Cryptocurrencies are one of the hottest trends in technology right now and there have been countless headlines recently about how lucrative they can be. There are puzzle games that offer a Bitcoin as a reward and even cryptocurrencies based on memes; there seems to be no stopping the cryptocurrency train.
For those who have yet to jump aboard that train, a company called Aura is helping gamers get in on it with its GammaNow service. GammaNow is an app that uses the idle processing power of a PC in order to power the Gamma blockchain network, which pitches itself as an alternative to the Ethereum network (which itself is a rival to Bitcoin). After a computer sits idle for around 20 seconds, GammaNow will kick in and begin to use the processing power to process tasks on the network and in doing so, users will earn Gamma Points.
These points, in turn, can be traded in for Overwatch loot boxes, Hearthstone card packs, and Riot Points (for use in League of Legends) with support for other PC games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and DOTA 2 to come. 30,000 Gamma Points is equivalent to 24 Overwatch loot boxes, 3500 Riot Points, and 15 Hearthstone card packs (60,000 Gamma Points is worth 51 loot boxes and 40 card packs), though the exact mining time required to earn that much is unclear.
GammaNow is currently in beta but Aura confirms plans to add support for a second GPU (to allow users to continue using their primary GPU for gaming). The company also vows to make tweaks and changes based on the feedback from GammaNow beta users, including feedback on which new rewards users would like to see offered in the GammaNow marketplace.
Unsurprisingly, GammaNow is already proving to be incredibly popular. As of the time of writing, the app's website states that it has paused sign-ups due to a "sudden influx of users" and encourages potential users to sign up to its waitlist instead.
While the world of cryptocurrency can seem incredibly complicated, many gamers are probably enjoying the simplicity of the app and the fact that it is free to get involved. The notice from Aura confirming that GammaNow will always be free and that the company hates microtransactions may have also increased the appeal to jaded gamers.
GammaNow is not the only app banking on gamers' interest in cryptocurrencies, with other examples including the game Reality Clash which pitches itself as Pokemon GO with guns. These are unlikely to be the last crypto/gaming initiatives either so those with a huge interest in the scene have a lot of opportunities to get involved.