A New Era of Digital Game Licensing

A Whitepaper on the Future of Game Ownership and Access Models

Version: 1.0 | Last Updated: February 2025 | Author: CHLOM™ Research Team

Abstract

The gaming industry is undergoing a fundamental shift from traditional game ownership to Right-to-Play (RTP) models, where players obtain a license to access a game instead of owning it outright. This transition is driven by subscription services, digital licensing, and blockchain-based ownership models.

This whitepaper explores the evolution of Right-to-Play, how it compares to traditional ownership, and how CHLOM™'s Tokenized Licensing-as-a-Service (TLaaS) provides a transparent, verifiable, and decentralized solution to Right-to-Play licensing.

1. Introduction

Gaming has traditionally followed a one-time purchase ownership model, where players own physical copies or permanent digital licenses for their games. However, with the rise of digital distribution, subscription-based gaming, cloud services, and blockchain licensing, the industry is shifting towards an access-based model.

Right-to-Play (RTP) allows players to access games through licenses, rather than outright ownership, often regulated by Digital Rights Management (DRM), smart contracts, or blockchain. This model is transforming digital game distribution.

2. Key Aspects of Right-to-Play (RTP)

• Players don’t own the game—just the right to access it.
• Game access can be time-limited, subscription-based, or tokenized.
• Enforced by DRM (Digital Rights Management) or blockchain-based licenses.
• Can be revoked or restricted based on terms of service.

3. Right-to-Play vs. Traditional Game Ownership

4. How Right-to-Play Works in Different Models

4.1 Traditional Subscription-Based Right-to-Play

• Users pay a monthly or annual fee to access a game library.
• They lose access when the subscription expires.
• Example: Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, GeForce Now.

4.2 One-Time Payment Right-to-Play

• Users purchase a license to play a game.
• They do not own the game and cannot resell or trade it.
• Example: Most Steam and Epic Games Store purchases (with DRM restrictions).

4.3 Blockchain-Based Right-to-Play (NFTs & SBTs)

• Players receive a tokenized license (NFT or SBT) to access the game.
• The license can be bought, sold, or rented (NFT) or permanently linked to a player’s account (SBT).
• Example: CHLOM™ TLaaS (Tokenized Licensing-as-a-Service), GameFi NFT rentals.

5. How CHLOM™ Innovates Right-to-Play with TLaaS

CHLOM™ introduces Tokenized Licensing-as-a-Service (TLaaS) to bring blockchain-based Right-to-Play to the gaming industry.

CHLOM™ TLaaS Features for Gaming:

• Games are licensed as NFTs or SBTs.
• Players can buy, sell, rent, or trade game licenses.
• Smart contracts manage access & renewals.
• No DRM restrictions—licenses are verifiable on-chain.

How It Works:

1. Game developers issue NFT-based licenses for new releases.
2. Players can purchase or rent a license through a decentralized marketplace.
3. Smart contracts automatically handle licensing terms (ownership, expiration, renewal, revocation).
4. Players can sell or transfer their licenses legally, unlike DRM-locked digital games.

6. Right-to-Play in the Future: Ownership vs. Access

The gaming industry is moving away from true ownership and towards access-based models.

• Subscriptions & cloud gaming are growing (Xbox Game Pass, PS Plus, Nvidia GeForce Now).
• NFT and blockchain gaming is rising (Axie Infinity, Illuvium, CHLOM™ TLaaS).
• Regulators are questioning DRM restrictions—players demand resale rights for digital games.

CHLOM™ solves these challenges by introducing TLaaS, allowing games to be licensed transparently with blockchain technology.

7. Conclusion

Right-to-Play is the future of digital game access. While it restricts traditional ownership, blockchain-based licensing via CHLOM™ TLaaS restores player rights, enabling trading, renting, and verifiable ownership.