Playmint Launches ‘Space Shooter’ with Innovative Playerchains Technology

Space Shooter, the newest entirely onchain game from UK-based game developer Playmint, is dubbed the “fastest fully decentralized game in the world.” The game provides a blockchain-based experience without the hassles of conventional blockchain gaming by utilizing Playmint’s own playerchains technology. By doing away with transaction fees and financial speculation, Playmint hopes to increase the usefulness and popularity of onchain games with Space Shooter.

Innovating Onchain Gaming with Playerchains

Playmint CEO David Amor explained the motivation behind developing playerchains, an innovative approach to decentralized gaming that emerged after the company launched its UGC platform Downstream on Ethereum’s Redstone layer. Reflecting on this experience, Amor stated, “Truthfully, the compromises of running a game on a blockchain are significant: computation is expensive; transaction times are slow; hidden information and game update loops are difficult.” Recognizing that the tech currently used in blockchain gaming is rooted in DeFi and Ethereum-based attributes, Playmint saw an opportunity to create a tailored solution for gaming.

Playmint’s response to these challenges is playerchains: a “more decentralized but less crypto” technology that operates outside public blockchains. By developing this infrastructure, Playmint aims to offer a smoother experience for players, prioritizing gaming over speculative elements.

The playerchains model presents a distinctive approach to blockchain gaming. Unlike games on permissionless blockchains where in-game financial systems can promote speculative behavior, Playmint’s playerchains design focuses on enhancing gameplay without involving monetary incentives. Playmint CTO Iain Gilfeather noted that playerchains support “decentralised games that are for playing, not speculating.” He added, “Games on a permissioned chain, where no money exists in the first place, retain play as the dominant activity.”

Beyond eliminating speculation, playerchains also resolve several technical issues, including real-time multiplayer capabilities, tick-based game development, and the elimination of transaction fees. This structure not only provides a frictionless gaming experience but also advances the company’s mission to make blockchain gaming more accessible.

With Space Shooter, Playmint marks a significant step forward for fully decentralized gaming. By addressing core issues, the studio continues to push the boundaries of onchain technology, building a decentralized gaming landscape centered on user experience.