Big Time Studios marries engaging gameplay with a crypto-based economy in its Web3 game, Big Time, emphasizing a player-first approach by rewarding participation with in-game collectibles and tokens.
Web3 gaming seeks to attract users by presenting engaging gameplay and a player-focused in-game economy powered by crypto. The balance between gameplay and blockchain aspects is crucial to onboard players from broader demographics.
If the integration of the crypto economy is too shallow, it risks underutilizing the potential benefits, such as digital asset ownership and the ability to trade the items you’ve crafted. Game developers must observe the impact of economic activities on the gaming experience and adjust accordingly to prevent one aspect from diminishing the other.
As Web3 gaming evolves and shifts toward better gameplay and interaction, new titles arrive with more advanced features, combining the most popular gaming genres.
Big Time Studios, a Web3 game studio, recently concluded the pre-alpha preseason of its flagship title, Big Time — a free-to-play Web3 game. The multiplayer game combines action and role-playing elements reminiscent of Diablo with worlds akin to those in World of Warcraft, offering players a blend of intense combat and vast exploration.
Through procedurally generated dungeons, players can engage in battles, complete various objectives and gather resources critical for crafting nonfungible tokens (NFTs). The collectibles are earned directly in-game, emphasizing Big Time’s commitment to a player-centric approach.
The invite-only preseason heightened anticipation and laid the groundwork for the game’s progression to closed and open beta phases while incorporating player feedback to refine the gaming experience.
Big Time’s in-game economy is centered around its native token, BIGTIME. It enables players to earn, refine, craft and upgrade items. Players can expedite crafting times and gain access to Prestige Portals, which offer higher drop rates for in-game collectibles, using BIGTIME tokens.
Big Time adopts a fair token release strategy, where tokens are earned through gameplay, ensuring a level playing field. It also helps with balanced gameplay by preventing non-players from purchasing their way to in-game advantages.
Big Time Studios distributed over 250 million BIGTIME tokens to 21,000 users so far. The game saw engagement from more than 68,000 players with an average of 10,000 daily active users. In GAM3S. GG Awards 2023, Big Time brought home three awards, including Best Multiplayer Game, Best RPG and Best Adventure Game.
The game also attracted 2,600 Twitch streamers, amassing over 940,000 watched hours on the streaming platform. Big Time’s four Mystery Box sales events sold out within hours, which has generated over $9 million in revenue.
⚔️ Round 3 of the $BIGTIME Leaderboard is in FULL SWING! ⚔️
Who will come out on top? pic.twitter.com/FLR9cmW7NI— Big Time (@playbigtime) February 8, 2024
“We are a game company, first and foremost,” said Ari Meilich, CEO of Big Time Studios. He underlined their priority of delivering “an amazing game with immersive gameplay,” adding that:
“This approach has differentiated us, and in light of its recent successes, signals we’re taking Web3 gaming in the right direction.”
Big Time is set to expand in 2024 with the introduction of player vs. player (PvP) combat alongside new content, dungeons and character abilities. The expansion marks the game’s initial venture into PvP, featuring high-value portals with exceptional loot and challenges. Players will compete in arenas against other parties and creatures, vying for maximum rewards.
The game offers access to its early-access version for users joining the Big Time Discord community or contacting its Twitch streamers.