Mavens: will gaming take crypto mainstream?

Welcome to the February edition of BlockchainGamer.biz’s regular Mavens group. 

It’s often been predicted that web3 gaming will take crypto mainstream. Do you think this is still the case, or will it remain a niche activity for crypto enthusiasts?

Robby Yung – CEO, Animoca Brands

I think gaming has matured to the extent that it takes up a large part of people’s entertainment diets, and this seems to be true regardless of geography, age, or gender, and so I think it is fair to assume that the same proportion of the general population would apply to crypto. That said, people in web3 are overwhelmingly early adopters of technology, so I think that we will continue to see a disproportionately large percentage of the web3 community engaging in gaming. 

This brings us on to the subject, then, of what are we actually defining as gaming? In web2, there are clear game genres that have emerged as the big ecosystems, like endless runners, puzzle games, first-person shooters, MMO/RPGs etc. In web3, the picture becomes more complex, as there are a variety of gamified activities enabled by token mechanisms that are not what we would consider to be traditional games. For example, token farming, I would argue, is a very popular game. If you’re trading NFTs on Blur for token rewards, that’s really a kind of gameplay unique to web3. 

Trading NFTs on Blur for token rewards, that’s really a kind of gameplay unique to web3.

That said, to get back to the original question, my answer is wholeheartedly yes, I think that gaming is most definitely going to be a major catalyst to mainstream web3 adoption.

Mike Levine – Founder, Mystic Moose

Web3 gaming still has the potential to bring crypto mainstream, but it won’t happen through speculation-driven models alone – it has to deliver real gameplay value beyond just token incentives. The key shift we’re seeing is the rise of player-driven economies, where ownership, AI-driven experiences, and in-game assets actually enhance gameplay rather than just serve as financial instruments. 

Apps like our new World Wide Agents, which integrate AI Agents, on-chain rewards, and player-driven interactions, show that web3 can create entirely new gaming experiences rather than just financialized versions of existing games. 

If projects focus on fun-first mechanics, scalable economies, and seamless onboarding, web3 gaming can absolutely drive the next wave of mainstream adoption.

Tony Pearce – Co-founder, Reality+

I’ve always believed that gaming will be the key driver in bringing crypto to the mainstream. After all, games have used virtual currencies for years – integrating crypto is simply the next evolution. 

While web3 gaming is still a niche market, it’s growing rapidly and has the potential to expand significantly. However, its success depends on moving beyond speculation-driven models. If blockchain elements become an organic part of high-quality games – rather than the primary selling point – web3 gaming could onboard millions into the world of crypto.

Robbie Ferguson – Co-founder and president, Immutable

It’s no longer our prediction that web3 gaming will take crypto mainstream – it’s already happening. There’s three key indicators of this: 

• First, over half of the largest gaming companies are now investing in web3, either developing games or hiring blockchain positions. 
• Second, major Asian gaming companies like Netmarble are bringing their proven IP onchain. 
• Third, we’ve seen unprecedented game migrations to optimized chains as developers prioritize player experience over tokenomics.

With Immutable Passport reaching 4.6 million signups, we’re now moving beyond the crypto-enthusiast audience. The key has been focusing on great gameplay first, abstracting away the blockchain elements and treating web3 as an enabler rather than a feature. When players can seamlessly access AAA-quality games – without needing to understand the underlying tech – that’s when adoption becomes inevitable.

The question isn’t whether web3 gaming will go mainstream – it’s now just a matter of how quickly. The infrastructure, partnerships, and games are already here. Now it’s about execution.

Sam Barberie – Head of strategy and partnerships, Horizon Blockchain Games

This answer depends on what we mean by taking crypto mainstream. Games can onboard users quickly, but other use cases will also be required to retain users. In 2024, gaming overtook all other verticals in wallets according to SVB, so it’s fair to say that gaming is already the category bringing web3 to the most consumers. (Whether that’s from live games, game IP collections and tokens, or something else is another question.) Gaming is a hits-driven business, which means that at any point a single viral title could double, triple, quadruple the number of web3 wallets rapidly. As of now, that’s most likely to come from a surprise web3-native success as opposed to a GTA VI, and history hasn’t yet demonstrated massive web3 games with sustained audiences. 

But while a game can onboard many users quickly, unless the game retains players, or those players find other use cases for their blockchain assets and spending power, they’ll bounce.

Banks and other financial institutions are increasingly looking at crypto for its benefits over traditional financial rails for cross-border payments, faster settlements, and more. A large bank, like JPM Chase, could enable web3 for 82 million customers pretty quickly. People don’t use their bank every day like they might play a game daily, but people need their banks regularly, while game affinity comes and goes. 

Games are and will continue to be key entry points for consumers to web3, but it will require not only a robust portfolio of many high-quality, retained games, but also broader consumer use cases to truly make it part of the daily life of most people. 

David Bolger – Gaming and consumer lead, Offchain Labs

While the general community sentiment of web3 gaming is currently low, the opportunity is clear when we take a broader look at the technology and application. To the tune of about $100 billion annually, gamers are the largest consumers of digital assets. Blockchains provide the best environment for digital assets to live on, even if it isn’t immediately evident. I firmly believe that the gaming industry will be meaningfully leveraged in its development in the near future.

A broader integration of blockchains into mainstream gaming will happen naturally over time, focusing on practical benefits over speculation. Borderless payments, provably fair outcomes and community governance are just a few of the benefits that are likely to drive more onchain engagement. While speculation in blockchain gaming isn’t inherently negative, it currently overshadows the more meaningful aspects of this technology. In 2025, our industry should strive to prioritize this evolution in gaming.

Alexander Goldybin – Founder and chairman, iLogos

The belief that web3 gaming will take crypto mainstream was always more of a narrative than a reality. If we look at the data, traditional gamers have shown resistance to blockchain-based mechanics, and major game studios have pulled back from web3 experiments due to lukewarm reception. The idea that people will adopt crypto en masse just because it’s embedded in games is flawed.

In reality, mainstream adoption will come when players engage with blockchain-based games without even realizing it. Right now, web3 gaming often puts the technology before the experience, expecting users to navigate complex wallets, gas fees, and token economies. Until these barriers are invisible, web3 gaming will remain a niche interest rather than a mainstream disruptor.

That said, there are promising signs in certain areas. For example, integration through mass platforms like Telegram provides an accessible entry point, especially for smaller games. On the other hand, when it comes to larger-scale games, I personally expect significant breakthroughs to come from Asia, particularly South Korea and Japan. These markets have a proven track record of innovation in gaming and a high level of acceptance toward new technologies. 

At iLogos, we see blockchain as a tool, not a selling point. If the industry continues to chase speculative hype instead of building genuinely engaging, frictionless games, web3 gaming risks being stuck in an echo chamber of crypto enthusiasts. However, with the right innovations, web3 gaming has the potential to break out of its niche and redefine how we think about digital experiences.

Christina Macedo – Founder and CEO, PLAY Network

Let us take one step back and ask: WHY onchain gaming? Because it allows players to play more games on more platforms, handle assets more efficiently with stablecoins, and truly own what they earn.

HOW will it go mainstream? Gaming will 100% take crypto mainstream – but not the way people think. At PLAY, we’re not asking players to care about wallets or blockchains. We meet them where they already are: App Store, Play Store, Telegram, Discord. PLAYERS just play, the tech runs in the background. Players earn tokens, own assets, trade – they just don’t realize it’s crypto, and that’s the magic.

AI takes it up a notch. With DEFAI, AI agents become the UX to onboard crypto. With onchain gaming you can have an AI agent handling the blockchain stuff for you. 3 billion people already play games. Bring those games onchain, on any platform, and the players will follow.

Ben James – Founder of 404 and Atlas

The idea that web3 gaming will drive mass crypto adoption has been around for years, but the focus should be on the player experience rather than the technology. Players engage with games because they are immersive, rewarding, and well-designed – whether or not blockchain is involved.

Web3 technology offers real advantages, such as asset ownership and player-driven economies, but its adoption will remain slow if the user experience is complicated or requires technical knowledge. The challenge is not convincing players to adopt crypto but integrating blockchain in a way that enhances the game without disrupting it.

The projects that succeed will be those that create meaningful and engaging experiences where blockchain adds value without being the focus. Until that happens, web3 gaming will remain an interesting but niche segment rather than a force that reshapes the industry overnight.

Sicco Naets – Head of ecosystem dev, Moonbeam Foundation

For years, web3 gaming has been touted as the gateway to mainstream crypto adoption. And there is some evidence to support this: it has consistently outperformed other crypto applications in terms of on-chain activity, showing significant potential for broader adoption. However, the reality is more complex. While web3 gaming has attracted engagement, its success has primarily been fueled by financial incentives rather than innovative gaming experiences. This reliance on monetization has created significant roadblocks to mainstream adoption.

For web3 gaming to truly break into the mainstream, it must offer something fundamentally new—an experience that web2 gaming cannot replicate. I do think there are several potential compelling avenues web3 gaming should explore.

1. Competition Over Meaningful Digital Assets

Games like EVE Online have demonstrated how the destruction or capture of valuable in-game assets can create stories that capture the imagination of players worldwide. In January 2014, the battle of B-R5RB (a.k.a. The Bloodbath of B-R5RB) involved over 7,500 players and resulted in the destruction of 576 capital ships collectively estimated at 330K USD. This wasn’t just covered by gaming outlets, it even made mainstream news and brought a flock of new players to Eve Online. Or take the Guiding Hand Social Club assassination: a Corp (Eve’s version of a guild) spent more than 10 months infiltrating a rival player-run association called “Ubiqua Seraph”, which ended in the assassination of their CEO, the capture of all their assets and the ultimate collapse of Ubiqua Serapth.

Web3 is uniquely placed to take advantage of this quirk of gamer psychology: gaming assets can be instantly converted to real world value and the burning or transfer of those assets makes it clear who came out on top in an in-game struggle. So rather than thinking of crypto assets as a source of income, think of it as the stakes you’re willing to put up for a battle – “How confident are you in your gaming abilities? Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is?”  Because the rewards are more than just financial – they’re bragging rights that actually mean something to people: “I blew up a 17K ship that it took that player 10 months to build” says a lot more than “I got an achievement badge.”

2. Governance Over Game Worlds

One of the most persistent problems in gaming is the disconnect between developers and players. Time and time again, major studios have miscalculated community sentiment, leading to significant backlash. Games like World of Warcraft, Diablo Immortal, and Battlefield 2042 have all suffered from unpopular updates, monetization schemes, or poor design choices, resulting in mass player revolts.

A lot of this stems from a desire to tightly control the player experience – when you play a game like World of Warcraft, it’s a bit like going for a ride in an amusement park. It may look glitzy and have its thrills, but it doesn’t take very long for you to realize the entire experience is on rails – you’re screaming at the exact same points every other visitor screamed at, and you’re ooh-ing and aah-ing at the same sights.

Mainstream gamers crave more authentic experiences than that – that is why in so many games people trying to either “break the ruleset” or even just try to be “first” to kill a specific boss – like a Mount Everest climber, they want to know they’re not trotting in someone else’s footsteps – they’re first to the summit.

There is a huge potential in giving players a more meaningful seat at the table. This could be expressed in a number of different ways – it could be governance over aspects of the game ruleset, it could be deciding what the next expansion might be, it could a form of meta-gaming (imagine players setting digital taxation in-game or having a community vote on a “Casus Belli”).

Leo Li – Chief growth officer, CARV

Yes, though it might not look like “crypto” as we know it. If we’ve learned anything from the breakthrough popularity of Off The Grid or Telegram mini-games, developers are refocusing on gameplay and using blockchain as a bonus that furthers trading, ownership, and expression. This makes it easier for casual gamers and focuses on the fun rather than just crypto functionality.

This ‘blockchain in the background’ approach is working. More than 75% of blockchain games since 2018 have been discontinued, in part because they led with crypto features instead of compelling gameplay. The successful ones are flipping this script – starting with great games and using blockchain to enhance the experience, not define it. This includes meaningful ownership of in-game items, seamless trading systems, and player skins that work across universes.

While it always feels like the “mainstream moment” is just on the gaming horizon, these recent big use cases are finally pushing us over the edge.

Quinn Kwon – Head of web3 strategy, Delabs Games

While many predict that web3 gaming will be a driving force in bringing crypto mainstream, that vision hinges on capturing a core essence of gaming: creating experiences that are both fun and offer meaningful rewards (coins).

Until now, many web3 games, such as Hamster Combat, have leaned heavily toward clicker-style mechanics. However, we envision the future of web3 gaming being shaped by the rise of mid-core games. And unlike simple reward-based models, mid-core games emphasize engaging gameplay alongside financial incentives.

Delabs Games sees the value of web3 gaming reflected in the joy of the experience, and not just solely on the pursuit of monetary rewards. Our new release, Boxing Star X, is a bet on this, showing how enhanced graphics, dynamic action, and high-energy sports gameplay can create deeply engaging experiences. This approach reflects a broader vision for web3 gaming: a future where immersive and rewarding gameplay take center stage.

If web3 games can continue evolving beyond simplistic reward structures into experiences that genuinely captivate players, the potential is there to break out of the niche crypto-enthusiast circle and attract a broader audience. This is how we see web3 gaming being a catalyst, propelling crypto further into the mainstream.