Crypto is officially coming to PUBG, thanks to a deal with blockchain startup Refereum. The company now offers fans of the popular multiplayer game the opportunity to earn rewards, in cryptocurrency, for securing in-game achievements.
Players will earn on-chain rewards in the form of Refereum’s utility token $RFR. To nab them, you’ll first need to accomplish tasks via the platform that most gamers do anyway.
Examples include signing up for an account, posting to social media, and performing well in the PUBG game itself.
We’ve partnered with none other than @PUBG! For the first time, you can earn REAL rewards for your in-game achievements! https://t.co/fO15jaRBdS #gaming #refereum #blockchain pic.twitter.com/MExmi8ZlvW
— Refereum (@Refereum) July 24, 2019
Most players and fans don’t benefit that much from consistently promoting their favorite game. Refereum CEO Dylan Jones believes this failure boils down to the current gaming model:
“Gamers do so much free marketing for games through streaming services and social media, but they’re rarely compensated sufficiently for it… We not only reward them for playing a game that they love, but for their dedication in becoming better players, too.”
Influencers play a significant role in a game’s popularity these days, and this campaign intends to add more income-generating opportunities for them too. To that end, the platform works in tandem with other major streaming services like Twitch and Mixer.
30 Million PUBG Players Have Opportunity to Earn Crypto
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was one of the first games to pioneer the battle royale style. A typical match concludes with one player left standing. Nobody likes a camper, and the only way to win in this game is to face-off to the death as the playable area shrinks to uncomfortable levels.
In only a few years, PUBG has amassed a major following. Late last year the mobile version registered around 30 million daily active users, making it one of the most popular multiplayer games around.
That’s an enormous market for cryptocurrency rewards. And battle royale isn’t going anywhere, particularly with other smash hits like Fortnite and Apex Legends.
PUBG rewards to the tune of $5,000 are up for grabs in this campaign – including this real-life PUBG loot drop containing a backpack, water bottle, and several other nifty items. Players will also have the chance to win keys for additional in-game content.
But How Many Gamers Will Actually Sign Up?
Refereum is an Ethereum ERC-20 token, so to receive rewards, registered players will first need an Ethereum wallet. Experienced cryptocurrency fans won’t have issues managing their tokens. For the rest of us, it could prove more thorny.
ERC-20 tokens can be a bit of pain to navigate and, in most cases, you’ll need a reliable third-party application to handle the details.
That’ll likely be a sticking point for this campaign and cryptocurrency reward systems in general. Until utility tokens receive a more seamless user experience, a large number of PUBG’s 30 million daily users simply may not bother.
The inaugural PUBG campaign runs until August 20th, so there’s still time to compete with the best, claim your crypto rewards, and of course, see how viable this actually is for the future of gaming.