In the early internet era or Web1, games were like arcade machines. Users would go to the arcade, drop a coin, and play a round of Pac-Man or Tetris. When they left, nothing was saved. Their progress, characters, or rewards were gone. Games were created and controlled entirely by the developer. Users couldn't interact with other players. Users could play, but they didn't own or connect.

In Web2, there was an improvement. With games like Farmville, Clash of Clans, or PUBG Mobile, users could create, connect, and compete with friends online. But even then, everything they built existed on the company's servers. The company controlled all assets, currencies, and access. Users could play and create, but the company owned everything. Users had freedom to play, but not real ownership.

Web3 changes the rules of Web1 and Web2 entirely. In Web3 games like Axie Infinity or The Sandbox, users still play and create, but this time, their progress, characters, build accessories, and tools exist on the blockchain as digital assets (NFTs or tokens). Even if the company disappears, the assets live in the users' wallets. They can sell, trade, or move them to another game that supports them. Their items are verified on a blockchain. They can earn real value through gameplay. Users play, create, and own, and even co-govern the world they play in.

In other words:

Web1 - "Read-Only Internet" (1990s-early 2000s). Users could read information online but not interact or post anything themselves.

Real-life examples: Yahoo Directory, early Wikipedia, company websites like Coca-Cola.com or news portals.

Web2- "Read + Write Internet" (mid-2000s-2020s). Users can create, share, and interact. Platforms host user content and data, but they own it. This is the age of social media, apps, and user-generated content. The platform controls reach, ads, and monetization.

Real-life examples: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter/X.

Web3- "Read + Write + Own Internet" (2020s-present). Users own their content, data, and digital identity using blockchain and tokens. Real-life examples: Decentralized social media like Lens Protocol, Farcaster, Friend.tech.

The shift from Web1 to Web2 to Web3 shows that the future of the internet is about participation, ownership, and control. It's an exciting time to start building and contributing in spaces where our work truly belongs to us.

Let me know your thoughts on this new era of the decentralized world.