Blockchain technology has been making waves in the gaming industry, with a recent development on the Somnia blockchain testnet catching the attention of gamers and tech enthusiasts alike. Chunked, a Minecraft clone created by MSquared, a division of metaverse tech builder Improbable, is turning heads by putting every in-game action on the blockchain.
The concept behind Chunked is simple yet groundbreaking. Every movement a player makes, every block placed, mined, or crafted is recorded on the Somnia blockchain. This level of transparency and immutability is a game-changer in the world of gaming, as it opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for gameplay and ownership.
Despite the heavy reliance on blockchain technology, playing Chunked is a seamless experience. There is minimal lag when performing actions in the game, and the overall gameplay is smooth. However, some minor issues have been reported, such as blocks momentarily disappearing from a player’s inventory while crafting. Additionally, the game world’s borders are relatively small, limiting the expansive sandbox experience that players may be accustomed to in the original Minecraft.
MSquared CEO Rob Whitehead emphasized that Chunked is not just a traditional game with NFTs tacked on—it is a true Web3 game. Unlike traditional games that rely on centralized servers, Chunked operates entirely on the Somnia testnet. This means that even if MSquared were to cease support for the game, it would continue to exist on-chain indefinitely. The community could then take over development and make modifications as they see fit.
The future looks bright for Chunked and other blockchain-based games. Whitehead envisions a scenario where the game evolves into a persistent on-chain voxel world on the mainnet, owned and shaped by a community of co-creators. As Somnia prepares to transition to the mainnet later this year, MSquared plans to conduct more on-chain experiments, with the most successful ones potentially becoming full-fledged commercial projects.
In conclusion, Chunked is paving the way for a new era of on-chain gaming experiences. With the advancements in blockchain technology and the emergence of high-performance networks like Somnia, we can expect to see more innovative and immersive games in the near future. Stay tuned for the exciting developments in the world of blockchain gaming.
This article was edited by Andrew Hayward.