The human side of web3 games is as important as the in-game economies | Opinion

What drives gamers to collect coins, snipe aliens, or climb the walls of ancient tombs until the early morning hours? Gamers often find themselves booting up their consoles to escape their everyday lives temporarily. 

While gaming presents an opportunity to pause daily responsibilities, great features and immersive gameplay are not always enough to drive the entire experience. You need to give players a reason to come back.

As web3 gaming picks up momentum, building a solid community has become fundamental to a game’s success and longevity. While many traditional games have dedicated communities and subcultures, web3 games have taken a new approach to uniting individuals with shared interests.

These web3 gaming communities transcend conventional gaming fan clubs by serving as spaces where innovation, community, and inventive monetization strategies are born. Their influence spans beyond gameplay, impacting fundamental aspects like game development.

The truth is, given web3’s financial tilt, it can be challenging to avoid attracting individuals motivated by monetary gain. However, implementing strategies prioritizing long-term community building reduces the presence of users who play only to earn another dollar.

Web3 gamers want to know who they are getting involved with, especially when real money is on the line. This has prompted developers to be more open and transparent online—sharing information about their team, providing regular product updates, and maintaining lines of communication for community questions to keep players informed, involved, and acquainted with one another. Of course, social platforms like Discord, X (former Twitter), and Reddit have been instrumental here, as their direct forum-style communication encourages fanbases to interact with the developers and each other.

But, just as in any relationship, communities require care and nurturing. A consistent and ongoing effort is essential to maintain the community’s vibrant nature and retain members. This is especially true when tokenomics are involved, as players interact very differently when they have a tangible stake in the game. Although it seems counterintuitive, tokenomics can be used to onboard new players without gouging them for money.

Shadow War, for example, focuses on elevating its gaming experience by giving players a direct voice in the game’s development. Aiming to build a solid community of traditional gamers and web3 enthusiasts, Shadow War has committed to perfecting its product through various rounds of playtests supported by its growing community. For its first trial phase, the game reached over 10,000 signups through announcements on social platforms.

The game exemplifies its dedication by creating community quest programs called Shadownet and Shadownet 2.0. These platforms allow players to unlock in-game perks and features through social engagement while also rewarding community members and creating unique and fun content around the game. Patriots Division, the developers behind Shadow War, created Shadownet 2.0 as a direct result of community feedback, working to refine current features and add new ones before the game goes live. 

If web3 games want to continue thriving with the same passionate communities that lead traditional games garner, they must transform how players engage with their products. No one expects a web3 game to be perfect from day one, but building a solid community that can help influence the experience to improve it is critical. Otherwise, innovative web3 games are destined for the bargain bin of digital gaming.