The best play to earn crypto games list is going to create quite some debate. Every gamer has their own favourite genre of game, and every cryptocurrency enthusiast has his/her own favourite token also.
This healthy debate is something which we wish to stoke here with this list of the top 5 play to earn crypto games of the moment.
Play to earn is a rather novel concept that is bringing some ‘real world’ use to cryptocurrencies, blockchain and more particularly NFTs.
Various analysis (by people smarter than I are), are predicting that by 2024 more than 80% of the gaming that is taking place will be on play to earn platforms. After all, why do something you are good at for free, if you can be earning simultaneously.
Long gone are the days when video games were solely a form of entertainment.
Play To Earn Is Now Becoming Mainstream In More Ways Than One
With the advent of esports and major esports tournaments offering prize pools in the millions becoming more and more widespread, it is no longer the case that the time you invest into one of your favourite pastimes is not able to be returned with cold hard currency.
If this is now already the case for the professionals amongst us, it is high time that the amateur gaming enthusiast can get a share of the action.
There are different models and concepts behind the various play to earn crypto games as to how you actually can be rewarded. Some will be pure earning focused with time spent playing or personal time investment being highly linked to your rewards. Others can be far more passive in terms of how much time they may require, but could end up requiring a decent amount of up front capital to get the best return from the game. Then there are those games built for the purists that really look like they could shift this whole concept on quite a few gears ahead.
Cryptocurrency in general as a concept seems to be here to stay, so trying to stay ahead of the curve and understand the next big thing in crypto is an important topic.
Each of the games you will find on this list is at a stage where there is some true excitement brewing about a shift in the dynamics of gaming. That does not mean that these are the the only games that you can play to earn from, or that the return on your time is necessarily going to be the highest. It does mean that these games have some real potential to allow users to play to earn on games they would actually pay to play. When this becomes the norm rather than the exception, it is game changer time!
So without further ado, let’s jump straight into the top 5 play to earn crypto games of the moment.
Top 5 Play To Earn Crypto (or NFT) Games
Illuvium
Illuvium is an RPG and Collectibles game that has been built on the Immutable X network. This is a game that is taking some tips from the collectible mania that Pokemon has generated in years gone by and taking it in a new direction with Illuvials. There are in excess of 100 Illuvials initially being built into Illuvium with likely more to come in future iterations.
You can find the full game overview which is still subject to change at this phase on the official website here or tune in to the trailer for some video footage that is building some excitement for a real game changer. View the Illuvium trailer below.
Before the game has launched, there is already palpable excitement with ILV prices currently sitting at $672.24. Building the perfect team, taking them on adventures, finding synergies, and battling in arenas will all provide hours of gameplay that could well go on to make Illuvium a mainstay on the play to earn gaming segment for years to come.
At this stage of development, there is still the option to engage in staking of ILV, with land coming soon as a next step. If the early work is anything to go by, the excitement is well placed.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is one of those that was early to the play to earn gaming party and is still going strong, with a loyal community and a strong following. This is a game which takes some cues from Pokemon as a portal for digital collectibles in ‘pet’ format.
When playing Axie Infinity, you can choose to collect, grow, fight and build a kingdom for your team of pets. This is a fun game that is pretty fast paces but also has a strong community and can be quite a social place.
Having been in the space since 2019, this is a play to earn crypto game that is a lot further on than some of the others on this list, but having early mover advantage has some real advocates. You are pitting 3v3 in an idle combat system in battles, and also have the chance to breed your pets (Axies) and create new and interesting species.
AXS tokens can be earned through playing various games on Axie Infinity and in some cases rewards can be locked for a time duration before being eligible for withdrawal. Otherwise, you will be earning SLP tokens (Small Love Potion) for your time spent with your Axies. We have seen many new players earning around what works out to around $2 per hour from time spent on Axie Infinity but this is by no means a passive return, you are actually playing.
If you are a fan of Pokemon and or Idle combat style games akin to Final Fantasy Tactics, Axie Infinity may be the play to earn crypto game for you, that is if you have the time to play.
Aurory
Aurory is another game that is yet to launch, but is creating quite the stir. With the largest IDO on record to date on Solana the interest is most definitely there.
In the play to earn crypto game space, Aurory is one where players can explore travelling through the world of Antik and Cryptos. You can buy and trade characters in what is being billed as a compelling JRPG.
The crypto token you will be earning is $AURY . This can be earned both through PvE and PvP game modes, alongside staking. The token will also act as the governance token of Aurory, allowing you to hold some sway over important decisions.
Importantly in a play to earn game at pre launch phase, the team behind Aurory are filled with experience and have the support of some big brains in an advisory panel which includes the Head of Strategy of FTX. Whilst we are still in the early phases of seeing exaclty what Aurory will bring to the table, for the purpose of this list which is looking at potential game changers to the play to earn crypto gaming space, we had to put Aurory in here.
Big Time
Big Time is one game that has got a lot of proverbial juices flowing in excitement for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, there is the team behind it which has a track record of excellence across the board and also features the ex CEO of Dencentraland as Big Time CEO. If the ability of Decentraland to largely create and dominate a new digital land grab is a sign of things to come for Big Time, then this may well be another pivot point in gaming.
Moving on to the game design itself, there are alumni of Epic Games, EA, Riot and Blizzard, makers of some absolutely dominant franchises in Fortnite, COD, Overwatch and God of War. Big Time will be a mulitplayer action RPG where you can go across space and time in your own time machine with friends.
The excitement is very real, with the early NFT sale of ‘Space’ being sold out in a matter of a minute and early access VIP passes to the game also selling out before you could catch a breath.
As we await the live game some time later in 2022, we will have to rely on the the words of founder and CEO Ari Meilich to set the expectations a little more clearly. “It’s a multiplayer action-RPG where you can team up with up to six people and go into dungeons where you kill monsters, some of which are going to be dropping valuable loot. And the way the game is designed, people with zero blockchain experience are going to start collecting NFTs that have real-world value without having to have any previous knowledge about what blockchain technology is about”. If you can’t wait and want more backstory you can find it here.
League Of Ancients
League of Ancients is being rolled out with an emphasis on making the genre of Play to earn accessible to everyone. By that I mean no upfront costs of investment needed, it is free to play, play to earn.
The aim of the game here for the team behind LOA is literally to change the game. The esports game that is by allowing everyone to play and earn from their gaming and bringing the time investment of the amateur in line with the pro.
There will be various different add-ons that can be used by players wishing to invest a little more into the game than just their time, but this is by no means essential.
The premise of the game is not new. This is a MOBA game focusing on 5v5 team battles. Currently, there are 3 play types etched out and 20 characters, with likely additional adjustments to come as things get closer to launch. Characters have fleshed out bios and styles but overall gameplay at this stage is still hype rather than reality.
Tournament mode in LOA will be one that can be set up with specified prize pools that each team can battle it out for. Each tournament that takes place within League of Ancients will have a dedicated prize pool and this will be allocated in $LOA, the native token.
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