What if players could arrange a spontaneous cash game of any multiplayer title with tailored rules and the means to enforce fairness?
It would need to be secure, so that gamers know there’s no chance of foul play, but also has to cater to the demands of a large number of players. Otherwise, there is a risk of slowing down[1] the entire network.
Well, a solution may lie in sidechains on Ethereum Plasma[2]. This extension allows for mini-blockchains to be created off the main network and confers the advantages of nearly instant payments with low transaction fees.
This is the direction that several startups have chosen to take: Qlear Protocol, Loom, and Parsec Labs are making full use of the Plasma sidechain project, each with a slightly different approach but all planning to use Plasma on an ecosystem that hosts dApps and, specifically, games.
Playing for Stakes is Not the Norm, but Perhaps it Could be
Whilst direct wagers may be best reserved for verified adults – it’d be disastrous if minors began emptying parental bank accounts over server feuds – it could still alter the dynamic of online gaming forever and in a positive way.
This is made possible because it does not have to be on the same level as gambling, not at least in terms of the money involved.
Rather than fiat currency, wagers of crypto tokens can be used for micropayments; penny stakes on a game would not thus be made redundant by transaction and processing fees: fees are practically non-existent on sidechains.
But why would players bother staking such a tiny amount on a game?
Simply put, it makes for more fun and anyway, penny
