What Is GameFi (GAFI)?

UTC by Beatrice Mastropietro · 8 min read
What Is GameFi (GAFI)?
Photo: Unsplash

The idea behind GameFi (GAFI) came from the intersection between two fast-growing industries: gaming and DeFi. We have included all that you need to know about GameFi in this guide.

GameFi (GAFI) is a DeFi platform for building new kinds of blockchain-based games. It is a part of the larger decentralized finance (DeFi) movement that utilizes decentralized financial tools for new forms and functions in finance, governance, and more.

GAFI offers a number of tools for game designers in developing games, including the following:

  • DeFi Wallet that enables much more complex in-game economies,
  • marketplace for sharing and selling mods that add to the gameplay experience of a given title without changing its fundamental mechanics,
  • specialized curation tools for DApp developers, including automated “bounty” payments (e.g., finding bugs in a DApp),
  • arcade experience where users can bring their existing games and play them with other players who have apps on the GAFI platform, allowing for a huge variety of gameplay experiences across different titles,
  • developer API tools to integrate both moddable games and non-moddable games into the GameFi platform.
  • GameCoin, a currency designed specifically for microtransactions in games where everything from buying new skins to unlocking special items costs some amount of currency.

The idea is to create a DeFi platform for blockchain gaming that allows users to access a vast variety of gameplay experiences while simplifying the user experience by having all the necessary tools built in. As a result, it is attracting even non-crypto players to start using blockchain games. This is achieved by utilizing the existing Ethereum (ETH) network for transactions while ensuring compatibility with other networks, such as MOAC and NEO.

GameFi Definition

GameFi is a decentralized Game Store where Game developers can publish their games, and gamers can purchase GameCredits (GAME) with fiat money and use them to buy games. Game publishers receive 95% of all revenue generated by Game sales on Games.

To create GameFi, Amazon‘s (NYSE: AMZN) researchers applied advanced machine learning models to data from players of all successful and unsuccessful games on the market. This allowed GameFi to determine which factors most contributed to success among those games. GameFi discovered that certain player behaviors were far more common in successful games than in unsuccessful ones. These included playing for long periods without making purchases, repurchasing a game after deleting it, or simply purchasing a new game even if they still have an old one installed. GameFi also identified other key factors that were statistically significant, such as the number of days before a player makes their first purchase or how often they play the game during the week versus the weekend.

The GameFi (GAFI) algorithm uses this historical analysis to predict whether any newly-released game will succeed in the market. GameFi can tell developers which games are worth their investment and what changes to implement to make an unsuccessful game successful. Game distributors can use GameFi’s data to understand why some games are successful while others are not. Game testing services now use GameFi’s features to help determine which games’ user bases should be expanded through marketing efforts.

History of GameFi (GAFI)

Amazon Game Studios started GameFi in 2013 as part of its effort to create new digital entertainment products. In 2014, GameFi released several experimental games created by Amazon Game Studios, including Tales from Deep Space, Cat Fling, and Toontown Rewritten. GameFi also helped design Crossy Road, which became one of the best-selling iOS apps that year.

By 2015, GameFi had evolved into an internal service that powers games and apps from Amazon Game Studios and those from other companies. GameFi’s first outside customer was Game Closure, which uses GameFi to power its popular social platform for games, GameHouse Social. GameClosure CEO Lior Tal explains that GameFi “performs better than anything else out there.”

In early 2016, Amazon announced a partnership with music label First Access Entertainment, leveraging GameFi’s data to help break upcoming artists. Using GameFi helps the music label determine which songs should be released through its program based on an artist’s success in other games or apps.

By late 2017, Amazon had begun selling GameFi to developers via its Amazon Web Services Marketplace. GameFi is available as a GPU instance and includes support for several programming languages, including Java, C#, and Python. GameFi offers access to aggregate functionality (tracking users across games) as well as per-game user behavior.

How GameFi Works

GameFi (GAFI) is a Play-to-Earn program. Players earn coins as they play and can redeem those coins for in-game items, XP boosts, and even real-life merchandise. Play the games you love and earn just for playing.

If you don’t yet have a Play-to-Earn program, it is good to get one. Native tokens are the best way to attract users and retain them in your ecosystem, especially when they are rewarded for doing the things they love.

In addition to Native Tokens, DeFi features make it easier for GameCoins to be used as a currency. Features such as Pay with Gas or a Native Token Gateway allow for new transactions that weren’t possible on Ethereum before. DeFi is more than just Native Tokens, but Native Tokens are the beginning of what you need to know about DeFi.

What if the things you do in-game helped pay for your gaming? Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are real-life items or assets that can be represented on the blockchain. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) work kind of like your coins in GameFi because you can earn them based on your gaming behavior and redeem them for unique in-game items, XP boosts, and more.

How to Play GameFi (GAFI) Games?

GameFi provides a better experience on cross-platform games with an optimized server network and easy to play matchmaking system. Its goal is to provide high-quality services for gamers regardless of their devices, OSs, or regions. Let’s see how it works.

GameFi Games are designed to be played from the browser. It does not require any apps or download from Google Play/ App Store. The website is pretty much similar to a normal mobile website. However, GameFi games lack Leaderboard and Achievements, which you might find in a normal Mobile game.

To start playing GameFi Games, simply go to games.gamefi.com, and you are set! There is no need to download or install any apps in order to play.

How to Play on Mobile?

It is recommended that you use Google Chrome for Android/iOS. You can download it from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Firstly, launch the game and sign in with your account at the official website. Then, click on “Multiplayer” or “Quick Match,” and then click on “Host.” Choosing a map to host is important but not necessarily because it will be selected randomly by default. Now, other players can join you via GameFi matchmaking system. It is better that players use the controller because keyboard controls are very complicated.

To join a match, you can download the game via Google Play and App Store. Next, click on “Multiplayer” or “Quick Match” and then click on “Search.” It takes time to find players, but wait for just a minute! If you want to host a game, click on “Multiplayer” or “Quick Match”, then choose “Join”.

Now you are in the GameFi matchmaking system! You can invite your friend via the chat icon on the top right corner of the screen.

Top GameFi Protocols

Hundreds of protocols are in use on the GameFi network, but only a few are used regularly by most users.

All GameFi protocols are based on UDP. Some protocols are encrypted with AES-128, though this is irrelevant when both players are using the same protocol, so it doesn’t affect your ability to predict your opponent’s behavior. Besides, all GameFi servers run on local hardware located in Iowa, USA. The server’s actual address (including ports) can be determined from your client and will occasionally change to prevent abuse by bots that attempt to connect automatically.

It is also worth mentioning Raw UDP, the default protocol everyone plays on when they first start playing on GameFi. It provides no packet protection whatsoever and should only be used against other users who have also opted to use this protocol.

If you are looking for a great game to play, Axie Infinity, Crypto Blades, and My Defi Pet are three excellent choices. Axie Infinity is an Axies collectible creature game where Axies can fight each other in battles with strategic moves. Another one is Crypto Blades that lets you build a powerful sword from various kinds of metals. Finally, My Defi Pet is a digital pet game on EOSIO, where players take care of their pets to breed them.

Conclusion

GameFi (GAFI) is a decentralized platform that allows gamers to participate in the game economy. As a gamer, you can receive GameFi tokens to put up your in-game assets on the blockchain and provide info through surveys to publishers and developers. All transactions will be done using GFI tokens, allowing gamers and developers to spend their currencies within the GameFi ecosystem.

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FAQ

What is GameFi?

GameFi (GAFI) is a DeFi platform for building new kinds of blockchain-based games. It is a part of the larger decentralized finance (DeFi) movement that utilizes decentralized financial tools for new forms and functions in finance, governance, and more.

What is the origin of GameFi?

Amazon Game Studios started GameFi in 2013 as part of its effort to create new digital entertainment products. In 2014, GameFi released several experimental games created by Amazon Game Studios, including Tales from Deep Space, Cat Fling, and Toontown Rewritten. GameFi also helped design Crossy Road, which became one of the best-selling iOS apps that year.

By 2015, GameFi had evolved into an internal service that powers games and apps from Amazon Game Studios and those from other companies. GameFi’s first outside customer was Game Closure, which uses GameFi to power its popular social platform for games, GameHouse Social. GameClosure CEO Lior Tal explains that GameFi “performs better than anything else out there.”

In early 2016, Amazon announced a partnership with music label First Access Entertainment, leveraging GameFi’s data to help break upcoming artists. Using GameFi helps the music label determine which songs should be released through its program based on an artist’s success in other games or apps.

By late 2017, Amazon had begun selling GameFi to developers via its Amazon Web Services Marketplace. GameFi is available as a GPU instance and includes support for several programming languages, including Java, C#, and Python. GameFi offers access to aggregate functionality (tracking users across games) as well as per-game user behavior.

What are Play-to-Earn games?

Play-to-earn is one of the NFT game types in which players concentrate on earning.

How to participate in GameFi?

To participate in GameFi, visit https://gamefi.io/ and download the MetaMask wallet (with Ether) to the browser of your choice, which you can then use to participate in the DeFi.

What is the future of GameFi?

The future is bright. GameFi began with the ambition of assisting gamers in gaining access to games, but its aim has always been broader. Gaming must be more open and inclusive than ever before if it continues to develop. The developers don’t simply want gamers to have access to games, they also want them to benefit from it financially. 

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