The Marketplace Metagame

Written by John Petersen

Venturing into the world of Web3 gaming today, we’ve moved beyond the initial hype and excitement that first put this space in the spotlight. Yet, we’re still not at a point where traditional gamers have fully embraced this new arena. In this intriguing intermediate stage, we’ve witnessed some exciting trends unfolding.

At Hawku, we’ve had a front-row view of these transformations as they occur within our marketplace. We’ve found the Web3 games that have made the most significant impact are those that have embraced the unique possibilities that Web3 holds, things that weren’t feasible within the confines of Web2.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this progression is the central role of data: metadata, on-chain data, off-chain data, concealed data, and game-specific data. This wealth of information allows gamers to evaluate and interpret gaming assets in a whole new light. This wouldn’t be possible without the transparency of Web3 and open marketplaces. Gamers are constantly on the hunt for those overlooked “diamonds in the rough” - NFT tokens valued substantially higher than their listing price.

Here are a few ways upgradeable data has become a core component of Web3 games:

• Performance data: Games like ZED.run and Muzzle Run place a premium on assets with the highest potential win rates in certain types or categories of races. Winning NFTs earn more, making it essential for players to analyze this data while making marketplace decisions. The fun part is that these games do not show the actual characteristic stats of the tokens, but leave it to the players to guess and discover by playing with the horses and dogs.
• Breeding data: Games such as Crypto Unicorns and The Red Village have a breeding mechanic allowing the creation of new tokens based on parent data. The potential to predict offspring traits fuels a lot of marketplace activity.
• Experience data: In Pirate Nation, Pirates gain experience from gameplay, and in Crypto Unicorns, lands gain experience as you build and develop them. These upgrades unlock additional features and bonuses, enabling players to appraise these levels and bonuses and find the best market value.

With the right tools at hand, a new game loop becomes possible, and this is where some games truly hit their stride.

Welcome to the marketplace metagame.

When equipped with the correct tools, players can interpret unique data and its implications for the metagame. They develop strategies around overvalued or undervalued assets and characteristics in the marketplace. This has driven significant transaction volume as players analyze performance over time to try to find the hidden gems. The availability of open data, smart contracts, and immutable blockchains in Web3 fosters this unique marketplace dynamic.

Classic crypto marketplaces, such as Opensea and Blur, are perfectly adequate for commodity NFTs and speculation but don’t fully embrace the potential of Web3 gaming assets. Basic price and mint traits can’t stimulate market activity when tokens have off-chain data and attributes updating in real-time. The value shifts from aesthetics to the token utility - “What benefits does this token offer me in future?”

This is where Hawku stands out.

Hawku transforms buying and selling into an integral part of the game. We empower players to analyze in-game performance data at an individual NFT level. We craft game-specific dashboards and stats adapted to each game and what’s crucial to their communities. This opens up an entirely new game loop that requires minimal effort from game creators but can drive substantial player engagement and revenue through additional creator fees.

As we continue to explore and experiment with the potential of Web3 gaming, it is clear that real-time data and analytics are driving results. This is why we are committed to building a gaming and utility-focused marketplace that caters to the needs of our communities.