BLOCKCHAIN AND GAMING
FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW THIS TECH COULD CHANGE GAMING.
YOU’RE THE OWNER
So breaking down things to the basics here, Blockchain is essentially peer-to-peer file sharing gone large and super encrypted, but what that means for you is there’s no middleman holding onto your data or leasing you access to the things you make (profiles, characters, save data and so on). It belongs to you, giving you the power over it, including the option to sell it if you wish.
CROSS-PLATFORM IDENTITY
Since it all belongs to you, you’re also able to take it anywhere you like. So create an avatar in one game, build up credit in a particular service, and there’s no reason why that shouldn’t be transferable to something else. It creates the opportunity for massive shared experiences across platforms, titles and apps.
TRADING DIGITAL CONTENT
Since the Blockchain system keeps records of transactions, if you buy something it belongs to you, period. No one can copy it or fake it. It’s yours. So if you were to buy a digital game using Blockchain, you basically have a proof of purchase built in. And now, you could theoretically sell that on. Yes, we mean digital trade-ins are perfectly plausible within Blockchain creating a digital secondhand market.
NOTHING HAS TO DIE
Blockchain is decentralised and open source, so files are simultaneously stored and encrypted in multiple locations. If a game launched its online platform through a Blockchain, that would mean the community essentially protected it. If the developer went bust for some reason or moved on, the game could be running for as long as the players kept it alive.
IT’S SECURE
Blockchain has been used to transfer cryptocurrencies for years now, and by encrypting every piece of data and then bouncing it around a decentralised network of nodes, it’s all but impossible to hack, from what we understand. That should mean better data protection for us as consumers, and possibly more stable networks for gaming.