The gaming industry continues to evolve. The same can be said for blockchain. Not surprisingly, in 2017, one company managed to combine the two into one. That’s how crypto games came about.
What are crypto games?
Crypto games are games in which participants can earn in-game currency (tokens), exchange it freely, buy various items, convert it into real cryptocurrency and then cash it out. The choice of such currencies is vast. It can be Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Solana, Polygon, etc. Simply put, crypto games waste gamers’ time and it is, in return, monetized. This has been the impetus for many gamers to make participating in crypto games their source of income.
The principle of such games is known as Play2Earn. They come in a wide variety of genres, from arcades to shooters. As an example of a large variety of game genres, the very first game, Cryptokittens, was played. Its participants were to buy kittens, raise them, breed them and then sell them. The demand for this game was so high, and the daily volume so high, that the Ethereum blockchain had severe transaction speed failures for several months. The resulting pandemic has affected the growth in popularity of these games. Market analysis has shown that the crypto games industry has shown consistently high revenue growth since 2019.
The conclusion to be drawn from the concept of a crypto game is that it has an undeniable advantage over traditional games. It lies in the decentralization of crypto games through the introduction of blockchain technology. This, in turn, allows players to directly exchange in-game items and heroes, and sell them at any time and on any crypto marketplaces. In order to participate in these games, the gamer must have an open crypto wallet. This is where the coins will be deposited.
Also, some people refer to crypto games as ones that use cryptocurrencies to make bets in the online gambling industry (casino-howto covers it in more detail). Those are completely different beasts and we won’t touch them in this article. Further, we are going to talk about play2earn crypto games exclusively.
Alien Worlds
Alien Worlds remains the most popular crypto game and at the same time a decentralized app. It was released at the end of 2020. It was developed by the German company Dacoco. The game has broken attendance records several times. It currently has more than 2,700,000 registered players, of whom at least 300,000 play the game on a regular basis.
Its participants enter a meta-universe in which they must complete tasks, fight, earn in-game TLM currency and trade NFT items. These can be weapons, wardrobe items, a hero, cards and even a visual effect. All of these are designed to make the character stand out from the others, either as a powerhouse or as a visual superiority.
The game is set in the not too distant future year of 2055. At that time, aliens have contacted the inhabitants of planet Earth. They have shared important knowledge – how to overcome wormholes, i.e. how to move in space. Thus, the players got access to new planets, which have the main value – Trillium. This is the in-game name of the token. And here’s where the fun begins. By moving between DAOs, living this life in parallel worlds together with someone or vice versa, acting against someone, players get this very Trillium. It is what allows players to move to other worlds and earn benefits.
The player will need a WAX wallet and only a few dollars to get started. This money must be used to purchase some WAX tokens, as only then will the game be activated. In addition to activating the account, the gamer will be given the main tool, the shovel. This is how the Trillium is mined. At the moment, the game is experiencing a slight decline in everything: the value of the WAX, the TLM token and the need to upgrade the game.
Gods Unchained
In 2019, Fuel Games from Australia unveiled its vision of an NFT game. Initially, it was not a crazy success with players. It wasn’t until 2021 that there was a dramatic increase in the game’s audience. It was over 4,500%. By some estimates, there are more than 80,000 gamers participating in the game each week.
The game is set in a fantasy world inhabited by divine beings. The game works on the Play2Earn principle. You can earn GODS tokens by participating in tournaments and collecting game cards. The second is the main value. Rare cards in the game shop range in value from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Some gamers on specialist platforms even ask for a few hundred thousand dollars for the rarest decks. The same amount of money can be won in tournaments.
What sets this crypto game apart is its free mode. This means that you can start the game without any cash investment. Each player is given a standard pack of cards. The player’s task is to improve it in order to sell it later on. It is up to the gamer to decide whether to hold on to a card until its price goes up, or whether to sell in a hurry. Without taking part in tournaments, the game can earn an average of 500 USD a month. You don’t have to sit in front of your computer 24 hours a day for that. In my opinion, this is a very good way to earn extra income every month.
Moonray
Moonray is one of the latest NFT action games. The game is available on PC and Play Station 5 in beta mode until September 2022. Its pre-sales are actively going on the Steam gaming platform. Visually, the game is very different from all the others. It is designed in a surrealistic style.
The action is set in the future on the planet It-Ao. The deity Iltar, trapped for millennia, has created a uniquely powerful warrior and set him free to fight against forces that want to take her powers away. To earn money in the game, you need to pump up the hero. This is done by winning battles. Each victory earns you a Mirama. These can be used to buy weapons and improve skills.
Splinterlands
One of the oldest blockchain card games. In order to earn money in it, the gamer has to pay a start-up fee. It is available to absolutely everyone and is only 10 USD. After that, the participant is given a set of cards and the game starts. The gamer can earn a good income by buying and selling rare cards. I would also like to mention the possibility of renting cards. The gamer will receive 0.5% of the value of the card on the day they are leased if another player keeps it for a day. In addition, the user must create a strong deck that is capable of winning battles. In this way, the player’s monthly income can reach several tens of thousands of dollars.
The in-game currency is DEC. To withdraw it to a crypto wallet, all you have to do is specify it. Then all that remains is to exchange it for the desired cryptocurrency. This can be done on all major exchanges. Thanks to the way the tokens work on BSC, the transaction fee remains one of the lowest. Despite the game’s longevity, it is still a promising game for millions of gamers around the world.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is similar to the very first NFT game. The game is set in a world called Lunacia. Its main inhabitants are animals, plants, waterfowl, trees, insects, birds and reptiles. All of the above are essentially non-interchangeable NFT items. Players can cross, enhance, sell, create a battle team and send them out to fight other gamers in real-time. The game has what is known as a mating club. This will be useful for those who only have one Axi participating inbreeding.
Despite the game’s apparent simplicity, this is not entirely true. To be successful in it and maximize profit, the gamer must develop strategies for almost every action he or she takes. The game was released in 2018. Every day, a gamer can earn up to a hundred dollars on wins. The number of regular users is growing inexorably. By 2022, their number has surpassed the 500,000 member mark. Analysts predict a further increase.
