Bots in the Web3 Gaming Space: A Double-Edged Sword

In the last couple of weeks we have seen the launch of CrownRend and it’s the first time I have been in so early in a Web3 game that I have had time to devote to, unfortunately I couldn’t devote time early on in Immortal Creed or Golem Overlord – although I do need to revisit both of them, I joined Splinterlands in mid 2022 so bots were already rampant and the work to control them was just about to begin.

Bots have been in online games for years, be it web2 or web3, people want to make their lives easier. Some, however, feel that it’s cheating the system, akin to an athlete taking drugs to be at the forefront of their sports, looking for the extra edge.

Conversation in the CrownRend discord has gone back and forth on bots but what do they really add to/take from the game?

So what are the main impacts of bots?

Positive Impact:

1. Enhanced Gameplay: provide assistance with complex tasks, ensuring there are opponents to play against (Splinterlands liquidity bots for example)
2. Economic Stability: providing liquidity in the marketplace and stabilizing decentralised economies.

Negative Impact:

1. Market Manipulation: Artificial inflation or deflation of in-game assets. Undermining the trust that a game builds with its audience.
2. Unfair Advantages: Giving certain players an unfair advantage and disrupting the balance of the game whilst others experience is diminished.
3. Inflated user numbers: When a significant numbers of “players” are bots it misleads regarding the popularity of a game and its success.

So what can/should be done about bots?
There are a few ways games can combat bots and Splinterlands have gone some way towards that with the human only Modern Format by pushing bots out into Wild to fight for their Survival.. (sorry couldn’t resist it) but have also embraced their own bots to provide liquidity in the modern format too.

Combatting bots can be time consuming and distract developers from enhancing their games, but its finding that balance between the positives and the negatives. Making a game people want to enjoy has got to be the paramount decision on it all and it will always be a divisive topic. When bots take over the full gameplay and stop people actually involving themselves at all that will be a step too far in my opinion. ​​In the case of CrownRend I can see peoples problem with the possibility of bots being able to claim every 4 hours without fail, transfer assets to a main account etc but hopefully the developers can keep a handle on any bots and future features make it harder for them to over run the game.

What are your thoughts on the role of bots in Web3 gaming? Do you see them as a necessary evil or a potential boon for the industry?
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