Unveiling the Reality: Insights into the Discontinuation of Over 400 Blockchain Games

The recent research conducted by blockchain gaming group Game7 revealed that nearly 50 crypto games ceased development in 2023. However, new data collected by Jon Jordan, the creator of Big Blockchain Games List and a writer for BlockchainGamer.biz, suggests that the actual number of crypto games that have been discontinued or halted is significantly higher. Big Blockchain Game List found that 248 crypto games were discontinued or became inactive in the first half of 2023, with an additional 162 games being discontinued in the second half of the year. This brings the estimated total of blockchain games that went dark last year to 410, accounting for over 30% of the 1,322 games that have appeared on the list.

Reasons for Discontinuation: - The most common reason cited for marking a game as "discontinued" is a prolonged period of no updates or activity, resulting in the game going silent across all social media channels and websites for an extended period. - Other games such as Blankos Block Party, Gran Saga, Unlimited, The Harvest, Pixelcraft, Lost Archive Plus, Oath of Peak, and Arcane Magic have been marked as "canceled" due to public announcements about stopping development. These announcements typically cite market conditions, lack of funding, or a combination of both as reasons for the shutdowns. - Blankos Block Party, for instance, saw a quiet announcement about the closure of the desktop game in December, just a year and a half after a high-profile launch on the Epic Games Store. The Mythical Games team is now focusing on developing a Blankos Mobile game instead. - Some blockchain games have been marked as discontinued because they deleted all their accounts and vanished, while a few have abandoned their blockchain plans altogether to become cryptoless games. Examples include Neopets Metaverse and Immortal Game, with Neopets CEO Dominic Law stating that they dropped crypto due to the disinterest of their fanbase.

The data provided by Big Blockchain Game List underscores the challenges faced by crypto games in maintaining development and sustaining interest among players. It also highlights the volatility and evolving landscape of the blockchain gaming industry, where factors such as funding, market conditions, and shifting priorities can lead to the discontinuation of projects. As the industry continues to mature, developers will need to navigate these challenges to ensure the success and longevity of their blockchain games.