- Erik Engel, a professional Dota 2 player, and Max Ng, a professional Rocket League gamer, express their curiosity and openness towards blockchain technology in gaming.
- Despite the initial apprehension from traditional gaming companies like Valve, the co-founder of Gaimin Gladiators, Joseph Turner, predicts a shift towards blockchain in the near future.
- Walter Lee, partner growth and GameFi leader at BNB Chain, emphasizes that blockchain could revolutionize traditional gaming, bringing fresh possibilities for players and esports companies.
Erik “Tofu” Engel, a seasoned professional in the Dota 2 gaming circuit and Max Ng, known as “Maxeew” in the Rocket League gaming sphere, have revealed their interest in exploring the potential of Web3 and blockchain technology in digital gaming. Despite the reluctance of game developers to embrace this novel technology, the professional gaming community seems to be more receptive.
Engel, who has claimed over $400,000 in prize money from high-profile Dota 2 tournaments, has voiced his enthusiasm for the potential of blockchain in gaming. He sees promise in the potential to enrich the gaming experience far beyond traditional boundaries.
Engel described blockchain gaming as an emerging field that has piqued the interest of many individuals in the gaming community. He expressed the belief that if blockchain can elevate the gaming experience and offer more rewards, it’s definitely a concept that’s met with great enthusiasm and anticipation.
Echoing Engel’s sentiment, Ng has also shown interest in the innovative possibilities blockchain can bring to game development. He believes that this technology could enhance any game, providing tangible rewards for players’ investments in the game.
As someone who has explored blockchain-based games without yet trying them, Ng looks forward to diving in once the frenetic pace of the competitive season eases. Joseph Turner, co-founder of Gaimin Gladiators—the esports organization that hosts Engel and Ng—admits that the arrival of Web3 games in the decentralized finance arena has unnerved many major publishers.
Blockchain Gaming vs Steam
Valve Corporation, renowned for its creation of popular gaming titles such as Dota 2 and Half-Life, is known for its exclusion of blockchain games from its gaming marketplace, Steam. This is seen as a traditionalist approach. However, this viewpoint is anticipated to change, according to Turner.
Turner understands Valve’s current hesitance towards blockchain technology. Despite this, he predicts that a rapid shift in their stance will occur, indicating a possible future acceptance of the technology.
Moreover, Turner advocates for the increased involvement of blockchain projects in the competitive gaming sector. He expresses the belief that the competitive gaming industry could significantly benefit from direct engagement with the Web3 ecosystem.
In contrast, Walter Lee, the leader of partner growth and GameFi at BNB Chain, a company integrating itself into the competitive gaming scene through a partnership with Gaimin Gladiators, asserts that blockchain technology has the potential to fortify traditional gaming structures.
Lee states that the potential of blockchain technology in gaming is tremendous. He points to opportunities ranging from the tokenization of in-game assets to on-chain generation of verifiable random numbers. As Web3 gaming continues to expand rapidly, Lee anticipates that it will eventually become synonymous with the term ‘gaming’ itself.
