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India seems to be having an NFT renaissance with blockchain gaming. More and more crypto guilds are looking to grow their numbers with each day, and host events to spread awareness on titles that boast the play-to-earn model.
G-Donkey Esports is one such growing guild who feels that NFTs are not only here to stay but will be second nature to everyone in a couple of years. In a conversation with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, they opened up about the future of blockchain gaming in a region like India and South Asia.
They talked about their NFT esports event, Axie Yudh, and what their future plans are for the region.
Here is an excerpt of the conversation.
G-Donkey Esports on the future of NFT and blockchain gaming in India and South Asia
Q. With growing debates and controversies around NFT games and free-to-play titles, talk to us about some of your opinions on the matter and how blockchain gaming has been one of the most misunderstood markets in the industry.
G-Donkey: NFTs that drive blockchain games is not a simple and easy concept to grasp in the first place, even for gamers who understand the value of digital assets for more than a decade now.
Unlike traditional games that are centralized, where the game developers control all assets and currency, blockchain games are decentralized. They aim to distribute in-game assets (NFTs) to their players, and these assets have value beyond the games.
Players gain full ownership of these assets, which can be traded and sold in the secondary markets. Blockchain-based games have the advantage of making the process of online game assets trading more transparent.
The misunderstanding stems from aspects that will take time to be understood and accepted by the mass gaming population. Trust, usefulness, enjoyment (FUN to play), and ease of use are key determinants for gamers, some of which the current blockchain games fail to fulfill.
The truth is that NFTs are here to stay and will become second nature to all of us in just a few years. A gamer's skill will be able to provide monetary value in the real world, just like music, sports, and art.
Q. NFT games are often praised for providing a lot of opportunities for those in a disadvantaged economic position. Seeing how Axie Infinity has had such tremendous success in regions like the Philippines, what impact do you feel similar titles will have in a market like India if it was implemented successfully?
G-Donkey: India is a market with great potential, with its high mobile accessibility and crypto wallet numbers. With the right implementation, gaming could be looked at as a viable career option by Indians. It would help onboard millions of new users to the blockchain space and educate them about its advantages in a gamified fashion.
The creation of bank accounts would be another key element. It would also be able to help the underprivileged by providing them with the opportunity to earn an additional income.
Q. One question that often arises from those who are newly initiated to the scene, is how can one get started in NFT gaming? Keeping in mind, the misconceptions, the scams, and the uncertainty over its future, how would one go over popularizing blockchain gaming in India?
G-Donkey: It's becoming easier and easier to partake and earn from NFT games without spending a single rupee!
Guilds like G-Donkey provide these high-value NFT assets for free as well as game coaching to players with no prior experience. Players are also provided with the very necessary knowledge of the entire blockchain and Web3 ecosystems, including how to steer clear of scams.
Guilds are the best way to experience the world of blockchain gaming before someone decides to invest their personal assets into any game.
Q. What are some of the major challenges that can arise when trying to adopt blockchain gaming in India’s esports and video games market? What would be one of the more viable solutions to tackle them?
G-Donkey: Acceptance by the gaming communities would be the primary challenge to overcome, followed by the Indian government's perspective of cryptocurrencies earned through these games.
Games that are “FUN” to play, where a player would play not just for the monetary incentive but for the competitiveness and enjoyment.
Q. Talk to us about Axie Yudh and some of the vision that G-Donkey has put behind it, and the expectations that you have with the event?
G-Donkey: Axie Yudh is an all-Indian tournament sponsored completely by Axie Infinity. We want to bring the best players from every region of India to compete and introduce these players to the rest of the Axie Infinity community.
Bringing attention to blockchain gaming among other gaming communities in India is an add-on to hosting such tournaments.
Moreover, we are giving away custom-painted Nike sneakers + NFT replica of the same.
Q. Like Axie Yudh, there have been other similar blockchain gaming events, like AxieUtsav, which took place in Kolkata a couple of months ago. Tell us your thoughts on how NFT game events and competitions such as these look to spread awareness of blockchain gaming and tackle some of the misconceptions around them.
G-Donkey: Axie tournaments like these have been about bringing the Indian Axie community together rather than spreading awareness. Building storylines around the best competitive players and future content creators is the goal.
Q. What are your thoughts on esports in NFT games? What kind of impact would competitive blockchain gaming have on the South Asian esports market?
G-Donkey: Esports in any game brings out the best players whom other players can rally around and learn from; it's the same with these games. Most blockchain games are still in development, and we are yet to see them have much of an impact on the South Asian esports market.
In esports, only the top 1% of the players in a game make millions of dollars; with NFT games, even amateur level players earn a decent chunk.
Q. What’s next for G-Donkey and how will they look to help blockchain gaming get better adopted in the Indian market?
G-Donkey: G-Donkey provides NFTs to anyone who wants to play blockchain games for free, without having to spend any money at all. We also coach new players in-game as well as educate them on crypto safety and security.
We believe the Indian market has a ton of potential and can be a good source of additional income for gamers. It is a way in which gamers can leverage their skills to earn. It's not that they have to quit the game they love and play regularly; just with a couple of extra hours of gameplay, they can earn a good amount and help themselves financially.
