Roguelike deck-building title ‘Dimensionals‘ developed by Mino Games has made a significant shift in its approach, moving away from its original blockchain and NFT features to embrace a traditional web2 framework.
The game recently launched on Steam in March 2024 without any blockchain components, a decision that was influenced by the financial challenges and setbacks experienced during the game’s development in the web3 space.
This change has sparked diverse reactions within the gaming community and brings to light broader concerns about the sustainability of web3 gaming models.
What prompted this change?
Sash MacKinnon, CEO of Mino Games, shared insights into the game’s journey into web3, which began with the release of its Genesis Stone collection in March 2023 as a free mint. The aim was to build anticipation for the game and draw in mainstream players by offering free Hero NFTs. However, the launch was fraught with difficulties. Bots overwhelmed the whitelist giveaway, and the project was targeted by multiple DDoS attacks.
Compounding these issues, changes in the NFT marketplace, where platforms like OpenSea and Blur made royalties optional, led to a sharp decline in revenue that Mino Games had anticipated.
As the cryptocurrency market entered a downturn, the challenges of sustaining the web3 aspect of the business grew. The initially supportive community became disillusioned as the value of their NFTs dropped, and some members even began scamming others within the community.
Despite these hurdles, Mino Games pressed forward with a second mint and a closed alpha test. However, the conversion rate from their audience to active gameplay was disappointingly low, and the worsening market conditions exacerbated the situation.
After consulting with investors and advisors, Mino Games concluded that continuing in the web3 space was no longer viable and the company then decided to focus entirely on making Dimensionals a web2 game, aiming for a wider audience and launching on Steam.
How did the community react?
The decision to move away from web3 was met with mixed reactions and many in the web3 community expressed frustration and disappointment, particularly those who had invested in the game’s NFTs.
MacKinnon acknowledged that the way this pivot was communicated—initially through Discord town halls—only added to the tension. In retrospect, he realized that a more transparent and public explanation should have been provided earlier.
Even after transitioning to web2, the game’s past association with web3 continued to present challenges. During an early streamer playtest in March 2024, while the game received positive feedback from players, larger streamers responded negatively and were reluctant to engage with the game due to its web3 origins, fearing backlash from their audiences.
Jonah Black, Chief Gaming Offer at Game Fund Partners, reacted to the post noting that many streamers are still willing to play crypto games and that the issue might not have been with the blockchain technology itself. He argued that the game “wasn’t that great” and suggested that newer games surpass it in quality. He also criticized Mino Games for overhyping the project, which may have contributed to the community’s frustration.
Others expressed understanding and support for the CEO’s decision with some praising MacKinnon for taking responsibility and owning up to the challenges faced.
What does this means for the future of web3 gaming?
The difficulties faced by Mino Games, including the collapse of the NFT market and the challenges with bot activity, reflect broader issues within the web3 gaming industry.
The experience also highlights the distinct differences in player motivations between web2 and web3 audiences, with the latter often more focused on financial gains than gameplay itself.
Mino Games’ decision to abandon its web3 features in Dimensionals provides valuable lessons for other developers, emphasizing the importance of timing, market conditions, and effective community management in the success of web3 games.
Blockchain evangelist. Content creator & graphic design hobbyist. Loves gaming!