Leading Web3 gaming platform Immutable has announced the official launch of its wallet and authentication solution, Passport. Passport reduces the complexity of onboarding that can often deter potential gamers from blockchain games, and provides users with a ‘universal’ profile that allows them to maintain their ID, assets and achievements across multiple Web3 games and marketplaces.
At launch, Passport is integrated into five Web3 games and marketplaces: Gods Unchained, Blocklete Golf, Bleacher Report Watch2Earn, TokenTrove, and AtomicHub. This potentially brings the new onboarding option to a user base of half a million people, although of course, these people have already accessed the platforms in question, so will not necessarily switch to Immutable’s new service.
The platform addresses one of the biggest hurdles to mainstream adoption of blockchain games, the overly complex process of onboarding. This can often require setting up a new user profile along with a wallet and potentially also acquiring some native tokens in order get started. When this is necessary for each individual game then it becomes an effort that many are not prepared to undertake, as Immutable President Robbie Ferguson explained:
“Ask any web3 game or marketplace about the biggest barrier to adoption, and they'll talk about user acquisition. It's incredibly frustrating to spend countless hours building a superb game only to lose potential players because of a complex and cumbersome sign-up process. [Passport] increases user acquisition, optimizes transaction conversion rates, and gives players a smooth, seamless experience.”
Users can onboard to Passport by simply logging in with their Google or Apple ID, or using an email address. This automatically provides them with a secure non-custodial wallet and a portable user profile which can access all of the featured games and marketplaces.
It is this combination of easy one-click onboarding and portability of assets and achievements that Immutable hopes will attract more Web3 games and platforms to the fledgling ecosystem. It has already signed up Gods Unchained, one of the biggest Web3 trading card games. According to Daniel Paez, Vice President of Gods Unchained:
“If you want to alienate gamers, ask them to create a wallet every time they sign up and tell them they can't take their assets or achievements with them from game to game. This has long been a major obstacle to widespread web3 adoption, not just for gaming but for a range of applications.”
Paez explained that Immutable Passport saw a drastic decline in drop outs during the sign up process. In a practical experiment undertaken by Immutable, it found that Passport achieved over double the completion rate for onboarding compared to the email signup and wallet creation process.
Immutable Passport was first unveiled back in January, with an initially expected release in April. There has been no confirmation of why the official launch has been delayed until now.
Immutable has been making great strides in simplifying Web3 gaming. It recently offered the option for developers to cover gamers’ gas fees on its zkEVM blockchain, and has partnered with payment services provider Transak to bring user-friendly Web3 payments.
It also recently announced a partnership with gaming giant Ubisoft to create Web3 gaming experiences.
