Gone to Hell: Web3 Governance Can Save Mainstream Gaming | Opinion

Traditional gaming is ripe for direct community involvement, and web3 governance through decentralized autonomous organizations, or DAOs, is the way to solve this problem. Consider the surrounding controversy Helldivers 2 and its possible resolution.

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Helldivers 2 is the biggest gaming hit of the year so far. The third-person co-op shooter was launched on Steam and Sony PlayStation by ArrowHead Studios, a relatively unknown indie developer. The immense popularity of The Hell Divers 2 took everyone by surprise, presumably even ArrowHead, whose previous big hit was the Norse mythology-inspired action-adventure game Magicka, released in 2011.

The February launch of The Hell Divers 2 was initially plagued by overloaded servers (a sure sign of success); to date, the game has sold more than 12 million copies, making it the best-selling PlayStation game ever.

One of the main reasons for the game’s success is the excellent execution of familiar gameplay elements: cooperative missions involving teams of four with a well-functioning matchmaking system. Lasting 10 to 30 minutes, each mission gives players the feeling of being able to accomplish something meaningful in a relatively short period of time.

The game’s graphics, audio, and gunplay are fantastic. Powerful “stratagems” like Orbital Railcannon Strikes and napalm bombings give players a sense of power and the ability to influence gameplay moment by moment.

Friendly fire incidents and over-the-top ragdoll physics have proven to be a source of hilarity, spawning an avalanche of 10-second “you have to see this” clips on TikTok and YouTube. However, one item in particular stands out The Hell Divers 2 Above the crowd of shooting games: sense of community and belonging.

The short battles you and your friends take part in are part of a larger fight that SuperEarth humanity is fighting against alien and robot invaders. A single Arrowhead employee known only as “Joel” sits behind the scenes, directing where and when the alien invaders attack, determining what goals humanity must achieve to avert extermination. These larger goals can only be achieved by the ENTIRE player base working together.

This from Helldivers 2 give players a sense of community that you rarely get in traditional games. By providing players with shared goals to work towards, Arrowhead has harnessed a powerful sense of ownership. The Hellidvers forums are full of people playing roles as if they were real Helldivers who are “the tip of the spear in spreading managed democracy” throughout the universe.

The more creative members are creating feature-length documentaries about specific gaming issues: the infamous “Massacre at Malelevelon Creek” is a good example.

As a result, months after launch, Helldivers 2 it attracted up to 500,000 players fighting on alien battlefields at any time of day. That’s impressive resistance for a stock like this, rising Helldivers 2 to the rare approval level of “extremely positive” on Steam.

While Arrowhead is the creator responsible for engendering this spirit of camaraderie, it seems that they themselves underestimated how strong the community feeling had become and how quickly it could turn against the studio.

In early May, Sony and Arrowhead made the surprise announcement that PC gamers would need to create and link a PlayStation account to continue playing The Hell Divers 2.

The casualties of this decision would be widespread. Players in more than 170 countries will no longer be able to play, as PlayStation accounts are not supported in their regions. Even in places where PlayStation accounts are available, players have staunchly opposed the move.

Forged in the fight against alien invaders, the Helldivers community has turned its disapproval on its closest enemies to home: Arrowhead and Sony. A coordinated review-bombing campaign changed the game’s rating from “overwhelmingly positive” to “overwhelmingly negative” in a matter of days.

The concerted pressure worked. Arrowhead and Sony reversed the decision, sparking celebration among Helldivers, who commemorated their real-life victory with virtual redesigns of in-game gear, including capes emblazoned with images of red bars, mimicking the slew of negative reviews on Steam.

What does all this have to do with web3 gaming? In a word, everything.

THE The Hell Divers 2 The conflict is a cautionary tale about the power and danger of player involvement. Gamers are incredibly passionate about their hobby. Capturing this engagement can lead to heady sales and daily user volumes. However, not taking players’ opinions into account, as Arrowhead and Sony have discovered, can turn former creators into targets of coordinated ire.

Enter web3, where the solution to this problem already exists in the form of decentralized governance models via DAOs and blockchain technology. DAOs offer a structure where all stakeholders, including players, not just developers or corporate entities, can have real voting power on critical decisions that impact the gaming experience.

Using game tokens as a form of governance power, players could vote on key issues like game updates and policy changes, and even direct content creation.

The integration of DAOs into mainstream gaming will revolutionize the way community feedback is collected and implemented. Instead of a top-down decision-making process, adopting a DAO approach would create a bottom-up system where the majority voice of the community can directly influence the development of the game.

Not only would this prevent the kind of backlash aimed at Arrowhead, but it could also improve long-term player loyalty and engagement by making them active players in the game’s ecosystem.

Blockchain technology can enable transparent and verifiable voting processes, ensuring that every member’s vote is counted and the results are immutable. This would build trust within the community, as players see that their contribution truly influences the direction of the game.

For a game like Helldivers 2where community engagement is already high, leveraging web3 technology could promote a more dynamic and responsive gaming experience. Players could propose and vote on new mission types, weapon and tactical balances, strategic decisions in the global war against aliens, or even changes to game mechanics. This level of engagement could set a new standard for player interaction in the gaming industry, making games more than just entertainment, but platforms for innovation and collective creativity.

Of course, there are challenges in bringing web3 and DAO into mainstream gaming, including technical integration and shifting the culture towards corporate governance. However, the effort may be well justified by the potential benefits: greater transparency, player empowerment, and a deeper sense of community. By adopting these innovative approaches, the gaming industry can enter a new era of community-driven development and sustainability.

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