As the gaming community continues to rise, cryptocurrency and blockchain have opened a whole new world of limitless possibilities for gamers and developers to experience. Although gamers can earn a living by playing games, you might not have thought it could be done this way. With the refinement of blockchain technology, crypto games have become a reality. These games allow players to gain true ownership of all of their in-game assets, allowing them to sell and trade these items across the digital world.
While a vast library of such games does not exist, these games are easily the future of videogames and they will help shape the gaming community in the next few years. That being said, here are some of the top upcoming play-to-earn games you should definitely look forward to!
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is one of the more popular games, available on PC, Android, iOS, and Mac. revolving around an in-game currency named SLP. This currency, as expected of NFT games, is convertible to real-life cash. And while that may sound great, how exactly does Axie Infinity fare as a game?
For starters, the game has a lot of things to offer. Axie Infinity is a play-to-earn, blockchain, and NFT-utilizing online game. And though that may seem a bit confusing, it is actually quite straightforward— you can earn money from playing it. With the overview out of the way, let’s dive in and see what the gameplay is like.
Axie Infinity’s gameplay is similar to the Pokemon games, except with card-based mechanics. In fact, we suggest trying out the game yourself, to develop a better understanding of the game. Moreover, the game currently has two modes: adventure mode and PvP mode.
In adventure mode, players are pitted against the standard AI-based enemies. Players are allowed to clear each level and proceed to the next one, just like Candy Crush. With each victory, the Axies gain a set amount of EXP, making them stronger with time. Likewise, players will have to replay previous stages and become more powerful before beating a tougher level.
Just like many other mobile games, players have a limited amount of energy points to spend in-game. As of right now, the game offers a measly 20-energy points to utilize in either Adventure mode or PvP mode. A single match costs 1 energy point, giving you a total of 20 matches per day. And although you can exceed the 20-match limit, the game just does not allow you to gain EXP from your matches. However, players can still continue playing and earn more Smooth Love Potions (SLP) — the currency that can be converted into real-life money.
When it comes to Axie Infinity’s PvP mode, the game can see a lot of resemblance with the traditional Pokemon TCG. Each Axie can be equipped with four unique skills, and each team can have a total of three Axies. At the beginning of each round, randomly selected cards from the Axies are dealt with the players. Following that, the entire strategy of the game lies within the players’ hands. The first player to defeat the opponent’s Axies will be crowned victorious. Needless to say, the game isn’t as binary as it may seem. It requires strategizing and appropriate utilization of skills and status ailments.
All in all, the PvP experience for Axie Infinity is just as competitive as any other online title. The more you practice and study the game, the better you get at clearing stages and defeating other players.
Alas, the game could use some improvements to the servers sector. Players have recently been experiencing problems from server slowdowns to the servers completely shutting down. In the occurrence of such issues, players end up losing the games and the energy spent is not refunded. Therefore, losing such games can result in a lack of SLP generated. That being said, if the developer team manages to resolve these concerns, Axie Infinity could easily see even more success than it currently does.
Website - https://axieinfinity.com/
Token name(s) - SLP, AXS
Blockchain - Ethereum
Illuvium
Illuvium is another NFT-based blockchain game, that claims to become the very first AAA game in its niche. Though we’ve heard many companies make such claims, Illuvium seems to be backing them quite well. In less than 6 months of the official announcement, the game has managed to get over 100,00 subscribers on Discord. And in just 6 months, the ILV token has skyrocketed from USD 30 to a whopping USD $1 100 in value. But despite all the hype surrounding the game, let’s take a look at what Illuvium brings to the table.
The game is currently scheduled to release in Q1 2022 in an open-beta phase, bearing in mind the delay it experienced from Q3 2021 this year. Considering there isn’t much footage available to go by, we can expect even further delays from the development team.
Looking at the details, Illuvium seems to have a partial free-to-play status. Each region will have a different degree of difficulty, even though many regions will not have access to the game, to begin with. For free-to-play users, the game will seemingly feature a Tier 0 realm, allowing you to understand and experience what Illuvium has to offer. And even in realm 0, players will be allowed to mine for free shards, making it possible to get most of the standard Illuvials in the game.
But, in order to hit Tier 1 and unlock other regions, players will have to pay a certain amount of Ethereum (ETH). Players can go up to a max of Tier 5.
Illuvium’s premise is a bit fascinating. While traversing through the galaxy, your space fleet experiences some issues and ends up crash landing onto an unknown, post-cataclysmic planet. The planet has mainly been devoured by the ocean and what little land remains keep getting affected by natural disasters. If that wasn’t enough, you discover giant obelisks obstructing access to other regions. As a player, your objective would be to discover the history of the cataclysm, as well as the previous inhabitants who placed the obelisks.
For players to achieve this goal, they must search the land for Shards and mine them. The Shards will, therefore, help players capture Illuvials and allow them to use them in their armies. These Illuvials can be seen as god-like creatures similar to Pokemon, excluding the childish premise those games possess. After joining the game, players will be prompted to create their own character, with a moderate amount of customization options to utilize.
Website - https://illuvium.io/
Token name - ILV
Blockchain - Ethereum
Star Atlas
Star Atlas is a massively multiplayer online game, set in the year 2620. The game places the players in a gargantuan intergalactic world, with the universe being split into three main factions — the humans, the aliens, and the androids. Each faction will have its own specified territories, and you can become part of them.
In essence, this blockchain-enabled title can seem very similar to the likes of No Man’s Sky and EVE Online. Equally enough, the game features open-world mechanics, enabling players to traverse through the beautiful yet ethereal galaxy. Players can explore new planets, interact with other players, or form parties to clear different missions in Star Atlas.
Star Atlas comes with several modes of play, giving players the option to experience the game as per their preferences. The versatility of this game makes it extremely compelling to play, even if the majority prefers the generic fantasy, sci-fi experience. As a player, you will have the option to become a war strategist, a space explorer, or simply invest an immense amount of time into the space-flight simulation. Needless to say, each of these modes is promised to be refined enough to compete with the top AAA titles.
As for the game’s currencies, Star Atlas has quite a few. However, the most important currency is easily ATLAS. This currency serves as the primary medium for players to interact with the in-game economy. Interestingly, each item bought within the game is entitled to be an NFT. Therefore, all of such in-game valuables will have real-world value, making it possible to conduct transactions for fiat currencies. ATLAS can be used for buying/selling in-game items such as ships, weapons, armors, ores, and much more. Trading will be done through a peer-to-peer (P2P) transaction system.
Another currency worth noting is POLIS. POLIS serves as the standard in-game token, allowing players to access the game’s governance network in general. This token is primarily used for political reasons in-game, making it possible for certain players to seize control over each region/faction. These leaders can then impose a new set of rules, and perhaps even approximate the taxes as well.
Website - https://staratlas.com/
Token name(s) - ATLAS, POLIS
Blockchain - Solana
Crazy Defense Heroes
Crazy Defense Heroes is a Tower-defense game, available to play on mobile devices. The game features outstanding graphics, addicting gameplay, all while being blockchain-enabled. The game is developed by Animoca brands, a development team valued at over $1 billion.
Crazy Defense Heroes is planning to bring the next-generation upgrades to the game’s system, allowing players to earn in-game items in the shape and form of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT). This will enable players to gain ownership of all items they possess, making it possible to transact them in all types of NFT marketplaces. Currently, most games do not allow selling in-game possessions. And if players are found to sell entire accounts to other users, chances are they will get banned for a lifetime. However, once this new system is integrated, the rising genre of “Play-to-Earn” games will become a reality.
Looking at the game itself, the objective of Crazy Defense Heroes is to create strategies and place towers to defend your base, preventing each enemy minion to pass through the gates. Each match consumes an energy point after clearing a level, with a regeneration rate of one energy point per nine minutes.
Players will start their tower-defense journey following the map named Greenwood. This map is currently divided into 30 stages. Clearing these stages and leveling up will allow players to unlock more maps and islands. With the completion of each map, the players will be tasked with defeating a specified boss enemy.
Apart from this side of the campaign, players can also partake in different ongoing raids, giving players the opportunity to gain unique and limited-time rewards from the game. These Raids are refreshed and updated every day, providing a distinct variety of content for the players to enjoy.
The game’s mechanics revolve around three card types — Tower cards, Spell cards, and Hero cards. All such cards require a set amount of mana to consume, which can then be replenished by defeating waves of enemy monsters. Nevertheless, each card type fulfills a different role.
Tower Cards — are deployed on the map for obstructing enemy minions, with each Tower card dealing a different type of damage (single-target, AOE, etc.)
Spell Cards — used for casting a temporary ability to either defend your base or ambush the enemy team.
Hero Cards — can be deployed anywhere on the map, fighting for your team, and can also faint. These cards can also be revived at the spot they died.
Website: https://www.crazydefenseheroes.com/
Token name: Tower
Blockchain: Ethereum
The Sandbox
Possibly one of the most exciting upcoming games, The Sandbox is a blockchain-enabled game with immersive and interactive gameplay, encouraging players to design and tailor their own adventure, all while monetizing it with the game’s cryptocurrency. The Sandbox will be based on Ethereum (ETH), giving players the freedom to buy, sell, and trade their in-game assets in the form of NFT. Not only does this allow each player to earn some money, but it also gives the player base true ownership to each of their possessions.
All transactions in Sandbox are dealt with the game’s currency called SAND. And given the appropriate amounts of SAND, players can buy virtual assets such as land, build unique worlds, interact with other players and communities, while also trading other assets in the Sandbox marketplace.
The Sandbox features more of an ecosystem than a run-of-the-mill game. It offers a virtual metaverse, where players from across the globe can co-exist and interact with each other. The game is currently equipped with three main tools: Voxedit, GameMaker, and Marketplace. Going by order, Voxedit allows players to create their own assets, avatars, characters, and much more. GameMaker, then, enables players to export and place these created assets on their LANDs. Following that, if players wish to sell off each asset, then the Marketplace would be their go-to. These valuables can either be bought, sold, or traded as NFTs.
As mentioned before, the in-game currency in the Sandbox is known as SAND and it is probably the most vital part of the game. SAND is an ERC-20 utility token, making it usable for every kind of transaction in the Sandbox. Hence, Sandbox also tends to function as a governance token, making it possible for players to implement decisions that affect the entire metaverse and its regulations. As the game features its own cryptocurrency, on leaving the game, a player can recover their investments simply by selling off their assets and converting the accumulated SAND into real-world cash.
Website - https://www.sandbox.game/en/
Token name - SAND
Blockchain - Ethereum
Evolution Land
Evolution Land is quite similar to the Sandbox, making it a virtual simulative blockchain title, but with cross-chain interactions enabled. The game is planned to have roughly 26 continents by its end, with each continent based in different public chains. As of right now, Evolution Land has four continents built, with each deployed on Tron (Byzantine) and Ethereum (Atlantis), Heco (Dawning) and Polygon (Eden).
The game’s governance parameters and taxes will be set and changed by the player base. Overall, players will be encouraged to buy and sell their land, while hiring apostles to extract valuable materials, perform construction work, and craft in-game equipment. These apostles can be improved and upgraded using talents and powerful gear. The available career choices include warrior, architect, musician, doctor, miner, and much more.
Moving on, each continent is planned to evolve and become an independent country, giving the game an extra bit of complexity. Trading will be possible between each nation, and war is also a huge possibility. Either way, any type of interaction amongst the nations will be accomplished through the Darwinia Network — the game’s cross-chain technology.
Evolution Land focuses on several elements of gameplay. From management and collection to war, education, and auction. And interestingly, players will be able to experience each element evolve with the passage of time. Unlike other games, Evolution Land and its logic will be written in smart contracts and then deployed onto different blockchains. The game will have no black boxes, allowing the players to craft their own UI and interact with the game. Fungible and Non-Fungible Tokens, both types will be used extensively throughout the game, making everything in-game truly owned by the players.
Website - https://www.evolution.land/
Token name(s) - RING, KTON
Blockchain - Ethereum, Tron, Polygon
Which PlayToEarn games are you looking most forward to? Feel free to discuss it with us on Twitter!
Disclaimer: This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.