Mismatch of Incentives
We play games to win, whether the award is the satisfaction, fame, medals… or real world prizes. Entering the competition where there is no clear reward for winning does not evoke the feeling of excitement, nor does it help to level up our skills over time.
Every successful multiplayer game figured out how to incentivize players so they will feel the drive to be the best either as an individual or as a team. With the rise of esports gaming over the recent years we have seen clear incentives being created which exceeded glory and fame. The grand prizes of tournaments are what most players look up to, while the others seek financial rewards via signed contracts.
However, while the incentive is clear enough at the top, it might not be as enticing at the lower levels of skillet mastery. The incentives are not evenly exciting to everyone, which in turn limits and fractures the engagement.
What if we’ve found the solution?
Empowering the Player
Over the recent years we have witnessed the explosive growth of the esports industry both in terms of social engagement and financial investments in the area. As the world shifts closer to becoming more digital, so does the competition.
Yet, despite its popularity and free-to-play approach the area of esports gaming is struggling with one issue that’s holding back its growth - skill monetization issues.
Consider being exceptionally good at a given esports title, yet not good enough to play in the professional team. What are the incentives to keep you engaged with the game if all the time you put to hone your craft cannot be properly monetized?
Players naturally seek ways to monetize their craft and skills that are often either unethical or against the rules of the game as a consequence of lacking monetization mechanisms the game should offer. What we are presented with are methods like boosting other players accounts a.k.a. smurfing or personalized coaching.
What would happen if we introduced a novel approach in the gaming world and empowered exceptionally good players with proper tools to monetize their skills?
What if we went one step further, and provided everyone with ways to monetize their competitive spirit and game mastery by being the best at certain skill levels?
Monetizing the Craft
The core principle of most multiplayer games we play today is that they are not zero-sum games; for every winner, there is a loser. However, because there are no financial assets involved in the game, both sides can be rewarded to keep them engaged. It’s done in the form of in-game currency, experience points, items, etc. Of course, in the name of fairness, different prices are given for every loss, and different awards are given to each winner.
The shift in competitive gaming that we are slowly witnessing is the introduction of mechanisms that allow us to maximize the potential of zero-sum game design. This way, a win is not just "a win" but instead becomes a victory that rewards the player's skillset with real-world rewards.
In a world where esports is gaining popularity, and professional gamers are becoming celebrities, monetizing the craft allows skillful players to turn their passion into a viable career path, even without reaching the main stage of the esports world. It blurs the line between gaming and real-world success, making it possible for skilled players to create a stream of income based solely on their devotion and game mastery.
The key aspect of implementing new mechanics focused on monetization is that there is no core need for new game design. Developers can apply monetization mechanisms to well-known games that have been gathering audiences for many years. One such example is the game of Pong, which is known to everyone with even a little bit of knowledge of the gaming world and its roots. This opens up endless possibilities for enhancing the gaming experience and creating new avenues for players to showcase their skills and be rewarded for their talent and dedication.
This is a way to revolutionize the traditional gaming world which lacked monetization mechanisms rewarding players.
By introducing monetization system to a game like Temple Tanks or Clash of Orbs, players can now compete for real-world rewards based on their skill level. The reward pool consists of the resources players put at stake prior to the game, transforming the game into a bet on their own abilities and skills. This not only adds an exciting new dimension to the game but also opens up opportunities for players to earn money through their gaming proficiency.
Moreover, this shift in monetizing gaming proficiency is not confined to games with simple mechanics. Developers can apply these mechanisms to other well-established games, such as chess, solitaire, mahjong, or any other game where players can compete with each other.
Furthermore, this mechanism is not limited only to player-vs-player scenarios but is highly adjustable, allowing developers to create environments where players can not only compete on a standard PvP level but also as teams facing off against each other or even multiple teams competing simultaneously. The versatility of this approach brings endless possibilities for game developers to cater to various gaming preferences and create engaging and competitive experiences for players of all kinds.
On the developers' side, the main focus is on creating enticing environments where players feel incentivized to continue engaging in various forms of competition to monetize their skillset.
There are two main reasons for this.
Firstly, developers aim to build games that top the lists of downloads, gaining popularity and becoming a reputable brand for the developer themselves.
Secondly, the monetization of game popularity allows developers to be eligible for a given percentage of every prize pool that players compete over, creating an additional revenue stream. This way, developers are also incentivized to build games attracting both seasoned and new players who would be willing to put their money at stake.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, platforms like Elympics play a crucial role in enabling developers to tap into the full potential of competitive gaming and revolutionize the way games are created, played, and rewarded.
That is why, let us now explore all the solutions made available to developers that ensure security, fairness, and overall ease of creation.
Taking Care of Developers
Building a successful game from scratch can indeed be a challenging endeavor, even for experienced developers and teams.
The primary obstacle is often found in mechanisms that are not directly related to the gameplay itself. A prime example of such a mechanism is monetization, which can prove to be a complex task that is difficult to accomplish for a single individual.
To address the needs of both aspiring developers and those with extensive portfolios of created games, Elympics offers a comprehensive set of solutions and infrastructure that streamline the process of creating and designing a game, allowing developers to unleash their creativity and transform their vision into a reality.
Solving the Network Issue
Serverless gameplay hosting offered by Elympics allows developers to focus on creating competitive environments where players can immerse themselves in the thrilling battles ensured by smooth network experience instead of shifting focus on the needs of server maintenance.
Security & Fairness of the Gameplay
Ensuring the highest level of security and fairness in gameplay is a top priority for Elympics. By harnessing the power of blockchain technology, Elympics creates a system of publicly available Verified Replays and utilizes the Proof of Game stored on-chain. This guarantees fair distribution of prize pools after the game has concluded.
To prevent cheating and maintain integrity, Elympics incorporates the Server-Authority design, ensuring that players cannot alter their inputs on the client-side, thus mitigating potential exploits.
The In-Game Oracle system, another blockchain-powered feature, acts as an impartial arbiter during gameplay. By providing an external source of truth, developers can confidently implement monetization mechanisms that incentivize players to put their resources at stake, knowing that the final results are solely determined by their skills, and their earnings are safely secured in their wallets. This level of transparency and security fosters a competitive and trustworthy gaming environment for all players.
Safety and Economy of Users’ Funds
On top of the Security features mentioned above, Elympics places paramount importance on the safety and economy of users' funds, ensuring fair distribution of the prize pool and safeguarding against cheating or premature fund withdrawals.
To address the concern of players wasting funds on gas fees, Elympics implements a P2P funds transfer approach secured by Smart Contracts and the Elympics Bank entity. This ingenious solution allows for safe and direct fund transfers to the winner's wallet from the loser's wallet, eliminating the need for multiple transactions and saving users from unnecessary gas fees.
Additionally, Elympics ensures that winners always receive their awards by establishing the Elympics Bank, where each player has a dedicated account. This innovative design guarantees fair prize distribution by requiring the account to be funded with collateral, which is utilized only in cases where direct fund transfers from the user wallet are not feasible. With this system in place, players can have full confidence in receiving their well-deserved rewards without any complications.
Ease of Implementation
Above all, what truly matters at the end of the day is how effortlessly certain changes and infrastructural components can be integrated into a cohesive product.
Even without prior knowledge of blockchain technology, developers can seamlessly connect their game to Elympics with just one click on the panel, linking it to the Smart Contract.
From managing network and server maintenance to deploying new Smart Contracts for each game, Elympics handles everything automatically, freeing developers to focus on creating in-game incentives that benefit all players.
Building the Future of Gaming
As society becomes more digitized, we witness a surge in digital forms of competition among people.
The esports industry has experienced rapid growth, both in terms of financial incentives and social engagement. On the same note, gaming genres based on competition, like Battle Royale titles, have gained immense popularity among players, which, in turn, has brought significant revenues to both studios and developers.
The direction is clear.
Now, the only thing we as developers and game creators have to do is to provide players with what they need the most - competitive games allowing to monetize the skillset and game mastery.
