Interoperability
One blockchain game can interact with others. Therefore, assets are not exclusive to that game, but have wider uses and market coverage.
In-Game Ownership
Digital assets in games truly belong to the players. Blockchain games also allow players to purchase or win native tokens or NFTs. These assets can be traded on DEX (Decentralized Exchange) with fiat money.
Data Transfer
In conventional games, players have no control or ownership over their data. Meanwhile, in blockchain games, players can transfer their assets to various platforms or other games.
Understanding the Play-to-Earn Model
One of the most attractive aspects of blockchain gaming is the play-to-earn (P2E) model. Conventional games focus on entertainment, but the integration of blockchain in gaming has revolutionized the industry by giving players the opportunity to earn real profits through games.
How Play-to-Earn Games Work
In games with a play-to-earn business model, players can earn in-game assets that have real value.
In traditional games, these assets can only be used within the game ecosystem. Players can purchase in-game assets with fiat money through a top-up process. However, in P2E games, players can monetize their assets in exchange for fiat money or other cryptocurrencies.
Assets that can be obtained and monetized in blockchain games with the P2E model include:
- Cryptocurrency
- Native tokens, as seen in Axie Infinity with two native tokens (SLP dan AXS) and Decentraland with MANA.
- Existing tokens, as seen in Bitcoin Pop and Bitcoin Blast that reward players with Bitcoin.
- NFT (Non-Fungible Token), as seen in Alien Worlds and Gods Unchained.
Case Study of Play-to-Earn Blockchain Games
The popularity of play-to-earn blockchain games increases as more players realize their value.
In fact, in some countries, play-to-earn blockchain games have become a major source of income.
For example, in the Philippines, unemployment rates rose dramatically during the pandemic. Difficulties in finding work and low minimum wages led many people to seek an alternative source of income.
Attention turned to the game Axie Infinity. Players can earn up to $300 per month by collecting SLP, the game's digital currency.
Of course, Axie Infinity does not give players “free money.” To play the game, players must purchase 3 Axie NFTs. As popularity increases, the price of Axie NFTs also rises.
Therefore, the player community offers Axie scholarships to help newcomers who lack initial capital. Axie scholarships operate on a profit-sharing system, where a player rents out their Axie to a newcomer who commits to generating tokens.
5 Popular Blockchain Games in 2025
There are numerous blockchain games currently in the market. Here are 5 popular ones.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity, the largest blockchain game, takes place in a virtual world filled with creatures called Axies. Axies can be collected, bred, and used in battles with other players. Each Axie is an NFT with unique characteristics. The rarer an Axie is, the higher its value.
Axie Infinity uses two native tokens: Axie Infinity Shards (AXS) as a governance token that can also be used for staking, and SLP (Secret Love Potion), which is obtained through gameplay and events.
In 2021, the game achieved significant success when the AXS governance token reached a market cap of $10 billion. Now, the number of transactions on Axie Infinity has reached $6 million per month.
Illuvium
Illuvium is an open-world RPG (role-playing game) on the Ethereum blockchain. In this game, players collect fantasy creatures that are used to battle other players.
Illuvium is the perfect combination of game economics and the real world, integrating competitive gaming elements with DeFi (Decentralized Finance). The game uses a native token, Illuvium (ILV), which can be used for voting, in-game asset purchases, and even staking.
World of Dypians
World of Dypians is a metaverse game centered around NFT ownership in the form of virtual land and creatures called Caws.
Additionally, the game uses WOD tokens as in-game currency for transactions and rewards.
The immersive MMORPG concept of World of Dypians has successfully attracted 3.7 million players and $1.54 billion in monthly transactions.
Gods Unchained
Trading cards are not novel, but Gods Unchained combines this classic concept with NFTs. Each card is an NFT that can be bought and sold on the marketplace. Unlike most other trading card games, in Gods Unchained, players have full ownership of their cards.
Since the price of a single card is less than $1, Gods Unchained uses ImmutableX as a settlement layer to secure transaction integrity.
Gods Unchained also has a native token, GODS, which has governance, transaction, and staking functions.
The Sandbox
The Sandbox is an Ethereum-based blockchain game with a virtual world concept. Players can purchase plots of land and build their own ecosystems.
This blockchain game has two native tokens. The first is SAND, which is used for land transactions and DAO governance. The second is the ASSET token, which is an NFT representing ownership of in-game assets.
How to Earn Tokens from Blockchain Gaming
Interested in trying blockchain games to earn real profits? Follow this simple guide.
Choose a blockchain game
Choose a blockchain game with a genre of your interest. Remember to research whether the game has an active player community and a reputable development team.
Earn rewards
To earn rewards in the form of tokens or digital assets, players usually have to do the following.
- Complete daily challenges or missions.
- Collect rare or valuable items.
- Stake tokens to earn passive income.
- Compete with other players.
- Buy and sell assets on the in-game marketplace.
Prepare a crypto wallet
Once you're ready to convert your in-game rewards into fiat currency or other cryptocurrency, set up a crypto wallet that supports the game's tokens or NFTs. Transfer your assets to the wallet for secure storage.
Trade assets
Tokens or NFTs from games can be traded on the game's built-in exchange, but also on external platforms such as cryptocurrency exchanges. For optimal results, observe market trends and token values before trading.
The Future of Gaming in the World of Blockchain
Blockchain gaming is still a new innovation, but the past decade has been full of exciting developments.
It's not just individuals or DAOs that are developing blockchain games. Large companies are also integrating blockchain into their games. For example, in 2023, Sony filed a patent for an NFT gaming framework.
In the future, we can look forward to the following blockchain gaming innovations.
AAA Games Based on Blockchain
AAA (Triple-A) games refer to games made by big producers with huge budgets.
Currently, several big game developers have released high-quality games with blockchain integration, such as Illuvium and Sorare, both of which use the Ethereum blockchain.
Decentralized Ecosystem
Blockchain games with decentralized ecosystems will allow players to participate in decision-making regarding the development of their favorite games.
Full Ownership and Freedom in Asset Transfer
Interoperability in blockchain gaming paves the way for many exciting possibilities. Players can transfer digital assets from one game to another. As envisioned by Mike Shinoda, co-founder of Linkin Park:
“Imagine taking your favorite skin from Valorant, and using it on Fortnite. And not paying extra, because you own it. Then using it in CoD, Minecraft, and even Twitter and IG.”
Shinoda’s vision of interoperability may seem impossible now, but in the future, this can be achieved with blockchain gaming technology.
Social Media Integration
We will see more and more blockchain games integrated with social media and other communication platforms. An example is Hamster Kombat, a game that runs on The Open Network (TON) blockchain. This game can be easily accessed through Telegram.
FAQ
How do blockchain games work?
- Players receive rewards in the form of tokens or NFTs from blockchain games.
- Tokens or NFTs have real exchange value.
- In-game assets can be exchanged for other cryptocurrencies or fiat currencies.
Are blockchain games actually profitable?
Blockchain games do provide rewards that have real exchange value, but the profits you earn depend on the game you choose. As long as the game has a healthy financial model, you can earn profitable returns. Of course, you need to invest money, time, or both.
Apply these strategies to optimize your profits from playing blockchain games:
- Research the tokenomics and player community of blockchain games.
- Monitor token value in the marketplace.
- Diversify by playing several games to spread risk and minimize losses.
- Master the game mechanics to maximize rewards.
- Follow the latest blockchain and crypto news.
Can blockchain game assets be lost?
No, because the decentralized nature of blockchain games means there is no single point of failure. However, your blockchain game assets can be “lost” if they are not stored securely. Be sure to store your assets in a secure crypto wallet and do not share your private key with anyone.
What are the risks of blockchain games?
- Sending tokens to the wrong address: If you play many games on different blockchains, there is a possibility of entering the wrong crypto wallet address when sending tokens. Always check the wallet address before transferring any assets.
- Scam risks: Never share your wallet’s private key with anyone. If a blockchain game promises unrealistically high profits without proof, be cautious and do thorough research.
- Token volatility: If a game's popularity declines, the value of its assets will also decrease.
Conclusion
The emergence of blockchain has revolutionized how we view games. Games are no longer just a form of entertainment, but a platform for interacting with a large community, a way to earn real income, and an entry point into the decentralized world of Web3.
The play-to-earn model is a key attraction of blockchain games. However, before diving into blockchain gaming, ensure you conduct thorough research on tokenomics, player activity, and the development team’s background. Don’t get caught up in the hype of a game promising “free money.” Learn how to conduct DYOR (Do Your Own Research) in this DRX Token article: What is DYOR: Definition, Why It’s Important, and How to Apply It in Cryptocurrency.
