Can Onchain Games Survive the Bot Invasion?

Key Takeaways

• Onchain games, with their transparent blockchain architecture, are susceptible to bot activity.
  
   
• Bots can disrupt gameplay and challenge fair competition for human players.
  
   
• Developers need to design games that account for bots, potentially even incorporating them into the core mechanics.
  
   
• Anti-Sybil measures and community reporting can help mitigate the negative impacts of malicious bots.
  
   
• Onchain gaming guilds offer a way for human players to band together and compete more effectively against bots.
  
   
• The future of onchain gaming might see democratized access to bots, creating a more level playing field.
  
   

The world of onchain gaming is a wild west. Unlike traditional games, everything in an onchain game – from assets to rules – lives directly on the blockchain. This transparency offers amazing possibilities for novel in-game economies, but it also throws the doors wide open for a ruthless competitor: bots.

Can mere humans compete against these hyper-efficient machines?

This question recently sparked a heated Twitter debate after a security researcher named plotchy absolutely dominated the leaderboards of Kamigotchi, a new onchain RPG. By reverse-engineering the game's architecture and building a custom bot, plotchy turned their digital pet into a leaderboard-topping monster.

The Kamigotchi team scrambled. Players adapted their tactics. A new quest even emerged, uniting players against plotchy's bot army. But the incident laid bare a crucial question:  how can onchain games create a fair and fun environment for both humans and bots?

Accepting the Inevitable: Bots as Part of the Ecosystem

According to lethe, one of Kamigotchi's creators, bots are simply a reality of open onchain games. The key lies in designing games that thrive despite, or even because of, bots. Imagine complex onchain economies where human players and sophisticated bots collaborate or compete strategically.

Fighting Fire with Fire: Anti-Bot Measures

Of course, not all bots are created equal. Malicious actors who deploy bot swarms to manipulate games pose a serious threat. To combat them, developers are exploring various  anti-Sybil measures. These techniques aim to prevent a single entity from controlling multiple accounts, making bot swarms less effective.

Here are some potential solutions:

• Proof-of-individuality techniques: Imagine signing up for a game using social media, creating a digital fingerprint that's harder to forge than a simple username.
  
   
• Community reporting: Empower players to flag suspicious activity, helping developers identify and ban bot accounts.
  
   
• AI analytics: Train AI to sniff out bot behavior based on in-game patterns.
  
   

The Guild Factor: Strength in Numbers

Another strategy involves sheer human force. As Ben Giove, founder of the massive onchain gaming guild WASD, puts it: "The best defense against bots in onchain games is to join a guild." Guilds create a united front of human players who can strategize, coordinate, and compete more effectively against bots.

Democratizing Bots: A Level Playing Field?

On the flip side, Ben also predicts a future where  access to bots becomes easier for everyone. Imagine game plugins or services that allow anyone to optimize their gameplay, essentially creating "good bots" to counter the bad ones.

Read more: What is Immutable? The Future of Web3 Games

The Future of Onchain Gaming: A Dance with Bots

Onchain gaming is a nascent frontier, and the battle against bots is just beginning. But remember, bots exist in mainstream games too. The key is to find a balance,  an environment where humans and bots can coexist and create a truly engaging gameplay experience.

FAQ

What are onchain games?

Onchain games are a new type of game where everything, from in-game items to the game's rules, is stored directly on a blockchain. This transparency allows for unique features like verifiable ownership and novel economic models.

Are bots a problem in onchain games?

Yes, bots can be a problem in onchain games because the open nature of blockchains makes it easier to create and deploy them. Bots can disrupt gameplay and give players who use them an unfair advantage.

How can onchain games deal with bots?

There are a few different approaches:

• Game Design: Games can be designed to accommodate bots, or even incorporate them into the core mechanics, creating a dynamic where human and bot players interact strategically.
  
   
• Anti-Bot Measures: Techniques like proof-of-individuality and AI analytics can help identify and prevent malicious bot activity.
  
   
• Community Reporting: Empowering players to report suspicious activity can help developers track down and ban bot accounts.
  
   
• Guilds: Joining an onchain gaming guild allows human players to band together, coordinating their strategies and competing more effectively against bots.

Will everyone be able to use bots in the future?

The future of onchain gaming might see easier access to bots for everyone. This could create a more level playing field, with players using "good bots" to counter the negative effects of malicious ones.

Can humans still compete in onchain games?

Yes! While bots pose a challenge, onchain games offer exciting possibilities for human players. With strategic thinking, collaboration within guilds, and innovative game design, humans can still have a fun and competitive experience.