Key Takeaways
- Play-to-earn crypto games use blockchain technology to create assets that players can own, trade, and sell to earn rewards in tokens or NFTs.
- There are different types of play-to-earn crypto games, such as card games, collectibles, role-playing games, racing games, sports games, and strategy games.
- Most of the leading P2E games offer rewards in terms of NFT or cryptocurrencies.
The swelling popularity of play-to-earn crypto games, fuelled by the growing attractiveness of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), has led to a dynamic gaming industry moving too fast. As a fan, you don’t want to spend time and resources on a game that people aren’t playing anymore. This guide peeks inside and lists the best play-to-earn crypto games you can play to earn rewards.
The Dynamic Growth of Crypto Play-to-earn Games
According to a new study, the global blockchain game market could reach $363.20 billion by 2027 and grow at an annual rate of 8.76% between 2024 and 2027. Developers and gaming companies are burning the midnight oil developing platforms and crypto gaming infrastructure valued at billions of dollars.
However, the potential for gamers to win prizes is the main driving force behind the market growth. The following is our comprehensive list of crypto games where players have the highest chance of obtaining rewards like money, NFTs, and in-game items like skins, avatars, weapons, and other valuable stuff.
How to Pick the Best Crypto P2e Games for You
There are hundreds of crypto games in the market, and hundreds of others are still in development, which means gamers may have a dilemma in choosing the best ones. Since you need to read the fine print to understand the finer details before you jump in, some important factors to consider include the following:
Decide your goal – Crypto, NFTs, or both: Every play-to-earn game rewards players with coins, NFTs, or specific in-game items or cryptocurrency. Some games offer rewards in popular cryptocurrencies – if you’re a newbie, it’s essential to understand how you will get rewarded.
The ease of cashing your reward: While many crypto games are built on popular blockchains like Polygon or Ethereum, converting rewards into cash or a popular coin may take work. Take the time to understand how you’ll be able to utilize your earnings in the real world.
The investment amount required: While some crypto play-to-earn games are free, starting in others requires purchasing a cryptocurrency starter pack. Others may be free to register, but you’ll be required to spend to access premium play-to-earn levels. Since the amounts may vary, ensure you’re comfortable with the necessary amount.
Leading Blockchain Games
If you’ve decided to engage in crypto games, the next logical step is to select one that aligns with your price point and interests. Since finding the best blockchain game from over 400 active ones, we list our handpicked selection among the leading ones.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a popular play-to-earn game that allows gamers to breed battle and trade digital creatures called Axies, all of which have distinct traits, abilities, and characteristics, making them highly collectible NFTs. Players can earn Sweet Love Portion (SLP) tokens in the battles where they triumph. Gamers can also earn AXS, the platform’s native token – they can use this ERC-20 token to buy within the game. Moreover, users can also stake their AXS tokens and get a chance to earn passive income.
2025 Updates: In 2025, Axie Infinity users can expect new updates, such as improved land gameplay, that will allow them to build, farm, and develop their virtual plots of land for more strategic advantages. Moreover, the development of new NFT characters with expanded abilities will allow for more personalized gameplay, with updates aimed at maintaining the game’s freshness.
The Sandbox
The Sandbox is a metaverse-based play-to-earn game that uses a model where user-generated content is king. Gamers can earn crypto rewards when they create, share, and monetize their content, and just like Decentraland, users can get their rewards in the form of NFTs representing in-game assets. The content gamers can create includes items, buildings, or land. With many brands like Gucci, Samsung, Adidas, and HSBC acquiring land in the Sandbox where they build projects, getting a chance to earn SAND tokens is worthwhile.
2025 Updates: The 2025 Sandbox experience will include newer collaborations integrating big brands and IPs joining its Metaverse. Players can look forward to new in-game assets such as advanced avatars, exclusive experiences, and interactive items. The Sandbox has embraced the growing trend of offering improved user-generated content that supports more sophisticated creators in developing richer interactive worlds.
Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained, the next on our list of the best crypto games, is a tactical trading card game (TCG) in which players use their NFT cards in multiplayer battles. The game draws inspiration from games like Magic but provides a fresh dimension—an intricate economy and player ownership through the play-to-earn concept. Gods Unchained, a pioneer blockchain game, has recently been trending and is celebrated, especially in the Web3 community.
2025 Updates: In 2025, Gods Unchain will introduce extra game mechanics to offer newer game modes and deeper strategies. Player rewards are also poised to expand to include more significant participant incentives. Moreover, the developers plan on adding more card sets and several limited-edition game releases for fresh opportunities for competitors and collectors.
Decentraland
Decentraland is a virtual reality game developed on the Ethereum network that allows players to explore, own, and trade real estate virtually. Players can create and interact with each other on their virtual pieces of land through a dynamic metaverse experience. The earning potential for the crypto P2E game surrounds selling and leasing virtual properties. Builders and creators can earn money by designing properties and virtual environments or hosting paid virtual events. Some creative entrepreneurs launch businesses and in-game services and generate income from metaverse-based transactions.
2025 Updates: The Decentraland will introduce new opportunities for entrepreneurs and creators in 2025. Introducing improved development tools that enable developers to create interactive experiences and intricate designs will empower players with more opportunities to build and monetize virtual games and experiences with the potential for partnerships with leading brands.
Illuvium
Created on the Ethereum blockchain, Illuvium is a 3D RPG game involving auto-battle gameplay. The game’s primary task consists of completing conquests, winning battles, and upgrading and receiving rewards in ILV tokens. Players can collect and use their skills to upgrade Illuvial, an NFT creature, to win battles. Gamers can use the NFT Illuvials or their in-game items to trade in the Illuvium marketplace besides making real-work money like in NFT games.
2025 Updates: Illuvium plans to expand the existing features to include additional Illuvial species, along with distinct abilities that will increase the size of exploration zones. The game developers also plan to introduce enhanced staking opportunities so players can earn passive income. You can also look for new character releases to refresh the game further.
How Profitable Are Play-to-earn Games?
Crypto games integrate the fun of video games with the potential to earn tangible rewards for the time you spend playing. While there may not be what you may call “typical earnings,” and the return on investment may vary based on different variables and dynamics, play-to-earn games are a good way to gain from the blockchain, Web3, and the Metaverse. Watching the trends on DappRadar and CoinMarketCap offers excellent insights and sufficient evidence that getting involved in gaming can be worthwhile.
Conclusion
Our list of the best crypto play-to-earn games with a good earning potential isn’t exclusive because hundreds of similar games are still being developed. Every game comes with its unique mechanics and earning opportunity. Whether you’re targeting collectibles or crypto funds, most players’ most significant motivating factor is how these games integrate entertainment and the possibility of making a profit. If you love the thrill associated with P2E crypto games, you need to stay updated with regular developments and industry trends to remain updated. It’s possible to unlock profitable opportunities by engaging with these games strategically and remaining a part of the rapidly evolving world of crypto.
