Future of GameFi: Beyond the hype and toward accessibility through identity

cointelegraph.com:

In recent years, both the crypto space and the gaming industry have been slowly merging together with the steady development of game finance (GameFi) and play-to-earn (P2E) models.

Initially coined by Yearn.finance (YFI) founder Andre Conje, GameFi refers to decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols with gamified elements. However, the phrase has evolved to encompass the financial aspects of blockchain games due to their inherent connection to real-world economies.

In other words, GameFi allows gamers to play and earn cryptocurrency through various in-game activities such as battles, crafting and quests. By leveraging blockchain technology, GameFi can enable true ownership of in-game assets, allowing players to buy, sell and trade them as they would real-world assets.

However, recent industry reports have indicated a gradual decline in the growth and adoption of the GameFi industry. An analytics report released by Messari Crypto in February 2023 revealed that the number of active GameFi users steadily declined by 34% since October 2022, with average monthly signups decreasing month-on-month.

Source: Messari Crypto

As a result, these developments have led some experts and stakeholders to question the feasibility of GameFi’s potential to drive mass adoption of cryptocurrency as was once believed.

Despite this, there is still hope for GameFi’s revival as it slowly evolves and continues to leverage elements of traditional gaming to address some of the crucial challenges it is facing.

A significant challenge to the adoption of GameFi is the need for more emphasis on gameplay. To achieve mass adoption, GameFi developers should prioritize creating a project that not only provides real-world value and utility for in-game assets but also