The gaming industry has advanced considerably from play-to-play and free-to-play to the now trending play-to-earn crypto games.
In a nutshell, play-to-earn (P2E) games are built on particular blockchains and have native tokens supporting the game economies. The native tokens are earned mostly as rewards and can be used to buy and trade in-game items or be traded on secondary crypto markets.
The majority of these games are free-to-play but some are premium and require an initial investment like buying a non-fungible token (NFT) to start.
Additionally, most of the P2E crypto games are in early development stages especially when it comes to comparing their graphics with games developed by top brands like traditional top-level PlayStation or Xbox. However, they give players the opportunity of earning while playing.
How to verify play to earn games
Being unchartered waters to many, it could be difficult to verify which P2E game is genuine, especially since the crypto industry has been riddled with many bad projects trying to steal from gullible users.
Therefore, it is imperative to check the legitimacy of a crypto game before starting to play. One of the most important pointers is the game’s tokenomics of importance, an unlimited token supply is not a good thing.
Best play to earn crypto games
Now that you have a grasp of what play-to-earn crypto games are and what to look out for, let’s check out a few of the crypto games on the blockchain that to must try.
1. Axie Infinity
Besides being a blockchain with two renowned cryptocurrencies, the Axie Infinity Shards (AXS) and Smooth Love Potions (SLP), Axie Infinity is also a P2E crypto game that has consistently provided household income for players.
The AXS is the native governance token, while the LSP is used for breeding Axies. Both AXS and LSP can be traded or staked on crypto exchanges. They can also be converted to fiat money.
To take part in the game, you are required to purchase three Axies (NFT in-game creatures) from their marketplace or buy Axies eggs from the Axies Labs and wait for them to hatch into Axies. You can also breed Axie eggs to produce new Axies and sell them in the marketplace for extra income.
During the play, you use the NFT Axies to fight other Axies in groups of three to earn the AXS token.
2. Decentraland
Just like Axie Infinity, Decentraland is another metaverse blockchain with a renowned native cryptocurrency called MANA.
The game includes a metaverse of virtual land where participants can buy, sell or lend out virtual pieces of land. You can also organize events or games on the virtual pieces of land that you own and charge the audience for the events.
The other way through which players can ear in Decentraland is by offering your services to the virtual landowners just like is the case in the physical world.
Generally, Decentraland is a virtual reality game that mimics real-life job perspectives and earning opportunities.
3. The Sandbox
The Sandbox is another metaverse blockchain with a renowned native cryptocurrency called SAND. It offers players or participants myriad ways of earning. You can earn by being an artist, a virtual land owner, and/or a game maker.
If you are an artist, you can create NFT assets using the platform’s VoxEdit tool. You must be registered with the creator’s fund to be allowed to create and mint NFTs.
As a virtual land owner, you can purchase land, rent it out, create experiences like games and charge the audience, or sell the land later at a profit.
Game makers do not require coding skills to design games on The Sandbox. Once you create a game on The Sandbox, you can then levy a fee for the experience that other players will pay.
The SAND token is a governance token and can also be staked or traded on major crypto exchanges.
4. Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained is a blockchain-based play-to-earn game that allows users to collect NFT cards to participate in the competitions/battles which revolve around powerful beings called “Gods,” each of which possesses unique features and abilities.
The in-game cryptocurrency is called GODS and can be bought on major cryptocurrency exchanges or earned by defeating other players in the battles. The GODS can be used to buy the NFT cards or traded on the secondary markets.
5. Pegaxy
Pegaxy is a blockchain-based play-to-earn horse racing game. You purchase Pega NFTs (which are virtual horses) to participate in races. The top three winners earn rewards in VIS, which is the in-game currency.
You can use the VIS currency to verify track elements, select specific Pega, and choose the appropriate gear. You can fuse two Pegas into one to earn higher VIS rewards. However, the fusing will cost you VIS and PGX (which is the governance token).
The Pega NFTs are available at Pegaxy marketplace and can also be purchased using USDT. You can breed Pegas and sell them to earn VIS. However, the breeding will also cost you VIS and PGX tokens.
Conclusion
It is not a secret that play-to-earn crypto games are the next sensation in the gaming industry. And what is better if you can make an extra coin when entertaining yourself?
The blockchain play-to-earn games highlighted here are just but a few of the most popular games. There are hundreds if not thousands of such games that you can play and earn while entertaining yourself. All you need is to be careful when selecting a play-to-earn game, especially those that require initial investment owing to the volatile nature of crypto markets.