Metamask recently announced that they have launched a Metamask SDK for the Unity asset store, suggesting that more integrated web3 games will soon be coming our way. The move marks an interesting new direction for GameFi as Unity represents one of the largest and most popular game engines for indie game developers. However, the market for GameFi is still small and the chance this can create a monumental shift in demand from gamers is unlikely. 

Metamask SDK unity asset store

Unity’s interest in GameFi goes far beyond just the recent addition of Metamasks’s SDK. The asset store features a large list of SDKs for multiple networks including Algorand, Aptos, and Tezos to name a few. 

In fact, the team has made an entire webpage devoted to the explanation of decentralized gaming and its potential use cases in the future along with notable examples of popular blockchain-based games such as The Sandbox and Decentraland which are the two most significant web3 games currently on the market. 

Is Unity the best engine for GameFi?

The significance of Unity can’t be overstated either. It is considered to be one of the most beginner-friendly game engines for video game developers. Fortunately, this plays well into the hands of web3 game developers which tend to be comprised of small teams who are still experimenting with different game designs and how to best apply blockchains to them.

However, this ease of use shouldn’t be taken as a major bullish signal. Although the engine is powerful when used properly, it does not compare to more impressive engines available such as Source and Unreal which have been responsible for some of the best games ever created such as Half-Life 2 and Bioshock.

However, the inclusion of Metamask into the Unreal asset store still provides the potential for the future of web3 gaming because Metamask is one of, if not, the most popular wallets on Ethereum. The addition of Metmask greatly opens up the playing field for blockchain enthusiasts where, previously, they had to rely on other networks like Flow and Solana which have become less popular. 

GameFi has no demand still

The big question still remains - how will this attract new users to GameFi? As it stands, GameFi and the thought of putting NFTs into video games is still one of the most hated concepts among traditional gamers. 

While Unity can help lead to better game development in web3, the current belief that GameFi only exists to enhance microtransactions and encourage gambling is still the dominant opinion. 

It’s clear that many GameFi developers and NFT project teams still don’t have the objective respect for gamers either with influencers still labeling GameFi as the next big boom in crypto. 

There’s no suggestion that any of these games will be made for entertainment and they still only focus on how much money can be made for themselves without any recognition of a game’s entertainment value. 

Metamask Sidequest

To help encourage better development, Metamask is also organizing Sidequest, a program to help game developers transition to web3 game development. The project will offer $100,000 in grants along with their own advice from years of experience in web3. 

If done correctly, the teams coming out of the Sidequest program could lead the way toward better blockchain gaming products instead of the obvious gambling mechanics and fake hype created by influencers looking to use their community as an offramp for their investments.