Web3 Games: Alien Worlds Dominating the Gaming Arena?

Despite the shift in the "play-to-earn" model, games have been showing promising performance according to dUAW (daily unique active wallets) – a metric frequently employed to scrutinize statistics in Web3 applications. It's crucial, however, to interpret these figures not just independently, but also within the context of particular genres to discern emerging trends and players' preferences, be it for collectible items (NFTs), use of metaverses, or tokens.

The collective average activity, compiled from four genre representatives (Alien Worlds, Planet IX, Meta Apes, PROSPECTORS), clocks in at 72,636 individuals. This category is popular among players for its emphasis on crafting long-term objectives while simultaneously accumulating tokens. Developers leverage intricate structures to generate a comprehensive token economy with abundant variables in gameplay.

Much of this activity is driven by the sci-fi sensation, Alien Worlds (230,978 dUAW), where players engage in token mining across diverse planets or missions. Introduced back in 2020, the game continues to captivate its audience despite a significant dip in the value of the TLM token. This endurance testifies to the meticulous planning behind the project, where profits are not the only focus.

Unfortunately, other games lag behind statistically, with PROSPECTORS (5,883 dUAW), developed by Ukraine's WECAN, being a case in point. It weaves its narrative around 19th-century gold mining and the expansion of trade, business, etc. Despite its user deficiency, it manages to hold sixth place in terms of transaction volume since the year's start.

Games of this genre (Splinterlands, Axie Infinity, Era7: Game of Truth, Tiny Word) maintain their appeal owing to people's penchant for collecting items, particularly on the blockchain. While their mean metrics fall short compared to strategies (39,817 dUAW), the genre confidently secures the second spot.

As with the strategy genre, a single game fuels much of this activity – Splinterlands (132,865 dUAW), featuring cards with a design reminiscent of Hearthstone but in a simpler style. It remains to be seen whether the project can hold onto its second-place rating for long, given the steady decrease in user numbers over recent months.

Other games in the genre show less pronounced dynamics. Of note, however, is the legendary Axie Infinity (11,072 dUAW), which accounts for a whopping 77.2% of the total volume of transactions considered in this analysis, underscoring its astonishing player engagement.

It's challenging to evaluate the MMORPG genre in isolation because many games could fall into this category. However, when examining specific examples, there are primarily three: Nine Chronicles, SecondLive, and Tap Fantasy. It's clear from these examples that the genre experiences a substantial drop in average daily activity, hosting only 13,458 individuals daily. Furthermore, the gameplay across these projects tends to be quite similar.

For instance, Nine Chronicles and Tap Fantasy are fantasy-themed games where the player battles various enemies, collects rewards, and acquires equipment. SecondLive, on the other hand, stands out as a slight outlier. It essentially represents a metaverse that aims to create a parallel universe for creativity and self-expression. However, it remains uncertain whether it will gain significant popularity.

The remaining games on the list are largely casual, designed for leisurely "time-killing" and relaxation. Almost all of them show low activity, although platforms with a variety of mini-games, particularly Iskra (35,140 dUAW), are faring considerably better. Launched in early 2023, Iskra allows developers to publish their projects and earn 100% of the revenue.

Among the individual game options, Upland (21,856 dUAW) stands out. It offers an alternative to Monopoly and has maintained solid activity since its launch in 2021. However, like Iskra, Upland is an exception to the trend. Its long-term prospects must be evaluated in light of the steady decline of its counterparts, such as PlayMining and X World Games.

This report clearly demonstrates the dominance of strategy games as the most attractive genre, primarily due to Alien Worlds. Collectible card games hold the second position, while casual games and MMORPGs do not attract many users despite some innovative concepts. Interestingly, every category has both standout leaders and projects with minimal activity but high engagement. This is a good sign, indicating the presence of sustainable blockchain games in the market.