When we think about the difficulties of onboarding in crypto, we often go straight to basic users. With regards to blockchain gaming, many potential players will be put off by the convoluted process of wallet creation (particularly if the player has the keys) as well as the high risk of losing your assets to scams or mistakes. However, the problem of bringing people of all technical backgrounds into the space is only one issue and there is another significant hurdle to vault: onboarding developers. This is something Enjin hopes to resolve.
For the last 5 years, we have seen many indie developers and studios shy away from blockchain technology for lots of reasons; some of those we can’t fix easily — like public perception of NFTs — but some ought to be a priority. Without a fully functioning and straightforward SDK (Software Development Kit) for the integration of blockchains and wallets into games, developers are boxed out of creating within our sector. Even large studios have been reluctant to create SDKs themselves.
Enjin has been ahead of the curve in this regard, offering SDKs for C#, C++, and Java, but there was also an early Unity SDK too. In fact, Enjin has had a slew of tools for developers that have made their ecosystem attractive to newcomers. Now, version 2 of those tools has been created, but more importantly, game engine-specific SDKs are coming over the next two months.
In a recent blog post by Enjin, they announced:
These SDKs provide classes and services to aid developers in communicating with the Enjin Platform through its V.2 API, and receive cloud events as well as some other utility features. Later on, we hope to see the return of plugins that allow developers to add NFTs to their projects with just a couple of clicks.
Unity has been a staple game engine within the games industry, popular with indie developers and large studios alike. Unreal Engine has tended to be the go-to choice for more demanding projects, offering incredible visuals which has been further compounded by the release of Unreal Engine 5 which offers unparalleled realism.
As mainstream adoption of blockchain technology increases within the games industry, many studios will be faced with the decision of which chain to go. As more and more blockchains can offer low or zero transaction fees, neutral carbon impact, and faster transaction speeds, other features of each ecosystem will play a larger role. In game development, it’s hard to imagine anything will carry more weight in that decision than the efficacy and ease of use of the blockchain’s SDKs.
To learn more about Enjin, check out our guide to their entire ecosystem.
