In the evolving landscape of digital entertainment, the integration of blockchain technology has given rise to a revolutionary gaming model: play to earn. This innovative approach not only redefines player engagement by allowing gamers to earn real-world value through gameplay but also paves the way for a more inclusive and decentralized gaming economy. As the play to earn model continues to gain momentum, a plethora of games to earn crypto across various gaming genres have emerged, each offering unique play to earn mechanics for earning and engagement.
The focus of this article will be to explore the top 10 play to earn game options slated to make significant impacts in 2024. From strategy-based blockchain games like Axie Infinity and Gods Unchained to immersive virtual worlds such as Decentraland and The Sandbox, readers will be guided through an in-depth analysis of each game’s gaming mechanics, earning possibilities, and the nuances of their respective game economies.
Additionally, insights into how players can redeem their earnings, the strengths and shortcomings of these models, and the overall landscape of play to earn nft games, crypto earning games, and web3 gaming will be discussed. This overview aims to equip the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the best crypto games to make money and the future trajectory of play to earn video games.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity introduces players to a digital nation where they engage with gaming creatures known as Axies. These creatures are central to the game’s gaming ecosystems, allowing players to battle, collect, and raise them. Players must assemble a team of at least three Axies to participate in various gaming modes such as Adventure, where they battle against computer-generated enemies, and Arena, where they compete against other players in gaming tournaments. These modes provide opportunities to earn gaming rewards and enhance the player’s collection of Axies.
Main Features
Axies are not just digital pets; they are gaming NFTs with unique traits and abilities impacting their performance in gaming battles. Each Axie has a distinctive set of body parts influencing its stats and skills, which adds a layer of strategy to team assembly and combat. The game also features a dynamic player-owned economy, allowing players to trade Axies and other in-game gaming assets on the Axie Marketplace. Additionally, the recent introduction of tokenized plots of gaming land in Lunacia, the Axie homeland, offers new passive income opportunities and further gameplay dimensions.
Earnings Opportunities
Axie Infinity pioneered the play-to-earn model, enabling players to earn cryptocurrency through gameplay. Key revenue streams include breeding Axies and selling them on the marketplace, earning game tokens like Smooth Love Potions (SLP) and Axie Infinity Shards (AXS) through competitive play, and token staking these tokens for additional earnings. Players can also generate passive income by owning gaming virtual property within the game, which can be developed or rented out to other players.
How to Get Started
To begin playing Axie Infinity, players need to create a Ronin Wallet and set up a Mavis Hub account. Following this, players must acquire gaming NFTs, specifically at least three Axies, to start playing. These can be purchased from the Axie Marketplace or obtained through scholarship programs. Once set up, players can download the game on various gaming platforms and explore various modes available in the Axie universe. The process is designed to be user-friendly, with several resources available to assist new players in navigating their initial setup and gameplay.
Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained is a blockchain card game where players buy, collect, and play with digital gaming cards represented as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). As an nft card game and crypto card game, it is structured around different gods, each with unique abilities and playstyles such as aggro, control, and combo. Players build decks of 30 cards aligned to one of these gods and engage in matches to earn rewards, making it one of the top play to earn card games.
Main Features
The game offers a “Free-to-Play-to-Earn” model, allowing players to start with no initial investment. Each new player receives a Welcome Set of 140 cards (70 unique cards, each with two copies) to help them learn the game mechanics. These cards are sorted into six decks corresponding to the six gods: Light, Death, War, Nature, Magic, and Deception. Players can use Flux, a special in-game resource, to fuse cards and create higher-quality gaming NFTs, which are tradable on the Immutable X blockchain.
Earnings Opportunities
Gods Unchained provides various ways for players to earn. Players can obtain new card packs by winning ranked matches, which can then be sold when the Forge opens. Additionally, through the “Blessing of the $GODS” campaign, players can win prize pools in GODS gaming tokens each week. The earnings from these activities depend on several factors, including the player’s performance in matches, their rank on gaming leaderboards, and the linkage of their account to a wallet.
How to Get Started
To start playing Gods Unchained, users need to create an account on the game’s website and download the game. No crypto wallet or understanding of the $GODS token is required initially, as the game can be played for free. New players are advised to visit the “Learn to Play” page for guides on gaming mechanics and deck building gaming strategies. The gaming communities on Discord also offer support and a place to discuss strategies with other players.
Decentraland
Decentraland is a 3D virtual reality platform where users can create, monetize, and interact with content and applications within a shared metaverse. As one of the leading nft metaverse games, the platform allows users to purchase virtual plots of gaming real estate, known as LAND, where they can build and create experiences. Users navigate this expansive virtual world using gaming characters, which they can customize and use to engage in various gaming adventures such as socializing, gaming, and attending events.
Main Features
Decentraland operates on a decentralized infrastructure, ensuring that creators can fully benefit from their contributions without interference from a central authority. The platform utilizes a three-layered architecture: the Consensus Layer for tracking LAND ownership, the Land Content Layer for asset distribution, and the Real-Time Layer for peer-to-peer interactions. Decentraland’s MANA token, an ERC-20 token, serves as one of the key gaming currencies, facilitating transactions like buying LAND and paying for gaming items and services within the metaverse.
Earnings Opportunities
In Decentraland, users can earn through various means. The ownership and development of LAND can be quite lucrative; users can sell or lease their developed plots. Additionally, creators can monetize their skills by designing gaming collectibles as NFTs, including wearables for avatars or unique game experiences, and selling them in the game marketplaces. Engaging in hosted events or gaming activities also presents opportunities to earn rewards in the form of cryptocurrency or NFTs.
How to Get Started
To begin exploring Decentraland, users must first acquire MANA tokens, available on various exchanges. With MANA, they can purchase LAND or participate in the ecosystem by buying avatars, wearables, or other virtual goods. Users create an account on the Decentraland platform to start building or exploring the creations of others within the virtual world.
The Sandbox
The Sandbox introduces a versatile and interactive experience where players can create, play, and monetize their virtual environments and games. Unlike traditional open-world games, The Sandbox consists of multiple “worlds” that players can navigate, each offering unique interactions and the ability to create personal or shared spaces. Users can engage dynamically with others by visiting different worlds or inviting friends to explore private creations.
Main Features
The Sandbox is celebrated for its robust gaming ecosystems supported by the $SAND token, which facilitates various in-game transactions and interactions. With a user base of nearly 700 live player-created games and a community of 27,000 landowners, the platform offers extensive opportunities for creativity and collaboration. Key partnerships with over 400 brands enrich the gameplay experience, providing players with a plethora of options to customize their digital identity and experiences within the game.
Earnings Opportunities
Players in The Sandbox can earn through multiple avenues, primarily by creating and monetizing land and games. By designing appealing games and experiences, players can charge others for access or earn through in-game activities. Additionally, the platform supports a creator economy where users can create and sell assets as NFTs in the marketplace, leveraging the Sandbox’s native token, $SAND, for transactions.
How to Get Started
To begin exploring The Sandbox, new users should first acquire some $SAND tokens, typically available on various cryptocurrency exchanges. These tokens are used to purchase LAND, participate in the game economy, or create and monetize content. Users can then proceed to create an account on The Sandbox platform and start engaging with the tools provided, such as the Game Maker and VoxEdit, to build and share their own games and experiences without needing extensive coding knowledge.
Splinterlands
Splinterlands offers a dynamic and strategic gaming experience where players collect and battle with digital cards that are non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Each match in Splinterlands is unique, featuring dynamically created combat rules and a drafting style of gameplay. Players select a team of up to six cards from their collection, and battles play out automatically in a quick, action-packed format.
Main Features
At the heart of Splinterlands are its cards, which players truly own thanks to the Hive blockchain’s web 3.0 technology. Players can engage in activities such as battling for rewards, trading on the peer-to-peer market, or combining cards to level up. Splinterlands is known for its fast-paced trading card game mechanics, allowing for brief yet intense matches that typically last only 2-3 minutes.
Earnings Opportunities
Splinterlands provides multiple avenues for earning. Players can earn by participating in battles and receiving rewards in the form of Dark Energy Crystals (DEC) or by trading and renting out their cards on the market. The game also offers season chests containing cards, potions, and DEC, which can significantly boost a player’s earnings.
How to Get Started
New players can begin their Splinterlands journey by purchasing a Summoner’s Spellbook, which grants access to earning rewards and the ability to buy and sell cards. Players are advised to complete the ‘How to Play’ tutorial to understand the basics of card stats, battle strategies, and the game’s economic system. Additionally, players can choose to rent cards to enhance their gameplay without a significant upfront investment.
Illuvium
Illuvium offers a rich sci-fi adventure where players can explore seven diverse alien landscapes, capturing Illuvials, mining resources, and harvesting exotic plants to assist their crash-landed crew. This game combines open-world exploration with creature collection in its Overworld, and strategic city-building elements in Illuvium Zero, designed for both mobile and desktop platforms. Players can also engage in PvP battles in the upcoming Illuvium Arena, enhancing their competitive skills.
Main Features
Illuvium integrates blockchain technology to provide players with true ownership of in-game assets. All Illuvials, weapons, and suits are stored securely in the player’s Ethereum wallet, ensuring that players have complete control over their digital possessions. The game also features IlluviDEX, a marketplace where players can trade assets with zero gas fees, thanks to the integration with ImmutableX. Players can build and manage their digital industrial complex in Illuvium Zero, or curate powerful teams to compete in Illuvium Arena.
Earnings Opportunities
The play-to-earn model in Illuvium is highly rewarding, with the top 1,000 players on the leaderboard receiving significant weekly rewards. For instance, the first place can earn around $900 depending on the token’s market price, with substantial rewards even for those in the top 100. These earnings can be enhanced by strategic gameplay and regular participation in the arena matches.
How to Get Started
New players can start by downloading the game through official links provided on the Illuvium website or through affiliate links which support content creators. Upon setting up their account, players should connect their IMX wallet to their Illuvium account to receive and manage their earnings. For gameplay success, it is recommended to watch tutorial videos and stay updated with the latest game meta. This strategy will prepare players to compete effectively in the arena and earn rewards.
My Neighbor Alice
My Neighbor Alice is a multiplayer builder simulation game set in the Lummelunda archipelago, where players can buy and own virtual lands, collect items, and engage in community activities. The game is designed to be accessible to non-crypto native players, making it an enjoyable entry point for those unfamiliar with blockchain and NFTs. Players can engage in various activities like fishing, farming, and beekeeping, enhancing their gameplay experience.
Main Features
The game features a richly interactive environment where players can create and customize their virtual spaces using NFTs such as buildings, plants, animals, and more. A unique aspect of My Neighbor Alice is the use of the Game Builder and NFT Creator tools, which allow players to personalize the game landscape to their liking. An in-game marketplace is available for buying and selling items, facilitating a dynamic economy within the game. Additionally, players can improve their reputation within the game, which allows access to exclusive events and NFTs.
Earnings Opportunities
My Neighbor Alice offers various ways for players to earn through gameplay. Players can generate income by selling crops they have cultivated or by renting out their land. Moreover, unique in-game items like hats and dresses, crafted by players, can be sold as NFTs, providing another revenue stream. The game also allows players without land or animals to earn by working for other landowners, helping with tasks such as tending crops or caring for animals.
How to Get Started
To begin playing My Neighbor Alice, players need to acquire a piece of land in the Lummelunda archipelago, which can be purchased or claimed during special promotions. Once a player has land, they can start participating in the various activities offered in the game. Players can access the game by creating a Chromia Game Account and connecting it with a Web3 wallet, such as MetaMask or Venly. After these initial steps, players can download the game and start exploring the virtual world of My Neighbor Alice.
Star Atlas
Star Atlas offers players a grand strategy game set in a vast universe where space exploration, territorial conquest, and political domination play crucial roles. The game invites players into an expansive world where mastering a multifaceted interface is essential for navigation and interaction within the universe. Star Atlas stands out as a cutting-edge play-to-earn MMORPG rooted in the Solana blockchain, transporting players to the year 2620 and utilizing the power of Unreal Engine 5 for its creation.
Main Features
The game provides a unique blend of traditional gaming and blockchain mechanics, focusing on grand strategy, exploration, role-playing, and space flight simulation. Players can influence the outcome of the intergalactic conflict between different factions and earn rewards for their contributions. The real-time graphics technology, Unreal Engine 5’s Nanite, allows for sophisticated and detailed space exploration. Star Atlas uses ATLAS and POLIS tokens for in-game currency, with a dynamic, player-driven economy requiring effective resource management and market trend analysis.
Earnings Opportunities
Players can engage in various activities such as mining, trading, cargo hauling, and crafting to earn rewards. The game features a unique gaming experience combining traditional gaming elements with blockchain mechanics. Players can venture into deep space to scan and explore celestial and terrestrial assets, mining them for valuable resources that can be refined and traded through the Universal Marketplace. Additionally, players can engage in a minigame named SCORE, where deploying their fleet translates into earning APR, essentially staking NFTs to reap rewarding returns.
How to Get Started
To begin their journey in Star Atlas, players are required to set up a compatible Solana wallet, primarily funded with Solana ($SOL) cryptocurrency, which is crucial for storing digital tokens and in-game currency. This wallet is essential for acquiring ships and other in-game assets. Players enter the metaverse by choosing one of three unique factions—Oni, Mud (Manus Ultimus Divinum), and Ustur—each offering a distinct background and significantly shaping the player’s journey.
Valhalla
Valhalla immerses players in a play-to-earn NFT metaverse where they embark on a Viking journey starting from Floki Island, the initial hub for all new players. This island serves as a training ground filled with NPCs, key buildings, and a variety of wildlife areas where players can engage in the game’s gardening system. The gameplay is turn-based, emphasizing tactical prowess where players must utilize their Vera’s magical abilities and strategic planning to outmaneuver opponents in battle. Each move is crucial, demanding careful planning and anticipation of the enemy’s actions.
Main Features
Valhalla is powered by the $FLOKI token, integrating blockchain technology to provide a robust gaming experience where every asset players obtain in the metaverse is wholly owned and can be traded or sold. The game features an intricate system of resource cultivation, crafting, and community interaction through clans. Players can look forward to a variety of quests set up as smart contracts, adding unique interactions within the world. Additionally, the game includes Genesis NFTs which offer benefits such as presales access, discounts, and early game entry.
Earnings Opportunities
Players earn by engaging in battles and successfully utilizing their strategic skills to overcome opponents, thereby earning FLOKI tokens. The game’s economy allows for cultivating and gathering resources, which are integral to crafting various in-game items that are tokenized and can be traded. These items range from fungible to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), enhancing the player’s ability to earn through multiple streams within the game’s ecosystem.
How to Get Started
To dive into Valhalla, players need to first install the Metamask browser extension and configure it to the Optimism Goerli network. Following this setup, players can claim a test token from the designated faucet, switch to the Optimism Kovan network, and navigate to the Valhalla game website to begin their adventure. This initial setup ensures that players are ready to explore the game’s extensive features and start their journey in the Viking-themed metaverse.
Conclusion
Exploring the realm of play to earn crypto games reveals a dazzling array of opportunities for gamers to engage in immersive worlds while earning tangible rewards. From the strategic depths of Axie Infinity and Gods Unchained to the vast virtual landscapes of Decentraland and The Sandbox, each game offers a unique fusion of gameplay, earning mechanisms, and economic models. These top 10 games showcase the innovative ways blockchain technology is being harnessed to create value for players. Not only do they offer insight into the potential for new forms of digital entertainment, but they also underscore the evolving dynamics between gaming and economic participation.
However, as we delve into these virtual worlds, it’s essential to recognize the diversity of earning potentials and the challenges that may arise within play-to-earn ecosystems. While the allure of earning through gaming is strong, understanding the nuances of each game’s economy, the initial investment required, and the sustainability of their models is crucial. Engaging with these games opens up vistas of both opportunities and challenges, promising a future where gaming and earning are increasingly intertwined.
As the play-to-earn model continues to evolve, it invites gamers, developers, and investors alike to rethink traditional gaming experiences, paving the way for a future where the value generated within virtual worlds has real-world significance.
FAQs
1)What are the top games for earning cryptocurrency?
- Axie Infinity: A highly popular game resembling Pokémon where players can earn crypto.
- Gods Unchained: A blockchain-based collectible card game offering free-to-play-to-earn model.
- Decentraland: A 3D virtual reality platform where users can create, monetize, and interact with content.
- The Sandbox: An interactive experience where players can create, play, and monetize virtual environments.
2)What is the leading NFT game?
Axie Infinity is recognized as the most prominent NFT game available.
3)How can players earn in Axie Infinity?
Players can earn in Axie Infinity by breeding and selling Axies, earning tokens like SLP and AXS through competitive play, and staking these tokens for additional earnings.
4)What are the main features of Decentraland?
Decentraland operates on a decentralized infrastructure, utilizes a three-layered architecture, and uses MANA token as in-game currency.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies involves risks, and readers should conduct their own research and consult with financial advisors before making investment decisions. Hash Herald is not responsible for any profits or losses in the process.