Evolving Web2 to Web3: 3 New Approaches from 3 New Companies

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It’s time for Web2 to evolve to its next stage: Web3. Just as Web1 was quickly supplanted by the tech innovations of Web2, Web2 has long since reached its zenith and is in a period of stagnation. In other words, Web2 is going through the growing pains of evolution in order to survive.

The problems of Web2 have followed the same trajectory as Web1: Companies have formed to corner markets through once open-source code through proprietary platforms, corralled users into centralized hubs, and created near-impenetrable industries for smaller players. Simultaneously, innovation was prevented in favor of profits and customer exploitation. Perhaps the sorest spot of all, user data is now regularly collected, traded, and monetized by Web2 platforms in ostensibly “free” services - all buried in the fine print of obligatory Terms & Conditions.

Luckily, the possibilities of the blockchain can’t be ignored any longer. With blockchain advancements showing true promise and near-universal adoption, new players are looking to shape how customers and businesses interact in this emerging Web3 paradigm. From the essential transactions of eCommerce, the need for new outlets for creatives, and the lucrative possibilities of online gaming, three Web3 companies are set to trailblaze what we will think of when we think of the Internet.

Let’s look at the path of Web2’s evolution to Web3 in 3 promising companies, all looking to help cast off the web’s present limitations and leads us to a brighter, more equitable future!

Web2 to Web3 eCommerce: ShopX

eCommerce is big business - to the tune of a staggering $870 billion in 2021 (a 14% growth from 2020). And just about every worldwide consumer regularly uses Web2 eCommerce companies like Amazon, eBay, and Rakuten (in Japan) for everyday goods and services.

Unfortunately, eCommerce in a Web2 paradigm has regularly been plagued with pain points. These pain points have offset opportunities and innovations in how customers and brands interact online, including:

• Costly middlemen that increase per-transaction costs
• High customer-acquisition costs
• Poor affiliate marketing dynamics
• Limited ways for customer engagement
• Tracking of user data
• Security issues from data hacks
• And more

With these issues in mind, the blockchain and decentralized possibilities are set to change with Web3 from an emerging player: SHOPX

It will be the first Web3 e-commerce infrastructure to put these tools and utilities together in a way that is suitable for the current state of the market and flexible enough to evolve as the market evolves. It intends to change the course of eCommerce by:

• Giving brands new ways to engage with their customers and reward loyalty

• Reach new customers through Web3 engagement

• Offer seamless transactions in fiat currencies and cryptocurrency

• Create more direct affiliate marketing relationships

• Introduce a universal, public inventory management system

• Give both brands and customers control of their data and protect their privacy

  
  

These are certainly great promises of Web3 innovation. However, before you think that this is a completely disruptive technology, understand that the team behind isn’t throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. In fact, integration with Web2 platforms is a high priority for SHOPX, building on top of Web2-ready applications such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and any other established platforms for a seamless adoption.

Best of all, it has built an ecosystem so that the average user without knowledge of the blockchain can have access to Web3 technology without Web3 expertise. Users will engage with the platform how they would typically interact with any of the platforms they use today. Brands who join in the first wave will have a first-mover advantage and be in a unique position to guide the new industry towards optimized e-commerce resources and transactions.

Web2 to Web3 for Creatives: Ayoken

The modern art world has long suffered from stagnation as flounders to incorporate digital advancements. From the abundance of counterfeiting, the mishandling of royalties to artists, and the various gatekeepers that limit the audience of creatives, Web2’s limitations have created an urgent need for players to revitalize how artists, businesses, fans, and consumers interact.

With NFTs offering better provenance, independent artists seeking new channels to display their work, and plenty of hype all-around in the art world, the blockchain is set to change how art is created, sold, distributed, verified, and more

That’s where __Ayoken__is set to deploy a new NFT  platform for artists. This is the digital collectibles marketplace that connects creators to global audiences. Enabling creatives to launch everything from digital/album art, digital collectibles, and utility-driven social tokens, The project is offering artists and fans a robust marketplace with a ton of features.

These include:

• Community chat and tipping
• Personalized Web3 domains
• Real-time analytics
• Instant royalty tracking
• Exclusive access to unreleased footage, live events, merchandise, and early access to albums
• Social tokens for artist interaction
• Timed drops
• Concierge services
• Redeemable $AYO cryptocurrency
• And more

What makes this project stand out is its worldwide aim to reach emerging markets for a brighter future. Ayoken has plans to branch out and leverage opportunities to empower untapped markets for expansion, such as Africa’s 1.3B people (projected to double by 2050). This forward-looking approach shows that Ayoken is using the power of art and the blockchain for global good.

Web2 to Web3 for Gaming: Meta Apes

Web3 gaming is set to be more than just “fun and games”. In fact, many of the Web2 innovations that were first seen in gaming platforms were later utilized in just about every industry - think about VR headset gaming that’s evolved into everyday standard application for heavy industrial industries. In other words, all eyes are on how gaming evolves in a Web3 world.

However, just like eCommerce and the art world, online gaming has been stymied by the Web2 paradigm. These Web2 games were released and developed using a centralized model. This meant that a lot of the rewards went to publishers and marketers as opposed to developers and players. And, much to the chagrin of gamers, too many advertisements and not enough attention to actual gameplay. This is all changing thanks to Web3 gaming.

One interesting Web3 player is Meta Apes. Modeled after the immensely popular Age of Apes mobile MMO game, their team is encouraging the game’s existing fan base to make the switch to the new Meta Apes platform.

The goal? To utilize all the best features deployed on a Web3 ecosystem as a literal “gamechanger,” Meta Apes is set to be the first Web2 Game converted to Web3 via a software development kit (SDK) - a feature that will trailblaze the future of online game development. Going beyond just “digitally poaching” an audience, Ankr’s gaming SDK will help launch Meta Apes on BAS, a sidechain within the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) ecosystem. This type of testing will not only enhance how developers deploy new Web3 games and retrofit Web2 games but also create new possibilities for players and other stakeholders.

For example, Meta Apes will include in-game cryptocurrencies like $BANANA, enabling players to enjoy the first of many Web3 games that reward players for their time and attention. With a multitude of rewards models, including play-to-earn, share-to-earn, and more, other industries are sure to take note of Web3’s role in enhancing online gaming.

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As with any new industry-shifting innovation, timing is everything. And the time for Web2 to reach its next stage of evolution in Web3 is here. With all of these innovations taking place across gaming, art, and eCommerce, it’s safe to say that the modern Web3 paradigm will only be going to get bigger as more people take part in building a brand new, self-sustaining ecosystem.