‘Blockchain gamers have the same potential as YouTube streamers, TikTok/Instagram influencers’

Play-to-earn games gaining rapid popularity across South Asia

• The Esports gaming market in India is expected to reach a valuation of $5.7 billion by 2025.
  
• GuardianLink with gaming partner IndiGG will initially have over 65k users.
  
• Players have spent $4.9 billion on NFT games last year.
  
• Asian leads the adoption of Metamask, a cryptocurrency wallet used for many Web 3 apps and online gaming.

GuardianLink, has joined forces with gaming hub IndiGG, the Sub-DAO of Yield Guild Games (YGG), to build and promote the Web3 gaming ecosystem in South Asia. Guardian Link has famously been associated with supporting artists like Stan Lee and Amitabh Bacchan by managing their NFT sales.

GuardianLink, together with gaming partner IndiGG and its user base of 65,000 online gamers, is on a mission to help gamers monetize their virtual gaming skills.

IndiGG has made a significant investment in purchasing NFTs from GuardianLink and will lease them out to its community members to encourage them to play the NFT cricket game, win matches, and stand a chance to earn exciting rewards.

"Like YouTube streamers or TikTok/Instagram influencers, blockchain gaming has all the potential to become a dependable source of earning in the gig-economy era, if not for a full-time career. We strongly believe that NFT has the power to revolutionize the online gaming ecosystem in Asia," said Kameshwaran Elangovan, co-founder and COO of GuardianLink.

Kameshwaran also adds, "Cricket is a religion in India, and even though Web2 games lack adoption for the sports genre, I believe Web3 cricket games would attract a lot of non-gamers in India as well. MCL is becoming one of the most popular live online cricket games thanks to its sustainable earnings potential," says Ayush Gupta, growth leader at IndiGG.

Play-to-Earn games (P2E) have especially become popular post-pandemic. According to market tracker DappRadar, gamers spent $$4.5 billion on NFTs last year. The amount one earns depends on the value of the game token which can be in the form of a cryptocurrency made on a blockchain.

These blockchain games also provided a respite during the pandemic, where countries like Philippines and Thailand saw millions of users signing up for NFT game Axie Infinity due to rising unemployment.

$500 in two hours
Asian countries also lead the adoption of Metamask, a cryptocurrency wallet that is used during NFT online gaming. Vietnam, Thailand, India, China, Philippines and Indonesia occupy the top 10. According to a report by PWC, global virtual gaming alone is projected to grow at 27.81% annually.

Since the Indian subcontinent is a cricket fanatic, GuardianLink has also launched a first-of-its-kind NFT-powered play-and-earn cricket gaming app, Meta Cricket League (MCL), through its latest blockchain marketplace, 'Jump.trade'. MCL allows online game lovers to earn rewards worth $500 dollars in two hours.

The esports gaming market in India is predicted to grow to be one of the largest in the world. A KPMG study claims that after five years of steady growth, it is anticipated to triple in value and reach from $1.7 billion in 2021 to $5.7 billion by 2025.

SEE ALSO:
How to find the best smart projector for your home — a buying guide by expert

After food, healthcare expenses are becoming a bitter pill to swallow for Indian consumers