Blockchain games gaining popularity rapidly is changing the Web3 gaming landscape. They blend entertainment and earning together, making blockchain games lucrative to gaming enthusiasts.
Developing a game on the blockchain not only gives the players an immersive experience but also provides play-to-earn options. As a result, they have a growing demand that in term allows immense opportunities for profit to the entrepreneurs owning the game.
Presently the global blockchain game market is $4.6 billion as of 2022 and is expected to grow to $65.7 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 70.3% for 2022-2027. Needless to say, the market is gaining a lot of attention from investors, courtesy of its potential.
But what is the cost of developing a Blockchain game? To invest in this sector, you must have a clear idea about what factors influence the cost breakdown for such games. We have shared in detail every aspect of the cost to develop a blockchain game to help you estimate the most feasible budget.
Simply put, blockchain game development is the making of video games based on blockchain technology. The players have complete ownership over the digital assets they earn or buy through their participation in the game. Blockchain games revolve around a player-driven decentralized market where the value of the assets gets determined by player demand.
The blockchain game development cost is influenced by several factors. From legal compliance to designing the game environment- each places a crucial role in the acceptability of the game. Generally, an initial estimate is created based on the client’s requirement but the actual expenses can fluctuate during the process for many reasons. Here are some of the factors which play a crucial role in the overall cost to develop blockchain games.
The location of the game development team plays a crucial role in the overall cost factor. The hourly or per-project charges of the game developers vary from one region to another. Hence, it will affect the overall cost of blockchain game development too. Typically, the charges are higher in Western Europe, and America while game development cost is relatively low in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Australia. While cost-effectiveness must be considered, but you must also keep in mind the time zone difference, cultural and language barriers to work at sync with the team.
The first step towards game design and conception is creating the game design document. It will include the genre, story, gameplay mechanics, and all the details about the design. The more complex the game, the more time, and team size increases and so does the cost of development. The cost also adds based on the experience and skill of the game developers.
There are varied fees and development complexities for different blockchain platforms. The cost gets incurred for the fees, integration process, and resources required for development. The development s inclusive of coding, designing, sound effects, and graphics. The cost depends largely on the complexity of these factors and the number of people involved in the process.
The NFT marketplace has to be integrated to allow the players to trade with the assets while they play. The cost to integrate the NFT marketplace depends on the number as well as the complexity of the NFTs. The artwork, and implementation of metadata for smart contracts also add to the cost.
Smart contract integration is essential in blockchain games. It ensures the players have complete knowledge regarding the asset’s authenticity and history. It also secures asset ownership through smart contracts. Extensible and intricate smart contracts often have details about complex game mechanics, object interaction, and detailed rules. Creating these takes more time and expertise which impacts the overall budget.
Crypto wallet integration and customization also influence the blockchain game development cost breakdown. The game development services include wallet integration. The game developers will assess your requirement and tailor-make the feature and UI design of the crypto wallet. It is essential to store, buy, sell and trade in-game assets and receive cryptos.
The backend and scalability requirements also add to the cost of the game development. The infrastructure creation will add to the cost. Better scalability will require servers, databases, and API integration. This also adds to the infrastructure cost.
Repeated and thorough testing is essential to prevent bugs. It also helps to streamline the game and make it work smoothly. The testing cost differs based on the complexity of the game. The number of testers involved also influences the cost. Moreover, rigorous testing is essential to improve the security measures of blockchain games. This includes performance testing, security audits, functional testing, vulnerability assessment, and so on. Additional resources and specialized expertise are often required for the testing which increases the blockchain game development cost.
Last but not least are the regulations and legal compliances related to blockchain assets and trading. This will involve KYC procedures, Legal consultation, and jurisdiction-related specifics. These also incur additional charges related to the game development process.
Blockchain game development has a lot of potential to bring home significant profits for investors and developers. Here are some of the perks of getting a blockchain game development company to create the platform on your behalf:
Blockchain games offer several scopes for noteworthy earnings for developers. According to a study by IBM, owners can expect 20% ROI within 4-5 years of developing the Blockchain project and upto 50% ROI within 10 years. Though initial investment is significantly high, being a growing industry, blockchain games have the potential to fetch better returns than others. Their popularity, growing demand, and uniqueness together make such games a treasure trove of financial opportunities.
Blockchain game architecture is classified into three broad categories- monolithic, layered, and hybrid. The variations are based on the way blockchain gets used as the basic layer of the development process. The cost to develop blockchain game also depends intricately on the game architecture chosen by the client. Here’s how each blockchain game architecture can influence the overall cost:
All the game data, storage, game logic, and components are integrated into a single and unified structure in the monolithic architecture. The monolithic architecture simplifies the initial development. However, doing updates to each component becomes more challenging in the later stages when this format gets followed. This will have a long-term impact on the development cost you incur even after the initial version gets released. The architecture lacks scalability which increases the modification cost.
The different components and functionalities of the blockchain game get organized in layers or tiers where each layer has distinct responsibilities. This architecture is called the layered game architecture. The layers interact during the game to facilitate game operations. The layers comprising the game include the presentation layer, application layer, smart contract layer, and blockchain layer. The initial blockchain game development cost gets increased because the format is complex and requires specific skills to develop. But in the long run, it is a cost-effective choice in terms of scalability and integration.
There are similarities between the hybrid game architecture and the layered format. However, in hybrid game architecture, the top layers are separated which helps to distinguish between a decentralized stack and a centralized one. There are two fundamental types called the Simple Hybrid and Advanced hybrid architecture. There are several cost-saving opportunities in opting for hybrid game architecture. Hybrid game architecture also allows scalability. The blockchain elements handle the decentralized features.
The blockchain game development cost can be estimated best by the game studio. Keeping in mind the factors shared here, an approximate estimation is provided for every component of the game development process.
| Blockchain App/Software Designing cost | $10k to 15k |
| Blockchain Development cost | $40 to 65K |
| Deployment cost | $15k- 20k |
| Integration cost | $10k- 12k |
| Maintenance cost | $1500 to 4k |
| Project Managers | $25-40/ Hour |
| Quality Assurance Team and Testers | $5000- $8000 |
The blockchain game development cost can be approximately between $45K-$65K. The various factors shared here have a significant impact on the cost incurred in the development process. By hiring a reputable blockchain game development company, you can ensure the project is successful.
Juego Studios can give you the most competitive game development cost estimate alongside quality assurance of the project. Witness a highly skilled team at your service, help you materialize the dream project you had so far.
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