Explained Simply8th November 2024
The world is now evolving into a technological world and entering the market of developing blockchain games. Statistics and research show that the global market for blockchain games will hit up to $70 billion in the coming years with a CAGR of 70%. Hence, many businesses are looking to develop a fantastic blockchain game using blockchain technology. The future aspect of blockchain gaming is going to continue and attract millions of users worldwide.
With the demand for blockchain games, it not only provides an immersive experience to users but an opportunity for entrepreneurs as well. But for the development, the question arises about the cost to develop blockchain games. Before investing in this technology, one must have a clear understanding of the cost breakdown for the games.
This blog shows insights in depth about making blockchain games by understanding the blockchain game architecture & its cost.
Understanding Blockchain Game Development
In simple terms, blockchain game development is all about developing games using blockchain technology. The player owns the digital assets and can participate in the game where they can earn or buy. In blockchain games, the value of the asset is measured by the demand of the player. But the next thing comes again: what is the cost of game development using blockchain?
What is the Cost of Blockchain Game Development?
The demand to develop a blockchain game is increasing day by day and is reaching a new peak. The blockchain game development cost range is near starting from $40,000 to $80,000. The real value of the blockchain game development cost depends on several factors and also how big the game is. More complicated the game, it will take more time for development as well as an increase in cost. As a complex game, it requires experienced developers with expertise in blockchain technology that can also affect the pricing of the game.
For an average blockchain game, the blockchain game development cost is near about $50,000 and ranges up to depending on the requirements. Also, the cost may fluctuate based on the different parameters as per the requirements. We can summarize with a typical blockchain game development cost ranges from $14,000 to $50,0000. Considering the cost, let us now understand the factors that influence the blockchain development cost.
Factors that Affect the Blockchain Game Development Cost
Different factors influence the blockchain game development cost. Right from designing, to legal compliance, each part plays an important role in the game development. When a client approaches the development, an initial estimate is created and that may fluctuate based on different factors. Following are some of the factors associated with the blockchain game development cost that play an important role in the development process.
1. Development Location
The overall cost of development is the location of the blockchain development team. The charges of blockchain development may vary from region to region. It is seen that the charges of blockchain development are higher in America & Western Europe. Comparatively, it is relatively low in Asia, Australia, and Eastern Europe. The cost associated with is considered with the time zone, and language of the region selected.
2. Design & Development
Design is one of the important aspects of the game development process. It is the crucial thing that attracts the user to play the game. Designing a game includes story, genre, mechanism of the gameplay & the overall architecture of the game. If the game type is a complex one, the designing time increases, in turn, increasing the need of developers and cost.
3. Network Selection
The cost of the game with blockchain technology may vary depending on the security and complexity of the game. This can include integrating different parameters, and resources required for blockchain development. Additional factors inclusive of coding are graphics, design, and sound effects. Overall the cost depends on how complete the game is and the number of developers involved in the development process.
4. NFT Integration
The NFT marketplace can be integrated into the blockchain game. This allows players to trade with assets while playing. The cost may vary depending on the type and complexity of NFT to be integrated into the game. Additionally, other cost factors include implementing metadata for smart contracts.
5. Smart Contract
For a blockchain game, smart contracts are of the utmost importance to be considered. This shows that the players have knowledge of the asset & know about its history. The smart contract helps to secure asset ownership. This often consists of games with complex mechanisms having detailed rules. To create this it takes more time as well as needing expertise that has an overall impact on the budget.
Also Read : An Immersive and Awesome World of Blockchain Gaming Metaverse
6. Crypto Wallet Integration
Another factor in the cost of blockchain game development is wallet integration. Integrating crypto wallet with customization influences the game development cost using blockchain. Users can buy, sell, and trade in-game assets and can receive cryptos. The blockchain game developers will analyze the requirements, and make a feature-rich & UI for the crypto wallet.
7. Backend Development
Yet, backend development is also one of the cost factors to be considered for blockchain game development. The cost depends on the infrastructure of the game to be created. Some of the factors in infrastructure include servers, databases & API integration. This offers better scalability to the game.
8. Testing
To prevent the game from bugs through and repeated testing is required. A game that is free from bugs makes it run smoothly. Testing is also one of the factors that influences the cost of development depending on the complexity of the game. There are different types of testing like functional testing, performance testing, security audits, etc. For testing a game, additional resources & expertise are required which impacts the development cost.
9. Legal Compliances & Regulations
There are certain regulations and compliance associated with blockchain assets and trading. This includes different activities like legal consultation, KYC procedures, and specified jurisdiction procedures. Hence these factors also incur additional charges to the game development process.
10. Choosing Blockchain Platform
Choosing the blockchain platform you choose, affects the cost as well as functionality. Different platforms have their pros and cons include speed, scalability, and cost. Some of the blockchain platforms are described below.
- Ethereum: This is a blockchain technology with a decentralized system. This system is known for the functionality of smart contracts.
- Binance Smart Chain: The BSC is a blockchain platform that has lower fees and is applicable for faster transactions. This is feasible to games that have frequent transactions
- Solana: This platform is ideal for scalable games, providing high-speed transactions with low fees.
- Polygon: This is a solution to Ethereum that has lower fees and also provides scalability.
Game Complexity & Its Type
The complexity and the type of the game determine its cost. The following shows the type of game varying with the cost.
- Simple Games: Developing a simple game can cost $25,000 to $55,000
- Moderate Games: A mid-level game with an interactive environment can cost up to $300,000
- Complex Games: More the more is the cost. Advanced blockchain games with 3D graphics may reach around $600,000 and even more.
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Conclusion
Hence, the above is the overall estimate of developing a game using blockchain technology. Also, it elaborates on the several factors that influence the cost of developing a game. The more advanced features to be integrated, the more the development cost. The overall and the average cost is described which gives an idea about blockchain game development. Hiring a well-known Blockchain game development company may help to ensure successful game development with blockchain technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Several factors influence the code of blockchain game development. Some of the factors include blockchain platform, game complexity, integrating with NFT, crypto, and other integrations that impact the cost of development.
The blockchain platform has different transaction fees, and processing speed that impacts the development cost. Blockchain platforms like Ethereum have high fees but also there is an alternative to low fees with platforms like Binance Smart Chain or Solana. These platforms help to lower the cost of game development. Choosing the right platform helps to balance the cost of development.
Developers must be aware of the hidden costs of blockchain game development. Some of them include smart contract audits, NFT integration, managing data, crypto, KYC, and AML policies that require legal expertise and cost.
Integrating NFTs in blockchain increases the cost of development as it incurs fees for every item that requires a specialized developer to ensure security. Designing and expert input for tokens requires cost and maintenance expenses.
Depending upon the functionality, features, and complex game it may take months or even years for development. Generally, for a simple blockchain game, it takes up to 6 months, for multiplayer games it takes a year. If the development time increases, it also impacts the cost. To manage the timeline and cost efficiency, careful planning is a must. Also for longer projects, constant updates may lead to an increase in the budget of development.