OKX revealed its launchpad for Web3 games called OKX GameSphere. Launchpads are important as they lower the entry requirements for game developers to navigate and integrate Web3 into their games, shared Jason Lau, OKX’s Chief Innovation Officer, with Crypto Briefing.

GameSphere offers a unified launchpad with Wallet as a Service (WaaS) and game promotion solutions. Notably, key features mentioned in the announcement include tools for developers to realize their ideas, simplified development and deployment processes, and APIs for in-game markets facilitating token swapping and NFT trading.

Moreover, the OKX GameSphere should be seen as a consolidation of efforts to support the blockchain gaming industry, Lau added.

“We’re looking to further encourage and accelerate the development and acceptance of Web3 games. By providing critical infrastructure, tools, and support, developers can quickly and easily bring games to market. Lastly, we also help games solve a key problem of distribution, connecting their games with our worldwide user base and liquidity pools.”

The platform supports NFT asset issuance with features like drops, flash sales, and whitelist minting. It also offers mandatory NFT royalty services, allowing project teams to set their own transaction royalties.

GameSphere enhances gaming experiences by providing exclusive game pages, tailored promotions, and collaborations for trading competitions and gas-free events. The platform has already partnered with leading projects like Lumiterra and Metacene.

Earlier this year, OKX partnered with Immutable to enhance NFT and digital asset engagement for over 50 million users. OKX also added support for the Immutable zkEVM, the first chain designed specifically for games.

Why keep it Web3?

One of the catalysts for Web3 gaming growth is mainstream adoption. Therefore, launching titles on Web3-native platforms could further keep these games stuck with the same user base when compared to launching them on traditional platforms, such as Epic Games.

However, James Lau believes that Web3 will be a fundamental element of all future games, as the addition of asset ownership and new economics will drive more engaging gameplay, deeper retention, sustainable decentralized economies, as well as new business models for game developers. It is only natural then that dedicated launchpads are created now.

“By leveraging OKX GameSphere, developers can create games that offer a streamlined onboarding experience for players through Web3 features like seamless wallet integrations, in-game asset trading and management, and more,” explained Lau.

He adds that these features remove the technical barriers associated with Web2 games, making it much more accessible for everyday users to engage with these new gaming experiences.

Moreover, blockchain-native launchpads enable seamless integration with the broader Web3 ecosystem, which Lau sees as a gateway for innovative features like cross-game asset ownership and decentralized in-game economies.

“It can greatly enhance the cohesiveness and overall engagement for players.”