ARK 2 Delay Sparks Controversy and Highlights Need for Decentralised Gaming
Studio Wildcard's announcement that ARK 2 will be delayed until the end of 2024 has left many fans frustrated and disappointed. However, the delay is only one part of a larger controversy surrounding the company's decision to release a remastered version of the original Ark: Survival Evolved, which they're calling Ark: Survival Ascended.
This move has been met with anger from the gaming community and raises questions about the need for a shift towards decentralised gaming models that rely on NFT assets, blockchains, decentralised servers, and permanent storage like Arweave.
For the players? (No, maybe not!)
Ark: Survival Ascended, built on the Unreal Engine 5, is set to launch in August as compensation for the delayed sequel. However, there's a catch: the remastered game will only be available as part of a $50 bundle with the still-unfinished ARK 2. To make matters worse, Studio Wildcard has decided to shut down the original Ark: Survival Evolved servers upon the release of Ascended, essentially killing off the original game - something that simply would not be possible given a decentralised server model.
Adding to the controversy, current owners of the original Ark will not receive a free upgrade path to the remastered version. Instead, they must purchase the $50 bundle to continue playing. Additionally, it appears that players may have to rebuy the expansions for the original game, as they will also be remastered for the Unreal Engine 5 version.
This decision has led to a significant backlash from the Ark community, with the subreddit being flooded with anger and memes about the situation. Studio Wildcard's seemingly exploitative practices highlight a growing concern within the gaming industry about centralised "game-as-a-service" models, which often prioritise profit over player satisfaction.
The current Ark debacle serves as a perfect example of why the gaming community should consider moving towards decentralised gaming models that use NFTs and blockchain networks. These alternative models offer numerous benefits, including giving players more control over their gaming experience, reducing reliance on centralised servers, and promoting fairer pricing practices. And owning an NFT of a game that is stored on Arweave would allow a user/gamer to take that game with them wherever they go, even if the gaming studio's data servers went were taken offline.
In a decentralised gaming model, players could also potentially have more power in determining the direction and development of a game, ensuring that the interests of the community are prioritised over the profit margins of a single company. Additionally, decentralised servers could provide a more stable and secure gaming experience, reducing the likelihood of server shutdowns like the one planned for Ark: Survival Evolved.
While the Ark situation has undoubtedly left a bad taste in the mouths of many gamers, it could also serve as a catalyst for change in the gaming industry - as more players become aware of the drawbacks of centralised gaming models.
After careful consideration, we have decided to delay the sequel's launch to the end of 2024, when it will still launch exclusively on Xbox, Game Pass, and Windows distribution platforms (Steam/PC). We’ve put much thought into delaying ARK 2 for the betterment of the final product and the team's well-being. This news will be disappointing to many - we feel it too - but we’re confident this heavy decision is the right one - Source
How blockchain could avert a gaming industry disaster
This all ties in with my recent article “How blockchain could avert a gaming industry disaster”. The decisions made by existing “players” in the gaming industry and the greed of bigger studios’ (most likely non-gamer) executives will inevitably cause a transition of the gaming industry over to Web3.
In the article, I look at complications that could arise if major gaming companies were to shut down their services - complications which could lead to the loss of data, add-ons, and multiplayer functionality, with severe financial implications for developers. That is exactly what is happening here with Ark... but the implications are at the expense of the players.
In the article I propose using blockchain technology to solve these issues by utilising permanent, decentralised storage solutions like Arweave to store all game data including add-ons (like the Ark expansions), and using decentralised servers for multiplayer functionality, ensuring that players could continue to enjoy online features even if the initial gaming company's servers went offline (as is the case with Studio Wildcard).
The benefits of Web3 in gaming do not stop there either, as decentralised finance (DeFi) techniques could be implemented into the gaming industry, enabling monetisation of secondary market sales - benefiting both developers and players in the long run.
The disclaimer that I put in the article and will mention again here is that blockchain technology is far from perfect right now, but it has the potential to solve most of the complications that emerge when centralised gaming companies have ultimate control and the last say on important matters that affect gamers and developers - as well as when/if their decisions lead to company collapse, closure of services, and/or any other damaging scenario.
For the players!
Check out my full article "How blockchain could avert a gaming industry disaster" here.
