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Welcome to the WGMI Gaming Newsletter,

Web3 Gaming insights, early alpha, and how we’re building a game.

Quests

1. Gold Farming in 2024: The Double-Edged Sword of Token Airdrops in Player Engagement

2. Quick Bytes & Alpha Of The Week

3. Vallarok Developers Make Exciting Progress Towards a Demo

HIGHLIGHT STORY

Gold Farming in 2024: The Double-Edged Sword of Token Airdrops in Player Engagement

The Risks of Over-Reliance on Token Airdrops for Engagement

Token airdrops and play-to-airdrop (P2A) campaigns have become a popular tool used by game developers to drive engagement and retention among players involved in “gold farming” - grinding for in-game assets and tokens. However, over-reliance on these incentives can severely backfire.

The Short-Term High of Artificial Engagement

Airdropping “free” tokens or NFTs makes sense at first glance - it gives players assets to enjoy or sell. For farmers, these assets provide extra income. This can artificially boost engagement as players grind more to get more rewards as seen with $MAVIA which reached 1 million downloads within one week with their Clash Of Clans-like RTS game.

However, this high is often short-lived. Engagement centered solely around external rewards rather than inherent enjoyment is unstable long-term. Once the shiny novelty of rewards wears off, many players lose interest.

The Danger of Replacing Gameplay Enjoyment with Reward-Seeking

When over-emphasized, airdrops can condition players to equate grinding and gameplay purely as a means to get external rewards. This can lead to mindless farming focused on maximizing profit rather than enjoying the game itself.

Many players will rush through repetitive gameplay loops for the chance of randomized airdrop rewards. However, this playstyle often results in quick burnout once rewards are obtained.

Promoting Sustainable Engagement and Retention

For sustainable engagement, developers should avoid relying heavily on airdrops. Instead, focus on creating rewarding core gameplay loops and experiences first. In the case of Mavia, the developers managed to sustain the initial hype by creating engaging gameplay that made people continue playing.

Then utilize airdrops and incentives as occasional supplementary rewards, not as the sole motivator. This ensures players engage because they find the game fun, not just for the external rewards alone.

Deeper Engagement Above Superficial Airdrop Rewards

Make rewards unpredictable and granted for varied gameplay, not repetitive grinding. This discourages treating the game as just a job.

Finally, foster social gameplay and communities, giving players belonging and connection as additional retention drivers beyond just airdrops.

Following these tips will help prevent over-reliance on shallow engagement boosting from airdrops, rather than promoting stable communities who care about the game itself. Get retention right, and profits will follow.

QUICK BYTES

• Overworld raises $10M from crypto investors

• Mystery Society raises $3M for its mystery game

• Forgotten Playland social party game announces token $FP

• Illuvium: Overworld launching in Q2 after 3 years of development

• Off The Grid is the first Web3 game launching on Xbox

• Pixelmon is partnering with Immutable

BUILDING IN PUBLIC

Vallarok Developers Make Exciting Progress Towards a Demo

Our team continues to generate excitement through regular updates showcasing our development progress. As the launch of a playable demo comes closer, the groundwork for a rich gameplay experience is clear.

Steady Progress Building the Foundation

Week after week, the Vallarok team is working on the core systems and content that will encompass the launch demo and beyond. Recently we onboarded new members of Realm One. Realm One is the community with exclusive behind-the-scenes updates that help us shape Vallarok.

Teasers Build Intrigue and Hype

To give the public a taste of our vision, the team has released a series of trailers unveiling different aspects of Vallarok. The latest provides a thrilling first look at real-time gameplay.

Viewers enter the monumental “Dragon Temple” previously shown in earlier teaser footage. Reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many pegging Vallarok as a next-generation leader in terms of graphical quality in the Web3 space based on these brief glimpses.

Ramping Up the Pace of Progress

Internally, the team continues to expand as well, with two developers now fully devoted to designing robust gameplay systems meant to bring the world to life. With core mechanics and technical hurdles being smoothed out, the development pace is primed to accelerate rapidly.

The weeks ahead are sure to yield more substantial updates detailing new characters, environments, quests, and game features. The vision will continue taking shape into an immersive, expansive virtual world.

Vallarok’s collaborations opening soon

As the launch draws closer, there has been no shortage of interest in potential collaborations and additional community engagement with Vallarok. The team has fielded many proposals around NFT or token projects to deepen involvement.

While no official collaborations have been solidified yet, we plan to open these opportunities soon. As we fine-tune the gameplay systems and world content for the demo, we will strategically consider partnerships that can enhance the experience without compromising our creative vision.

The road to launch remains long, but the team’s consistent progress and communication ensure continued excitement within the game’s burgeoning community. Each update provides more confidence in the ultimate delivery of a masterpiece that pushes the genre to new heights.

LINKS

Thank you for reading.

Until next week,

Aiem.

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