Blockchain technology is often associated with high energy consumption. However, it has the potential to have a positive impact on the environment. With blockchain gaming rapidly gaining popularity, sustainability is becoming a priority for the gaming industry as well. Eco-conscious gamers would certainly enjoy their fantasy or rummy app more, knowing that they are not leaving behind carbon footprints.
Fortunately, there are many ways in which blockchain gaming can reverse the environmental impact. With the right steps taken by gaming platforms and companies, blockchain gaming can become synonymous with sustainable gaming. And players can enjoy their rummy game on the blockchain network without worrying about the environmental impact.
A Look at Blockchain Gaming
Blockchain technology facilitates secure transactions and record-keeping through the use of a decentralised digital ledger. Gaming played using the features of blockchain technology are quite popular these days. Gamers are trading in-game items, i.e. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), using digital assets as in-game currencies and even earning cryptocurrencies in some gaming platforms.
In the regular gaming ecosystem, you have a gated login system. You have one account for your rummy app and another for your fantasy cricket platform. In blockchain gaming, your blockchain wallet is your universal account. One account for all accesses inside the blockchain gaming ecosystem.
Smart contracts, vital in all blockchain applications, are a part of blockchain gaming too. The creation and movement of items and currencies in blockchain games as well as in-game functions are facilitated to a great extent through smart contracts. Blockchain games use smart contracts alongside off-chain codes in a hybrid manner.
The Energy Issues
Blockchain gaming uses mechanisms that require computational effort, thus consuming significant energy. Blockchain mining processes require the solving of cryptographic puzzles and data mining that accounts for this computational power and energy consumption.
The self-executing smart contracts also run on blockchain technology. These contracts also consume energy in bulk. Another cause of energy consumption in blockchain is the perpetual process of transaction validation and security maintenance in the network.
Blockchain gaming relies on decentralised servers and nodes. That is another avenue of energy consumption in this gaming ecosystem.
How Can it be Addressed?
Blockchain gaming uses consensus mechanisms – Proof of Work and Proof of Stake. Proof of Stake is considered to be the more energy-efficient of the two consensus mechanisms. As a gamer, you can run a quick check on the consensus mechanism that your blockchain game is using. Accordingly, you can make an eco-friendly decision.
At an industry level, gaming companies can adopt various strategies and initiatives to push towards a sustainable gaming ecosystem through blockchain technology.
The most obvious effort would be an industry wide initiative to switch to sustainable energy to power the blockchain gaming processes. This would mean the utilisation of renewable energy alternatives like wind and solar.
Given the energy-efficiency advantage offered by the Proof of Stake consensus mechanism, a shift away from the energy-intensive Proof of Work would make sense too. Besides, like many other industries, blockchain gaming can explore ways to reduce their carbon footprint through carbon offset programmes.
Achieving Sustainable Gaming Through Blockchain
Unlike traditional gaming platforms like online rummy apps, there is an inherent sustainability attached to the blockchain gaming versions. For instance, the interoperability of the blockchain-based assets. You can earn, sell and exchange these blockchain-backed digital assets, which could be virtual currency, weapons and armour, and other objects.
While smart contracts are a source of energy consumption, their use also increases sustainability within blockchain gaming. They ensure more automation and cut across intermediaries. Smart contracts can also ensure security and transparency in gaming. For instance, secure crypto-based payment gateways are being used by platforms that offer online rummy games.
In the future, we can see evolutions in blockchain technology that implement sustainable, scalable and energy-efficient solutions. The industry stakeholders can be part of initiatives that implement sustainable blockchain gaming practices. In this regard, collaborations with environmental groups and research organisations can also be useful.
Eco-friendly Blockchain Gaming: A Sustained Effort
The number of players opting for the immersive gaming experience offered by blockchain technology has increased. The energy consumption aspect is often associated with blockchain technology. However, it has inherent features that enable it to promote sustainable gaming in the long run. Besides, blockchain will continue to evolve into more and more eco-friendly avatars. In the future, there is bound to be greater regulatory oversight that will address the energy efficiency of blockchain networks and gaming platforms.
To sum up, a concerted effort from all involved stakeholders, including gamers, will push blockchain gaming to have a positive impact on the environment and sustainability.
