The future of Web3 gaming lies in striking a delicate balance between entertainment and profit, according to industry leaders and experts at the 2025 Web3 Festival Hong Kong.

Recent data shows 60% of Web3 gamers stop playing within the first month, highlighting the sector’s key challenge: creating games that are genuinely fun while offering investment potential.

Fun First, Profit Second

“Games should be fun first,” said Quinn, Director of Strategy at Delabs Games. “The monetization layer is kind of an add-on. Many Web3 games that have failed so far couldn’t get the retention loops good enough.”

This sentiment was echoed throughout multiple sessions at the Web3 Festival, with speakers consistently emphasizing that enjoyable gameplay must precede tokenomics.

“For sustainability, we need to find external sources of revenue that supplement the token economy,” said Chris, CSO at Tabi. “This creates a base layer of yield that sustains the game when token prices fluctuate.”

Messenger Platforms Drive Adoption

Messaging apps are becoming key gateways for Web3 gaming, providing ready access to millions of users. For Layer 1 blockchains seeking mass adoption, games integrated into these platforms emerge as the critical first use case.

Kaia DLT Foundation, which launched on LINE messenger in January, has already deployed more than 60 applications, with games comprising roughly 80% of its offerings. The project combines blockchain initiatives from South Korea’s Naver (LINE) and Kakao through their merged blockchain projects Finschia and Klaytn.

“We’re targeting users who consume short-form content,” explained Sam Seo, Chairman of Kaia DLT Foundation, in an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto. “Our strategy draws from Kakao’s earlier experiences, where gaming drove initial Web2 messenger growth. We believe Web3 will follow a similar path.”

Their most successful game has already attracted 5.5 million users, demonstrating the potential of lightweight, casual games in the Web3 space.

Technical Innovations Expand Gaming Possibilities

New blockchain architectures are unlocking previously impossible gaming experiences. Howard Wu, Co-founder of Aleo, explained how their zk-technology enables more sophisticated gameplay mechanics.

“When you look at Ethereum or Solana, these fully public Layer 1s can support games like chess but cannot support games like Battleship where you have hidden game states,” Wu explained in a separate interview. “With private smart contracts on Aleo, you can have information asymmetry, supporting quests with hidden features and loot boxes.”

Sarah Song, Head of Business Development at BNB Chain, addressed scaling challenges: “High-frequency GameFi applications often require Layer 2 solutions due to their large transaction volumes. You can deploy on Layer 2 protocols first and send final confirmations to the settlement layer.”

Future Outlook: Mainstream Adoption

The path forward requires making blockchain technology invisible to users. “Web3 should be in the backend, enhancing the overall gaming experience without emphasizing return on investment,” said Clement, Head of Partnerships at Spot Zero, during the Web3 Festival’s GameFi panel discussion.

Quin noted, “With AI, users, and communities can make user-generated content with our IPs. That’s going to be powerful for ecosystem growth.”

“In our Arena of Faith game, players earn tokens but a portion goes to a staking pool – it’s playing to stay, not just playing to earn,” explained Hason, Founder of Arena of Faith.