Play > Pay: The Future of Web3 Gaming

Jack Hartley

Gaming culture is in a state of existential crisis. On the one hand, traditional Web2 game devs imprison players in worlds where they have no control over their assets. On the other hand, Web3 pioneers are often so focused on earning that they need to remember to make the games fun to play.

In recent years, blue chip chains like Polygon have upgraded blockchain technology, allowing vast increases in the chain’s data processing power, making Web3 gaming possible. Advances like zk-rollups expand the possibilities of blockchain gaming beyond what was possible in crypto’s 2021 bull run. This progress has brought triple-A studios into the world of Web3.

Enter CyberArena

One gaming studio that’s ahead of the trend is Imperium Games. Imperium is a large motion-capture gaming studio based in Belgrade that boasts over 30 million downloads, 15 games, and more than 150,000 active daily players.

While the Imperium team comes from a web2 background, they’re now entirely focused on building games for Web3. Their latest project - CyberArena Metverse - could be the bridge between worlds that gamers are seeking.

What is CyberArena?

CyberArena is the world’s first interactive battle Metaverse powered by revenue generated from both Web3 and a vast Web2 audience.

The first element of the CyberArena metaverse is the CryptoArena minigame, featuring prominent crypto industry figures. The idea for this game came from the team’s observation of crypto industry dynamics during the depths of a bear market. They noticed that competition and tribalism heated up as the cascading series of liquidity crises and failures that the now-infamous Terra Luna collapse instigated wreaked havoc on project after project. Eureka!

In CryptoArena, players can choose from a variety of characters inspired by their favorite crypto heroes (or villains) and exact revenge on those who impacted the tradable value of their bags.

The minigame’s value extends beyond the therapeutic benefits of allowing people to vent their frustrations on digital versions of their enemies. Simultaneously, the minigame demonstrates the CyberArena team’s ability to deliver quality games that capture the spirit of the industry and showcase some of the features players can expect in the full game.

Those who like what they see and decide to play the full game upon its release will enjoy the best elements of the mini-game with added cutting-edge graphics, intuitive gameplay, and blistering performance.

This new generation of high-quality games being spearheaded by studios like Imperium Games is destined to challenge our understanding of what is possible with blockchain gaming and convince a new cadre of gamers to jump into this exciting space.

Join the CyberArena team to learn more about their journey into Web3 and their plans to restore skill to gaming at PolyCon on February 23rd -25th.