PlayStation is no stranger to innovations. There was the PlayStation 2 in 2000, the PlayStation Network in 2006, the Playstation Move in 2010, and even PlayStation VR in 2016.Granted, not all of those innovations were successes – the less said about PlayStation Move, the better! But the point is, that PlayStation is always willing to move with the times and try new things, no matter how risky they are. So when is PlayStation going to get on board with blockchain?The Thing About Blockchain GamesBlockchain games have been a thing for over six years now. With ‘CryptoKitties’ launching in November 2017 from Canadian blockchain company Axiom Zen, the excitement around blockchain-based games spread like wildfire.Pretty soon, we had dozens more drop into the market, including Axie Infinity, Decentraland, Gods Unchained, and The Sandbox. All of these games have made significant contributions to the blockchain gaming space, and have garnered a lot of attention for their innovative concepts, gameplay, and economic opportunities.Blockchain Games Better Than Console Games?For many players, these games have offered several advantages over traditional consoles like PlayStation or Xbox. The first is true ownership of assets. In blockchain games, players own their in-game assets as NFTs, with the ability to transfer, sell, or trade them outside of the gaming environment.There are also play-to-earn opportunities, meaning players can earn cryptocurrency or valuable NFTs simply by participating in the game. With decentralisation and transparency added into the mix, this has made blockchain games a big success both inside and outside the crypto world.We say ‘outside’, because it’s not just on blockchain that you can play ‘crypto-based’ games. Crypto casinos have also become largely popular. Right now, anyone can find a list of Solana casino sites or Bitcoin platforms where they can play poker, blackjack, slots, or any other typical casino game – only with anything from SOL, BTC, ETH, BNB, and more.PlayStation to Enter the Fray?The worlds of blockchain and gaming are clearly growing more entwined, and PlayStation might be taking notice. According to a new patent application, it seems Sony Interactive Entertainment are looking to utilise blockchain technology, with the PlayStation parent company hoping to incorporate NFTs and blockchain tech into its platform. The patent itself describes a blockchain-inspired system for keeping track of in-game items, including information on who made them, who owned them, and whether they have been altered.This is obviously a big step in the context of blockchain and traditional console gaming, but let’s be honest, it’s not quite the game-changing news you’re hoping for – no pun intended. What we want to know is whether there will be PlayStation-specific games that are run entirely on blockchain. Games like Monster Hunter Stories, only players can earn crypto, buy digital assets, and transfer them between titles. Or games where artists can sell their NFT art pieces and make a living inside a purely gaming space.This isn’t exactly confirmed by the news of the patent, but that’s not to say we shouldn’t be optimistic. What the patent does tell us is that PlayStation has been exploring the use of NFTs and blockchain tech, and that shouldn’t be so surprising. It’s pretty clear that the closer we get to Web3, the closer we get to PlayStation entering the fray. The new Assassin’s Creed might not include any NFTs or crypto tokens, but that’s not to say the Assassin’s Creed in 2030 won’t!As mentioned before, they have tried out plenty of innovations in the past, and if the success of blockchain games or crypto poker is anything to go by, they won’t want to lose out on the potential for a whole new audience. PlayStation is going to join the game. It’s just a question of when.
Source link
