from breeding fees and marketplace transactions. That makes all the difference because players feel like they have skin in the game (literally).

Web3 games need to do the same. Instead of devs flooding the market with items, let players craft, breed, or generate them in a way that makes sense. That way, the economy grows naturally instead of feeling like a cash grab.

Too many Web3 devs come in thinking, “Hey, let’s just sell a bunch of NFTs like Fortnite sells skins.” But that completely misses the point of why people buy into Web3 gaming in the first place.

Web3 gamers expect their items to hold value over time, not just be seasonal throwaways. If you’re constantly dropping new skins and making old ones irrelevant, it’s no different from Web2, and that’s exactly why so many Web3 games feel like scams.

Look at CS:GO skins. Even though it’s a Web2 game, their skins retain value because they’re limited, tradeable, and some even appreciate over time. Web3 games should be taking notes.

Instead of selling infinite skins, why not let players customize, craft, or even burn old skins to make rarer ones? That would create real demand instead of just expecting people to keep buying new stuff forever.

Owning an NFT in a game should feel different from just buying a skin in a Web2 game. But in most Web3 games, it doesn’t. Devs slap an NFT label on items and expect players to care.

Real ownership means you can do more with your assets, trade them, modify them, stake them, rent them out, or use them across multiple games. Right now, most Web3 games just make you buy NFTs and… that’s it. Boring.

Imagine a game where landowners can set marketplace fees, crafters can design their own skins, or guilds can control in-game resources. That’s the kind of ownership that makes a game’s economy player-driven, not just another microtransaction store with extra steps.

If players don’t feel like they have control, why should they even bother?

The early days of Web3 gaming were all about play-to-earn, but let’s be honest, it didn’t work. Most games turned into click-to-earn grindfests where people played just for the money, not for fun. Once token prices dropped, everyone bailed.

Web3 games need to focus on fun gameplay first and let earning be a bonus. Look at Gods Unchained, it’s a solid card game that just happens to have blockchain elements. That’s the right approach.

Nobody sticks around for a game that’s just a side hustle. If a game is actually fun, people will play whether there’s money involved or not. And that’s what will make the in-game economy sustainable.

The biggest issue isn’t the tech, it’s the way teams are thinking about Web3 gaming.

They’re stuck in Web2 monetization strategies, trying to milk players instead of empowering them. If Web3 games want to succeed, they need to:

• Let players control supply, not devs.

• Stop trying to sell NFTs like Fortnite skins.

• Give ownership real value beyond just "you own this."

• Make gameplay fun first, with rewards as a bonus.

Web3 gaming can be amazing, but only if devs actually get what makes it different. Otherwise, it’s just Web2 with extra steps, and nobody wants that.