Big News! Trading Cards are Going Blockchain!
Crypto Gamers Rejoice!
One of the biggest steps toward mainstream adoption of NFTs and blockchain collectibles has been taken!
ARTICLE
The above article is from https://decrypt.co/, a small crypto news site, and the news is from our friends at TOPPS and WAX Blockchain (Worldwide Asset eXchange)...
Trading Cards are Now Digital
This partnership has been several months or longer in the making. It may be more than just a way for Topps to get a piece of the NFT pie. With all the problems that are solved by backing collectibles on a blockchain, this move might pave the way for a new era of value in collectibles.
For my whole life, Topps has been synonymous with trading cards the way that Kleenex are tissues and Jacuzzis are hot tubs. As I outgrew trading cards (a problem that with NFTs becomes virtually nonexistent), I believe others did as well, and their children were never into them in the same way. Let's face it. Cards are hard to take good care of, and if you want to play with them, you can kiss their collectible value goodbye.
The idea of blockchain assets (more specifically, trading cards) rekindled the fire in my soul for collectibles. With the revolutionary new economy of Splinterlands, I began to once again imagine a world in which my collectibles were worth something. I could only assume that others would feel the same way, so I got into Splinterlands... hard.
Splinterlands, who also partnered with the WAX blockchain last year, is the most active NFT market for blockchain gaming, leading the pack by leaps and bounds, and they are only just beginning. Each day brings thousands of dollars in trade volume to the Splinterlands Monster Market, in which players trade cards with one another for various cryptocurrencies.
Collectibles that DO SOMETHING
With mainstream trading cards being made available as blockchain assets, there is an important thing to keep in mind that gives Splinterlands an uncanny head start in the space: Splinterlands cards actually do something. Notice in the article and the video above that none of the selling points include things like: Earn for Collecting, Level up your Cards, or Use Them In-Game.
The ideas that Splinterlands cards (non-fungible tokens) have provable ownership, protection against counterfeiting and immunity to wear and tear are merely bonuses in Splinterlands. Most of us have found Splinterlands and keep coming back for the compelling and challenging game play, as well as the potential to earn serious rewards.
Those "bonuses" that most of us blockchain enthusiasts take for granted by now might just be the golden key to the gate of mainstream adoption.
If the provable ownership and verification of a blockchain is enough for Topps and WAX to make digital trading cards a lasting trend in the mainstream, wait until they see what Splinterlands has in store.
I believe it's time to get excited, @Splinterlands fans.
