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Are you interested in the modern gaming world? NFTs or Non-fungible Tokens have gained impetus as brand-new trading activity in the modern gaming industry. While the concept of NFT games is still in the early days, the overall potential of the domain cannot be underrated. 

According to a study report, the overall trading volume of NFT solutions has achieved an impressive value of around $10.67 billion during the third quarter of 2021. It is a massive increase of as much as 704 percent from the previous quarter. One determining factor ensuring such significant growth is the increasing popularity of NFT games.

The mainstream NFT gaming industry delivers an impressive potential as far as changing the entire gaming industry is concerned. As per a study report, NFTs are known to rank as one of the leading and emerging technologies ahead of the digital decade. Until 2021, there were around 280,000 unique sellers and buyers. It was because of the impressive sales of the game named Axie Infinity -the most famous and the largest NFT collection in the world.

The total number of distinct wallets in the domain of NFT trading has been on the constant rise since 2017. Currently, it has grown to reach the mark of 250,000 by 2021. In this post, experienced NFT developers and experts put forth a comprehensive guide on making an NFT game competitive in the modern gaming industry.

What are NFTs?

NFTs stand for Non-fungible Tokens. These are available as a unique digital form of a certificate stored on the blockchain. It helps deliver the assurance of the item’s originality and confirms the owners’ exclusive rights.

The concept of NFTs has been derived from the cryptocurrency domain. The concept uses the same blockchain technology as that of cryptocurrencies. However, you should know NFTs are not any currency. In contrast to other forms of tokens, NFTs cannot be divided, replaced, or substituted imperceptibly. Instead, the system is known to work best to secure the rights to some unique objects -a works of real estate, art, and artifact in some computer-based games.

When you purchase the NFT token, as a user, you will be obtaining a certificate for a particular item. Still, the item itself cannot move anywhere and reside in unlimited storage. It is also known as IPFS or InterPlanetary File System. Typically, this certificate features the lines of codes for authenticating the token’s owner as of the dedicated owner of the original version of the particular object or item it will represent. The NFT token can also be regarded as a painting belonging to a gallery, private property, or museum. However, the audience can see it at an exhibition or in a dedicated catalog. Let us help you know how to build an NFT game.

Important NFT Statistics

Once you are aware of the definition of NFT technology and its overview, it is essential to know about some critical NFT statistics to understand how to make your own NFT game, including:

 

• The first-ever appearance of NFT took place in 2012 and 2013. However, it got associated with blockchain technology only in 2017.
• One of the earliest links of NFT integration was observed at the auction house of Christie. It was the place wherein the original picture in the JPG format of Beeple, -a leading digital artist. He is also known as Mike Winkelmann. The picture was sold for as much as $69 million.
• Jack Dorsey -Twitter CEO, had sold an NFT of the first tweet. It was sold at an estimated value of around $2.9 million.
• A whopping amount of $6 million had been obtained by Grimes, -a leading musician selling the NFT collection of digital videos and artwork. It was sold with the topic of the video as ‘Death of the Old.’ It was sold for around $389,000.

Gaming NFT Statistics

Even significant changes have been observed in the NFT gaming industry. Some are:

 

• During the third quarter of 2021, 22 percent of the overall NFT-based market value had been generated by the NFT trading volume of in-game items. It had managed to reach an impressive mark of around $2.3 billion.
• According to another study report, during the time of writing the NFT market’s top contributors, some of the leading names that came up were NBA Top Shots, Bored Ape Yacht Clubs, and CryptoPunks.
• The immense popularity of NFT in the gaming industry commenced after around 10,000 collections of CryptoPunk’s characters (featuring 24X24 eccentric characters) were launched. It also included zombies and aliens. The limited edition of around nine NFT portraits belonging to CryptoPunk had been around $17 million concerning the auction. The value of the individual portraits has resulted from the collection’s limited edition nature.
• Dela Rosa -CEO and Founder at Leyline Jeremy- revealed that NFT has successfully empowered the transition of the modern gaming industry. It has emerged from the free-to-play to the revolutionary play-to-earn gaming model. Therefore, the market continues moving from following the competitive approach to a highly collaborative one.

As observed, the non-fungible tokens and the subsequent technology continue to be in the early stages of experimentation and development. Also, the technology features robust and scalable potential while featuring the potential to enhance the ongoing standards of multiple industries -including music, art, and others. Moreover, the technology can fundamentally change the core models of industries -including the modern gaming industry.

 

Understanding NFTs and the Respective Standards

Have you decided to design your NFT game? First, you must understand the specifications of the respective NFT standards fully. Then, it will help you understand the specific benefits and characteristics of every type of NFT while successfully implementing the right features into the platform code.

In the modern era, there are different NFT standards from which you can choose effectively to understand how to make an NFT-based game. Some are:

Ethereum Blockchain: Ethereum is the earliest form of blockchain platform used for launching and creating NFTs. The Ethereum platform is also regarded as the most popular NFT standard. Its overall potential had been underrated. Currently, the overall costs of NFT minting with the help of the ERC721 Ethereum standard have reached over $80.

Generally, there are three different token standards for Ethereum for NFT gaming:

• ERC-721 Standard: It is one of the most popular standards. It is also the first-ever NFT standard that has been created. It allows the uniqueness of every NFT. Therefore, it can be priced independently. For instance, you can consider music, art pieces, and so more.
• ERC 998 & ERC 1155 Standards: The Ethereum standards ensure the registration of ERC20 fungible tokens and that of the non-fungible or ERC721 tokens. With the help of the ERC 998 standards, it is possible to organize the assets under the given category into complex positions to be traded within a single ownership transfer -including unique assets, portfolios, and so more. The ERC 1155 NFT standard is mainly utilized in the gaming industry. Here, fungible tokens tend to represent a conventional form of currency. On the other hand, the non-fungible tokens help in representing the in-game exchangeable assets and collectability items. With the help of these assets, there can be the creation of play-to-earn experiences.
• ERC-1190 Standards: The given standard has been created to allow the creator of the digital item to obtain the benefits of the item’s rights -irrespective of the time frames. It is specifically linked to the sale of creative licenses, ownership licenses, rentals of digital items, and so more.

 

Flow Blockchain: The primary objective of Flow Blockchain is resolving the issue related to scalability. The latter had been initially observed with the rapid growth of users in the game named CryptoKitties. Here, the Ethereum that was used originally could not cope with the same. It tends to rely on the multi-node architecture for improving vertical stability while delivering the assurance of the highest level of security with the process of decentralization.

 In simpler words, the work within Flow Blockchain is bifurcated among different blockchain nodes. Therefore, it tends to leverage the benefit of optimal blockchain scalability. Flow-based NFT standard allows the creation of a scalable Smart Contract with the help of Flow Blockchain. It resembles if you are playing with the Lego blocks. The multi-role architecture of the platform allows the creation of high-end smart contracts that can be utilized in the ‘beta state.’ Moreover, these can also be utilized after the process of financialization. Once the genuine authors deliver code approval, they can easily release control while making it immutable from the given point forward.

 Tezos Blockchain: The Tezos blockchain system is also called the self-amending blockchain. The blockchain is aimed at minimizing the potential of the blockchain fork. It is achieved by creating separate cryptocurrencies with different prices. The creators of the blockchain wanted to maintain a lower transaction fee to ensure the wider adoption and use of the platform. There are three primary token standards concerning the Tezos blockchain. However, only one of them is non-fungible. It is the FA2 standard -also referred to as the TZIP-12.

 The FA2 standard is a unified token contract-centric interface that supports a more comprehensive range of token types -including non-fungible, fungible, multi-asset contracts, and non-transferable. Furthermore, it ensures better flexibility for creating new token types along with the complex interactions as it offers support for the API standard for external wallets and apps. Therefore, the respective NFT structures can feature various gaming items with a wide range of adjustable and interactive features.

While Ethereum was the first-ever blockchain-enabled platform that came up with NFT solutions, it could still not entirely focus on the same -unlike Tezos and Flow platforms. Flow primarily emphasized the notion of scalability. On the other hand, Tezos ended up occupying a highly flexible niche for the launch and creation of NFT assets. When you are aware of the respective transaction fee structures, nuances, and specifications, you can easily select the most beneficial option for creating a premium product for the NFT gaming industry.

What are NFT Games, and Why are They in Demand?

NFT games are primarily referred to specific type of cryptocurrency games that are based on the concept of play-to-earn. This implies that you can leverage real-world values with the help of in-game digital items and products like cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens, and other types of blockchain entities.

The NFT technology has come up with a completely new platform or paradigm for the evolution of the modern gaming industry -from the title of the free-to-play platform to that of the play-to-earn. It implies that when you play the given type of game, you will obtain access to real-world financial benefits. For instance, when you get access to unique items in the form of rewards with verifiable ownership, they can be sold, traded, or even purchased later.

This is wherein the concept of NFT gaming solutions comes into play. It allows the creation of an abundance of digital assets featuring variable values -similar to the ones you receive from a unique art piece. To use the interface of the NFT games, developers are expected to create dedicated Smart Contracts. It will help clear out the specific rules for using NFTs. In simpler words, these can be considered self-executing code pieces on a particular blockchain.

Top Instances of NFT Games

Several high-end, interactive NFT games have come up quite recently. However, only some of them became pretty famous while attracting thousands of users. Therefore, we aim to highlight some of the most popular NFT games. As we analyze them along with the respective business models, you can look forward to gaining insights into what should be incorporated into your NFT gaming development project to ensure its success.

• CryptoKitty Game: CryptoKitty is one of the most famous NFT games in the world. It comes incorporated with the revolutionary NFT technology. You will come across several central contracts that help structure the game in the game. The contracts are mostly kept as secrets.

However, players have various types of tools that help analyze the particular odds in the respective gaming process. It helps them achieve rare cat breeds that could be traded for real money. In 2017, over $1 million were spent by players worldwide to purchase NFTs in the CryptoKitty game.

•  Axie Infinity Game: It is yet another popular NFT gaming environment. It has been successful in hitting records during the second half of 2021. As a part of the game, players are expected to ensure an initial investment for purchasing 3 Axis. They are also expected to complete several challenges and tasks to access unique breeds.

As the game follows the play-to-earn concept, players can earn around $200 to $1000 monthly for individual items. They can earn even more in some cases. The total earnings of the players will depend on the time input and the subsequent market price. From its inception in 2018 until late 2021, the game has reached more than $1.6 billion concerning the sale of specific NFT items.

•  Splinterlands Game: Unlike other NFT games available in the market, this game (also referred to as Steem Monsters) delivers access to cross-compatibility of different blockchain platforms -including WAX, Ethereum, Tron, and others. Moreover, the game is also known to feature its dedicated blockchain platform. As such, it ensures in-game stability and frequent updates to the entire trading system.

As per estimations, it is predicted that the game will be following the same route as that of Axie Infinity. Therefore, it implies that it will experience a rapid increase in terms of the overall price. Currently, the game is trading at around $0.65 -almost 100 percent more than the respective NFT rush during August 2021.

Making an NFT Game from Scratch

How can NFT be implemented in the gaming industry? To design and leverage NFTs in modern gaming, developers are expected to create Smart Contracts with dedicated rules for utilizing the respective tokens. Some important aspects to consider while designing an NFT game from scratch is:

#Understanding the Game Model

NFT games can be broadly categorized into two dedicated models:

• Free to Play or F2P: There are fewer F2P NFT games. However, the best part is that they do not usually require upfront costs. As a player, you can start playing the game right away. In the given scenario, the potential income is significantly lower. These games might also not include utility tokens.
• Play to Earn or P2E: When players wish to play such games, they are expected to purchase the first-ever NFT. In the future, there can be an opportunity to recoup the given investment. Most P2E or Play to Earn NFT games enable players to win utility tokens while buying NFTs representing power-ups, perks, or characters.

The method of a utility token is regarded as a highly stable way to ensure earnings than the NFT-only process.

#Designing the Game

Now, it is essential to decide the genre of your NFT game. A typical NFT game is just like any other game -only with distinct characteristics. Therefore, you are given all the options to choose genres like combat, strategy, card games, role-playing, simulation, and so more.

Once you have selected the genre, you should conduct an in-depth competitive analysis of the same. You should keep searching for similar games in the industry, blockchain, and beyond. You should not simply copy the essence of any other game. Instead, aim at revamping the most exciting features while supplementing your idea with the game.

You should make it a point to record all relevant information about the game in a dedicated game design document. For example, it is essential to define the game’s specific parameters, the characters’ leveling system, different characters, monetization features, victory conditions, and so on.

#Choosing Mobile or Web

Applications that are developed on blockchain technologies are referred to as dApps or decentralized apps. The data (backend) and the main code of a dApp are executed and stored on a peer-to-peer blockchain network. Decentralized applications mostly tend to be open source.

An important question you need to ask while designing the NFT game is how do you want the users to interact with the game? For example, do you want it through a mobile app or a web browser?

You can consider both options. The web-based application serves to be universal. It can be launched from any device -whether a smartphone or a computer-based device, anyplace in the world. At the same time, a mobile-based app will be running rapidly on smartphones while delivering access to a host of additional features. You can develop different types of mobile apps, including:

• Cross-platform Apps: These do not deliver access to smartphone functions. However, they are easier to use while being cost-effective and quicker to create. It is because you require only a single version of code to work for all operating systems.
• Native Apps: These are created for a dedicated operating system. Therefore, they can access several smartphone functions -including GPS, contact list, cameras, and so on.

When you have to choose between cross-platform and native decentralized apps, you should consider whether or not you require smartphone features for the game. You can also come across the hybrid option that blends the essence of both native and cross-platform apps.

While designing your NFT game, you must define the specific target group and the devices utilized by the same. However, the simplest solution to an NFT game would be a web-based application. It delivers access to maximum coverage and will not be limited by any specific device.

#Finding the Right Technology

To ensure success in creating a high-end NFT game, you should choose open-source as the core technology. For instance, you can advance to GitHub and come across templates and ready-made games for your NFT game.

In dApp development, one of the most common platforms is the Truffle Suite. It is a pioneering Smart Contract development platform. The comprehensive set of tools and features by Truffle Suite delivers blockchain developers with a standardized set of asset pipelines and testing environments to offer reliable, top-quality smart contracts.

Currently, for creating interactive NFT games, you can think of leveraging high-end technologies, including C#, MySQL, MongoDB, Unity3D, AWS, Truffle, and ASP.Net Core. Moreover, you must ensure that your game can be set up and installed easily on different devices with distinct operating systems.

#Starting with the Development Part

Once you are prepared to commence the development stage, you should involve the designers and developers. Some of the core concepts to consider are:

• Modeling and Art Design: Depending on the game format (2D or 3D), you can follow a series of steps for content creation. When working on the 2D game, begin with outlining the game characters, environment, and assets. While working on the 3D game, the artist is expected to model the environment, assets, and characters with the help of a polygonal modeling technique.

 

• Level Design: The game’s level design is its structure or logic. Select and explain how players will be moving within the same.
• Wallet Set-up: For NFT games, a dedicated crypto wallet is required. It is because NFTs can be purchased, sold, or traded for cryptocurrencies. In terms of cryptocurrency wallets for NFT games, MetaMask is a popular choice.
• Smart Contract: It is a blockchain-centric program responsible for ensuring NFT movement. It also ensures transaction customization and cyber-security of the game.
• Coding: The backend of NFT game creation should gather all relevant data, architecture, and content into a single dedicated system. It is essential to develop a proper structure for the decentralized game. Ensure the application receives ample information about essential data, commands, and functions from the blockchain.

Conclusion

You might have the general idea of creating a high-end, feature-rich NFT game. However, the number of available NFT assets should not carry you away. Instead, you should analyze the value they represent for the targeted playing audience. For example, would players want to buy the assets, and what will be the end motivation?

If you wish to follow the ongoing NFT trends, join our forces. You can leverage the immense NFT game development expertise of experienced developers to create innovative games across different genres. Contact me now to know more!