Play-to-earn is out: ‘Challenge and Earn’ is the next major trend in Web3 gaming

Skill-based Web3 gaming promises a new era for gamers and blockchain enthusiasts. Here’s how the shift to the challenge-and-earn model seeks to change the GameFi landscape.

As Web3 space continues to evolve and expand, gaming has become a natural addition to what blockchain and its user-centric approach can improve. The gaming world met with decentralized finance (DeFi), and a new term — GameFi — was born.

Web3 gaming has become an instant hit because it offers players an opportunity to earn real-world value through digital assets like crypto and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) on top of the usual thrill of gameplay. Blockchain games have remained the top reason people use decentralized apps (DApps), accounting for over one-third of on-chain activity and attracting over 1.1 million daily users.

Gaming was the top on-chain activity throughout 2023. Source: DappRadar

Initially celebrated for its play-to-earn (P2E) model, Web3 gaming promised a new era where gamers could earn substantial rewards for their time and skill.

Yet, the model faced significant hurdles, notably the inflationary pressure on token prices fueled by an oversupply of offerings and the volatile nature of crypto markets. This led to a highly competitive environment, with crypto-driven promotions often resulting in the rapid inflation and subsequent bust of token values, challenging the sustainability and attractiveness of Web3 games.

Shifting dynamics of Web3 gaming

Fueled by the mentioned challenges alongside the changing expectations of players, the industry is undergoing a crucial pivot. Developers and platforms increasingly focus on gameplay depth and quality, transitioning from simplistic P2E models to more sophisticated and engaging formats.

This shift addresses one of the core criticisms of early Web3 games on earning mechanisms that often took precedence over gameplay’s fun and engagement. The emerging trend is a more balanced approach, seeking to integrate the financial incentives of GameFi with the rich, immersive experiences that gamers have come to expect from traditional gaming.

One of the most notable strategies to emerge from this evolution is the “Challenge and Earn” model, which prioritizes skill, competition and gameplay mastery. This approach represents a significant shift toward rewarding players for their gaming prowess rather than mere participation. It aligns with the competitive spirit inherent in traditional gaming cultures and offers a sustainable model for integrating Web3 technologies with the gaming experience.

Gamer Arena is a platform that embodies this new direction in Web3 gaming. Positioned at the forefront of the “Challenge and Earn” movement, Gamer Arena aims to redefine the nexus between blockchain technology and competitive gaming.

Gamer Arena’s mobile app is downloadable on the App Store and Google Play. Source: Gamer Arena

By offering a platform that rewards skill and dedication, Gamer Arena caters to the traditional gamer looking to venture into the Web3 space while setting a new standard for what the future of blockchain-based gaming could look like.

eSports meets blockchain

Taking a cue from the skyrocketing eSports industry, Gamer Arena positions itself as a competitive gaming platform. Players get rewarded for their gaming skills, efforts and loyalties with the platform’s “Challenge and Earn” suite of products and services that expands to Web2 and Web3 ecosystems.

Users can download the GAU Arena mobile app for Android or iOS devices to experience skill-based Web3 gaming. The competitive games developed by Gamer Arena allow players to challenge each other in duels and tournaments and win prizes. Rewards are instantly distributed in GAU, the platform’s native token, to players for coming out on top of the competition. The company harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) for its GAU Arena app to offer players a more personalized experience and better matchups.

For players who seek to test their skills in more traditional games, Gamer Arena offers a web platform to create or join duels from a library of mega-popular titles, including FIFA, Call of Duty, Rocket League and Age of Empires. Gamer Arena uses advanced anti-cheat technology to keep the challenge and rewards fair.

Gamer Arena offers a suite of products spanning mobile and desktop gaming. Source: Gamer Arena

As a technology company with a spanning suite of tech products and development, Gamer Arena is working with key players from both Web3 and Web2 worlds, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Funverse Games, Polychain Games, The Sandbox, Atari, Krafton and Moontoon.

Bridging Web2 and Web3 gaming

Gamer Arena seeks to differentiate itself from other Web3 gaming projects by taking a holistic approach with operations in multiple verticals while building a gateway between Web2 and Web3. It has established an ecosystem of over 500,000 gamers since its inception. The GAU token has also enjoyed a significant price hike following the team’s reapproach to its token strategy with new listings and AI utilities.

As more people continue to flock into the Web3 world, Gamer Arena aims to play a pivotal role in increasing “the size of the Web3 pie” by solidifying the trust as a bridge between traditional and blockchain-based gaming worlds.