As gaming and the iGaming industry continue to develop, the technology alongside them continues to advance. As we progress through 2025, it seems the niche Web3 gaming technology, which was once on the periphery, is now set to dynamically change the gaming industry. The landscape is set to change drastically, and many foresee the implementation of Web3 as inevitable.
The deeper implementation of Web3 has seen gaming economies decentralize further, ownership of in-game features and assets become more common, and play-to-earn models rise.
So let's take a look at just what Web3 gaming has brought to the table and how it is likely to impact gaming in the future.
Web3 Gaming - A round-up
Web3 gaming is essentially any form of gaming or iGaming that implements the uses blockchain technology to provide users with more control over their in-game assets and identity. This tends to be done through the unique ability of the blockchain to decentralize power to the users which offers them increased control. It also offers players the chance to participate in game governance. These kinds of games allow players to have true ownership of NFTs, which are stored on the blockchain and can be traded across different games and platforms. They come in the form of different characters, weapons, skins, or virtual land in-game. Whilst this is being used for video games more frequently, Web3 is also becoming much larger-scale in the iGaming industry. Bitcoin casinos and other crypto online casinos are increasingly implementing Web3 technology into their games in order to allow for a more tailored and expansive experience for those on the platforms.
The introduction of Web3 has redefined gaming. It is pushing the boundaries of reality and is allowing developers to think beyond single-game worlds and instead focus on player-driven universes. Whilst this tech may seem alien to many, Web3 gaming continues to outpace expectations, and it has been suggested that the Web3 gaming market will be worth $104 billion by 2030, growing 24.1% year on year between now and then.
With Web3 very much in line to change the gaming landscape, let’s take a look at what exactly Web3 has brought to the table and what is on the horizon for this new kind of gaming that is undoubtedly going to enter the industry en masse in the coming years.
Rise of Play-and-Earn Models
Improved Play-and-Earn (P&E) models have somewhat replaced the existing Play-to-Earn Models (P2E) that were first established. P&E now integrates gameplay with sustainable economic rewards over time. Before the P2E set up, which incentivised players with in-game tokens, there were unfair and unstable economies, which saw players disengage from the game and led to complete control by a select few - the opposite effect from what the games intended. Instead, the new P&E model ensures the in-game economies are more sustainable.
These types of games offer rewards from in-game gameplay that come in the form of real-world assets, typically crypto or NFTs, which can be traded on the blockchain. Games such as Decentraland and The Sandbox are two of the biggest pioneers of this.
This allows gamers to turn their hard-earned virtual worlds into real-life monetary value. As 2025 progresses, and beyond this year, it is likely that other games will further develop this idea and dissolve the barriers between gaming and an actual income. These are likely to continue to be combined and may even see new professions established within the virtual world!
Tech Advances
As Web3 matures, the technology has brought with it exciting new advances that players have never been exposed to, including the interoperability between different platforms to trade information and virtual worlds with each other. This has long since been a cornerstone of Web3 gaming and this is something that is continually being developed. Players can now transfer assets, achievements, and content across from one game to the other. This has made an almost meta gaming system and allows players to build on their achievements and time put into one game, with the next. Cross-compatibility allows for a more interconnected gaming experience and fosters social communities in the digital worlds.
This technology is not the only one that continues to advance; the implementation and integration of AI is also playing an important role in Web3 gaming. AI in games, which is now driving NPCs and dynamic gameplay, is becoming more and more common. This allows the players to feel more immersed in their gaming worlds. AI is continually being developed and introduced into various aspects of the games to analyze behaviors and tailor experiences, alongside adding a wealth of additional gameplay features for the players. The impact of technology has so far allowed Web3 to expand and grow, and is sure to continue to do this in the future.
Decentralized Governance
One of the major features of Web3 gaming and the reason it has garnered such vast popularity in such a small amount of time is the decentralized economies that it has created. Web3 has revolutionized gaming economies and replaced the hierarchical economic models traditionally implemented. For years, developers and publishers have controlled in-game items and features. This has meant they have had oversight of pretty much the full gaming economy. But Web3 blockchain-based games are offering the players the chance to reclaim that control.
They allow for player-to-player trading in economies that the players determine themselves without the need for any ruling elite. Platforms are now operating blockchain integrations that are fostered with community-based economies in mind. This shares the revenues between gamers and developers alike and makes for a more cooperative and sustainable gaming system for everyone involved. It allows everyone playing on these platforms the chance to succeed and make money from their playtime. It works by players earning NFTs in-game and through their gaming experiences, which can be exchanged on these decentralized exchanges in return for digital assets that have real-life monetary value.
Future Models
This sort of decentralization extends beyond just the actual economies in games and lends itself to the future development and system changes of the actual game. Players now have more control over updates, development, and future paths for the games they are playing, which gives more control to the community rather than the community being driven by a few who would traditionally be developing the games.
In the future, this is likely to lead to new revenue models and ways in which the games that incorporate Web3 can develop the games to allow for more ways to integrate digital assets into the in-game economies. Smart contracts and further tokenization are likely to increase in the Web3 gaming world to allow for advances in the way that players can interact in the games.