Fortnite developer Epic Games says there is interest in crypto games

There is still much enthusiasm for blockchain games despite the opposition from a section of traditional gamers and game publishers. The developer of Fortnite, Epic Games, says that people are interested in the crypto-based games within its stores. The general manager at Epic Store, Steve Allison, noted that sometimes, people played these games.

Epic Games says there is interest in crypto games

There are currently five games available on Epic. These games include a free-to-download role-playing game called Chainmonsters and Blankos Block Party, a Roblox-style game. According to Allison, Blankos Block Party was “pretty well-played, and it was the first crypto game that appeared on the Epic Games Store.

The other game available on the Epic Games store is Core, described as “a metaverse of free games to play and worlds to explore designed by a global community of creators.” Allison noted that Core was doing well in traffic toward this game. The game is also free-to-download.

The games have integrated blockchain technology. They generate revenues from non-fungible token (NFT) characters integrated into the gameplay. The NFT characters usually appear in the form of cosmetics and in-game currency.

These blockchain games use a similar model to pay-to-win video games. However, with blockchain games, the players are assured that they can convert their in-game rewards to real-life income. Despite this offering, blockchain games have struggled to gain adoption.

There has been criticism about integrating volatile crypto and NFT assets into games and how these assets could corrupt the games. Additionally, some have criticized these games for paying too much attention to monetization and not making the games fun, entertaining, and interesting.

More traditional game companies adopt blockchain technology

Despite growing criticism about the blockchain space, more traditional video game companies have continued to support blockchain and NFT offerings. Some game publishers, such as Valve, banned NFT games on the Steam platform in 2021.

However, Epic Games is dipping its toes in the sector, hoping to attract a new audience that is more crypto-savvy. The game developer plans to distribute nearly 20 more crypto-related games in its store next year.

The Pokémon Company, a major player in the video gaming industry, is also interested in the Web3 gaming sector. The company recently shared a job listing requiring someone with a deep knowledge and understanding of Web3 technology. The listing came a few months after the company had sued an Australian game company for mimicking its name to release an NFT game.

Square Enix is leading in the adoption of Web3 offerings in games. The company is currently working on releasing an NFT game known as Symbiogenesis. Square Enix’s President released a New Year’s Letter at the start of this year saying that the company would expand its blockchain offerings in 2023. The company has already released a trailer for this NFT game.