Web3 Gaming Takes a Leap with "Off the Grid"

Own your video game wins, sell for a profit.

In October this year, Off the Grid — a cyberpunk-inspired, PvP battle royale title by Gunzilla Games — launched its early access release for players on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Battle royale is a last-man-standing format for video games. Off the Grid lets you compete against up to 150 players in an open-world, dystopian, futuristic landscape filled with urban decay. Players control cybernetic super-soldiers equipped with prosthetic arms and legs, granting them enhanced abilities reminiscent of something out of Terminator or Ghost in the Shell. In Off the Grid, you’ll shoot, slide, grapple-hook to skyscrapers, and deploy all kinds of destruction on the online player base.

I first encountered the game through Twitch streamers. I also stumbled upon discussions in an X Space where people were talking about how this game might open the door for mainstream Web3 gaming adoption. I was intrigued — wait, it’s a Web3 game?

What is Web3?

ICYMI: Web3 is a term that refers to the next phase of the internet: decentralized systems. Unlike today’s internet, where major corporations control data and digital experiences, Web3 envisions a world where blockchain and cryptocurrency technology create a “trustless” system. This decentralized system wouldn’t be owned by any one entity; instead, users would share collective control over the internet.

People have been experimenting with Web3 games for some time now — games that let you earn as you play and have real ownership of your in-game achievements. Picture this: you’re playing an open-world video game. You level up, unlock cool cosmetics, acquire a rare sword, or get a unique costume for your character. With Web3, the idea is that you would own those achievements permanently on the blockchain. Even when the game isn’t running, you could sell or auction off your rare finds for cryptocurrencies, which in turn could be traded for fiat (real-world) money.

There have been Web3 games before, though most look rudimentary — more like early 2000s Flash games. In these games, you can earn cryptocurrency coins, though not enough to make a livable wage in most cases. Still, there are success stories. For example, in the Philippines, some gamers have made more money playing crypto games than the average salary in their cities.

What Makes Off the Grid Different?

Off the Grid incorporates NFTs (remember those? Non-fungible tokens), but the developers insist it’s not an “NFT game.” Instead, the game features optional NFTs as part of its ecosystem. For example, guns and in-game assets in Off the Grid are NFTs that can eventually be traded for GUNZ tokens — the native currency of the Gunz blockchain ecosystem. Players can earn GUNZ tokens by completing missions, extracting valuable loot, and winning battles. These tokens will function as the currency for transactions within the Off the Grid marketplace. However, as of now, this feature hasn’t fully launched, given the game is still in early access.

The developers emphasize that the NFT component is entirely optional. Still, it’s an enticing feature for gamers who might want to own and trade their in-game items for a profit.

A New Era for Gaming and Rewards

Imagine this: a player wins a battle royale, coming in first out of 150 competitors. That single win pays for their dinner delivery that night. What if that win even automatically triggers a delivery order of their favorite food to their doorstep? Reward systems like these could redefine gaming, making it far more appealing for players. In a world of ever-shortening attention spans, developers will need to deploy everything they can to keep players engaged.

I’m closely watching Off the Grid as it continues to develop. The potential for Web3 gaming to transform how players interact with games — and with their real lives — is fascinating. This could usher in a new dynamic where people trade anything and everything digitally to improve their real-world circumstances.

As Off the Grid evolves, it may mark a turning point not just for gaming but for how we approach digital ownership, trade, and play-to-earn economies. This is just the beginning of what could be a transformative era for both gaming and the internet.