Cointelegraph was present during the second edition of Madeira Blockchain 2023, held between November 30 and December 1. The event featured regional Web3 developments, as well as how the Portuguese islands are looking for startups and tech talent to grow their economy. in the digital age.
During a panel discussion at the conference, studios working on blockchain features discussed the challenges associated with integrating the technology into games, including acceptance by game developers, players, and publishers.
Redcatpig is a Web3 studio dedicated to developing blockchain features, but the company encountered obstacles in integrating the technology into its portfolio. “One of the most difficult challenges I faced was communicating with my internal team to help them understand that this technology (blockchain) can greatly benefit players and improve games,” said Marco Bettencourt, CEO of Redcatpig.
Redcatpig developers have been collaborating on blockchain gaming solutions. The company's first blockchain-based game, HoverShock, will launch in 2024 and will feature skins and drones based on non-fungible tokens that can be traded on an in-game marketplace and purchased with fiat currencies or cryptocurrencies.
Despite the study's extensive work on blockchain features, it has avoided buzzwords associated with the technology. “We all know there is new technology. We all know about NFTs and proprietary technology. And you won't sell games using buzzwords. (…) Players don't need to know that it's Web3 or blockchain. The only thing they need know is that if they buy a skin, they own it and can sell it tomorrow if they want,” Bettencourt added.
Another company that has reported negative reactions for integrating blockchain into its development is VEU. Founded in Los Angeles, the company specializes in ai-powered solutions for navigating virtual worlds, but its community did not support the introduction of blockchain technology.
“Players don't even need to know what we do, they just need to perceive the product. (…) I don't need to know about a technology to use it. (…) So I think that's the “Pivot, that's the change that the industry needs to face. Just like before, other types of technologies were not accepted until people stopped talking about them,” said Nuno Rivotti, product director at VEU.
Even after the backlash, game developers have not slowed down their blockchain integration. In Portugal, the technology has become one of the most important innovations incorporated into the gaming product portfolio and government investment strategies through the eGames Lab, a consortium of 22 public and private entities that aims to support the video game industry in the country towards its internationalization.
“As part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, there is a specific agenda for blockchain, incorporating training components, in addition to research and development, software production and commercialization,” said Pedro Dominguinhos, president of the National Monitoring Commission for Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) in Portugal, he told Cointelegraph.
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