Can human psychology help save blockchain games?
Before NFTs lost their charm, they disrupted the art industry and were poised to do the same to other industries, including gaming. Even then, however, the burst of NFTs into the gaming scene elicited a mixed reaction, from massive publisher enthusiasm to player backlash.
It turns out that finding a use case (or use cases) within the games industry takes a little more nuance than, for example, the art industry – the blockchain-based technology’s first case study. For the gaming industry, the challenge is to develop creative and interactive games centered around a sustainable model for NFTs and play-to-earn (P2E) that enhances the gaming experience rather than annoying players – and clues and strategies on how to establish such a model can be found in human psychology.
Bartles’ ‘Player Taxonomy’
The gaming industry is starting to come to terms with blockchain technology and its use cases. In doing so, it can take guidance from one of its most venerable and respected psychology-driven foundations of gaming, which has already inspired many of the features we see in many modern games. Dr. Richard Bartles’ Player Taxonomy divides players into four distinct groups – Socializers, Explorers, Achievers and Killers.
Understanding that there are four different types of players can help game developers more effectively utilize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in their creations. Despite being written as part of a 1996 essay, Bartle’s position on the types of video game players is still more than relevant to today’s era where mobile gaming is the driving force of the industry.
Some have argued that Bartle’s foray into the psychology of game personas is no longer always relevant more than two decades later because it was based on his experience designing and playing the script-based game Multi-User Dungeon (MUD). But despite the evolution of the gaming industry and the diversity of gaming genres and systems, his analysis provides a unique understanding of how and if NFTs can be deployed to enhance the experience. This analysis is rooted in human psychology, which remains the same. Despite technical advances and a far wider range of games, the human motivations for playing them have not changed.
Socializers
Socializers thrive when they bond and have meaningful interactions with other players. Social features, from basic chats to cooperative missions or features, motivate them to play. These players enjoy the cooperative element of multiplayer games and the relationships developed through this more than the game itself. Therefore, they prefer games that provide cooperative activities, coordination with other players through in-game transactions, and other mechanisms that enable them to form meaningful relationships.
NFTs can come into play in many ways here, from NFT-based clan or community membership to collaborations aimed at minting more valuable and rare NFTs, such as combining NFT gold plate and diamond to create an NFT diamond ring. This concept can work well in a wide range of games from classics, such as online multiplayer RuneScape, to newer hits, such as Marvel’s Avengers.
Explorers
Explorers, as the name suggests, are players who are primarily interested in exploring open worlds and living for easter eggs and hidden areas. Explorers love adventure and exploring every corner of the game’s map to uncover as much information – and treasure – as possible. This is not only manifested in the exploration of the game’s geography, but can also refer to the exploration of the game’s systems and mechanisms.
This type of player likes to discover hidden secrets while building knowledge about the way the game works. They’ll likely appreciate unique NFT rewards for discovering some of the best-hidden areas in the gaming world, such as Diablo’s famous cow level or World of Warcraft’s The Karazhan Crypt.
Performers
Achievers are players who want everyone to know and acknowledge that they are good at whatever game they play. These are the people for whom Playstation trophies and steam achievements were designed.
They are also likely to be most at home with NFTs, as they have already proven to be effective for social signaling thanks to their unique nature. From NFT avatars for in-game and social media use to unique weapon skins issued as tournament rewards, the possibilities are truly endless – the sky really is the limit here.
Murderers
Killers are players who are all about the player-versus-player experience. They feel pumped up by their competitiveness and of course love to win, but they are even more happy that their opponent lost. As the name suggests, they are generally interested in more combat-oriented games such as Battlefield or the mobile first-person shooter Modern Strike Online.
Game designers can take advantage of this warlike attitude with things like NFT-based territorial control, achieved only through clan battles – as opposed to the open market – and NFTs that represent the most memorable killcams and play-of-the-game moments . With this class of players, NFTs can be used as a way for them to show their glory over competitors.
Many NFT games focus on what they are trying to solve or what niche they want to fill, but maybe instead game developers and studios should focus on what kind of person they want to play their games. As mobile and console games compete for an ever-growing group of cross-over players, understanding the different classifications of players will provide better insight into how to better integrate NFTs into games in a way that entices rather than annoys customers.
