Sui, a new Layer-1 blockchain network, has quickly become a popular choice for Web3 game developers. Despite being the newest player in the game so far, Sui has managed to position itself as one of the most appealing destinations for developers.
Other Web3 gaming ecosystems like Polygon, Immutable, Avalanche, and Solana have a variety of games in all stages of development, but Sui offers unique technical specifications and a different approach to on-chain assets that have made it a compelling alternative for game makers.
One of Sui’s unique features is its ability to process transactions in parallel and scale horizontally by adding more nodes to keep up with demand. These features are designed to keep transaction fees very low as more games and decentralized apps (dapps) come online. The dynamically-updated NFTs and “object-based” model may also prove appealing to game designers.
Sui is not Ethereum-compatible via the Ethereum Virtual Machine, which sets it apart from some of the established Web3 gaming networks out there. However, Sui’s innate gaming appeal is expected to help it onboard mainstream gamers.
Head of Gaming Partnerships at Mysten Labs, the creators of Sui, Anthony Palma said that over 40 games are building on Sui so far, even though the mainnet has only been live for a few days. Palma added that their mission is to focus on great games built by great game developers that want to leverage Web3 to enhance their player experience and provide more engagement and agency.
Palma shared that Sui is an “object-based” chain, which means that the network is well-optimized for games that consist of hundreds if not thousands of in-game objects created in game engines like Unreal Engine 5 or Unity. Sui allows game developers to more easily and seamlessly evolve in-game asset NFTs over time. Rival player kills and achievements secured with specific items can be added to that item’s metadata automatically, allowing players to “write” their own histories with each item as they play.
Sui’s dynamic model allows game developers to keep all of that provenance, which should drive the value of these items over time. This is a cool new feature that game developers can bake into their games that wasn’t really possible on-chain before.
Mysten Labs has been working closely with game developers, and they are not taking a hands-off approach. Over the next month, numerous games will launch on Sui, including a “Walking Dead” game and Final Stardust from Orange Comet, Project Eluune from Arrivant, and Run Legends from Talofa Games, as well as metaverse game Worlds Beyond plus the Overwatch-esque Bushi.
Ghost Ivy, a Web3 game studio building a first-person shooter game called Haven’s Compass for PC and mobile, chose Sui because of its “usability” for gaming. For them, it’s important that the game can stay online nonstop, and that the players won’t need any interaction with the blockchain. Sui makes this easier for developers.
Abyss World is another Web3 game in development from Metagame Industries that will leverage Sui in a number of ways. Its developers want Abyss World to be accessible to non-crypto-native gamers while still offering a truly decentralized experience.
In conclusion, Sui is a promising new blockchain network for Web3 game developers. Its unique technical features and gaming-first approach have made it a compelling alternative for budding game makers. Developers are excited about Sui’s potential for enhancing player experience and driving engagement, and we can expect to see more games launching on the network in the near future.
