Building a Web3 game? Don’t follow in the footsteps of Bored Ape Yacht Club

TL;DR

• The Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT series from Yuga Labs definitely lived up to the ‘exclusivity + limited edition’ formula.

• Now unknown brands launching new Web3 game titles tend to want to follow in Yuga’s footsteps…

• The problem is: labeling something as “exclusive” doesn’t carry much weight if you’re not an established brand – and these expensive Web3 games can damage the space:

• Gamers are goaded by a disappointing NFT gated game → they assume most Web3 games are scams → they won’t be back.

• One solution: make games that are a hell of a lot of fun to play (duh), for a fixed price, let players collect free in-game NFTs, and give them a place to trade them.

Full story

When Gretchen Wieners says you’you can’t sit with us,’ means something.

But if Steven Glossberg if I told you the same it wouldn’t be a problem.

Why? Because one chair is coveted and the other is not.

The thing is, labeling something as “exclusive” is pointless if no one wants to be part of your crew.

The Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT series from Yuga Labs definitely lived up to the ‘exclusivity + limited edition’ formula.

And that’s why it means Yuga can successfully weave exclusivity and limited supply mechanisms into all of his other projects.

(Think: the “Otherside” metaverse, Dookie Dash, and the upcoming “HV-MTL Forge” game).

…now, here’s our excuse for the snappy headline of this article:

Unknown brands launching new Web3 game titles tend to want to follow in Yuga’s footsteps…

Essentially trying to catch lightning in a bottle, with games requiring an exclusive NFT to play (often priced in the hundreds or even thousands).

The problem is:

1. These attempts have big ‘Steven Glansberg reserving seats for the energy of non-existent friends (and gamers can see through them).

2. It hurts the reputation of the wider Web3 gaming space: gamers get scammed by a disappointing NFT gated game → they assume most Web3 games are scams → they don’t come back.

“Okay Debby Downer, what’s the solution?”

(Yes, fair game!)

While we cannot speak of a competition maker perspective we can definitely speak of that of a game buyer.

A Web3 game we would spend money on could look something like this:

• Fun as hell to play (duh)

• Released at a fixed price

• Allows players to collect in-game NFTs for free

• Gives them a place to trade them (also in-game)

• Makes recurring revenue through royalties on secondary sales

(If anyone knows of a game that fits those criteria, please contact us!)