With the advancement of Web3, the internet is changing rapidly and gaming is evolving alongside it. As GameFi takes over the future of gaming, opportunities abound for gamers to earn from a variety of different metaverse games. Here, we’re going to look over 7 of the best play to earn crypto games, what their future looks like, and how much success each is projected to enjoy over the next few years. With P2E becoming the standard of metaverse gaming, it’s time to find out how you can earn as part of the incoming GameFi boom!
7 Best Play to Earn Crypto Games
Many existing playto earn games felt the shockwaves of the great crypto crash of 2022, seeing the value of their proprietary tokens fall along with game popularity. However, now that the crash is behind us, many of the best play to earn crypto games should see steady gains.
Metacade (MCADE) – Community Organized GameFi Hub
Decentraland (MANA) – Virtual Land Builder
Illuvium (ILV) – 3D RPG Open World
Spider Tank – Team PvP Brawler
Gods Unchained (GODS) – Digital Trading Card Game
Axie Infinity (AXS) – Creature Collection Game
Star Atlas (ATLAS) – MMORPG Battle Game
Metacade (MCADE) – Community Organized GameFi Hub
Metacade is a Web3 arcade that’s establishing itself as the premier GameFi hub in the metaverse. Interestingly, the platform isn’t a single game but a hub to host a whole suite of games.
With its presale and whitepaper released in November of 2022, the completely decentralized crypto arcade’s development will be driven by its community, putting the future of gaming directly into the hands of gamers themselves. Using this method of community development, Metacade’s direction will be chosen by its users, who will be able to vote not only on what games rise to the top of the leaderboard but on what games actually get developed.
Users will decide which game developers will receive grants, known as Metagrants, to be able to take their games from idea to reality. This cuts out the large production companies who have served as the gatekeepers of the gaming universe, allowing developers and players to keep more of the lionshare of money that typically goes to advertisers and promoters. As a result, the platform will be packed with games that genuinely pique people’s interest and that gamers truly want to play.
As a newcomer to the list of best play to earn games, Metacade managed to dodge the recent crypto crash. So while other games’ tokens have seen their value drop, Metacade is just getting started. And as it establishes itself as one of the best play to earn games, Metacade is poised to become a top GameFi hub in the metaverse. With such a bold idea and so much potential, it’s our top choice for play-to-earn games.
>>> You can participate in the Metacade pre-sale here <<<
2. Decentraland (MANA) – Virtual Land Builder
As an early metaverse space, Decentraland has established itself as one of the best play to earn crypto games since it was opened to the public in 2020. At the time its popularity, and the value of its token, MANA, skyrocketed. Users flooded into its virtual world to purchase plots of digital land, build, create, and buy and sell their completely customizable goods. The ability to create their own unique world inside this virtual one drew many users, and drove the value of the digital land plots to new heights.
Unfortunately, the crypto crash has erased much of that value, which in turn has driven users away from the game while prices struggle to readjust within the game itself. The idea of a completely customizable digital space was a unique and innovative idea, and Decentraland has proved to a large audience that decentralized metaverse spaces can become profitable ones in a short amount of time. As such, Decentraland will be known as one of the first and best play to earn crypto games in the burgeoning metaverse.
3. Illuvium (ILV) – 3D RPG Open World
As a Pokemon-like metaverse game, Illuvium offers players the chance to purchase and collect NFT creatures called Illuvials. Each Illuvial has a different skillset and can be customized and upgraded. Players complete quests and battle other players’ Illuvials for rewards of ILV tokens. Both Illuvials and other in-game items can be traded between players using real-world money.
By combining both the open-world exploration of a Decentraland and a battle-inspired RPG, Illuvium has risen up the ranks of best play to earn crypto games. However Illuvium has also suffered from bad timing, being released just before the 2022 crash, which has wiped out most of the value of its ILV tokens. While it should gain in coming years, the rebound will be slower than most new play to earn games.
4. Spider Tank – Team PvP Brawler
Spider Tank is a free-to-play brawler with multiple in-game purchases that pits teams of 3 players against each other in epic tank battles. While it is free to get started, to really compete players need to purchase one of the upgraded tank NFTs and upgraded parts for it. Competing in tank battles can earn rewards from a variety of game mode options. Each game mode presents different strategic and team rewards, keeping the game fresh.
Spider Tank is a bit of a different take on metaverse games as the tanks themselves serve as valuable NFTs instead of a token coin. This makes it harder to track just how much value one holds as the tank prices aren’t listed on crypto exchanges the way tokens are. As of this writing, the average value of a Spider Tank NFT was $434, showing how digital assest in some of the best play to earn crypto games can reach valuable heights.
5. Gods Unchained (GODS) – Digital Trading Card Game
Gods Unchained is another unique addition to the list of best play to earn games, as it brings an old-school trading card feel into the future of the metaverse. Players purchase, collect, trade, and battle against other players using their collection of cards. They can earn the native Gods Unchained token, GODS, with which they can then upgrade their cards or sell.
While a relatively simple concept, the game may be too intensive and esoteric for casual fans. Complaints have already come in that it costs too much time and money to be able to upgrade or collect the rarest cards which hold the most value. This makes Gods Unchained a limited playing opportunity less attractive to the broader gaming community. That being said, users have proven that it can be a source of fun and an income boost if you dedicate yourself to it. Unfortunately its token has also fallen prey to the crypto crash, making this play to earn metaverse game best suited for serious players.
6. Axie Infinity (AXS) – Creature Collection Game
This game quickly became the most popular of the best play to earn crypto games after its release, becoming the first NFT based game to reach $1 billion in sales on August 8th, 2021. In the game, players purchase, battle, and breed creatures known as “Axies” with the chance to earn rare and valuable Axies. Because of their value, Axies became popular NFTs to own for gamers and investors alike.
Axie Infinity was a harbinger of things to come as a source of investment opportunity, really putting play to earn crypto games on the map. While its token, AXS, is still among the most valuable, its price point has dropped dramatically both because of the crypto crash and the waning popularity of the game itself. Axie Infinity is sure to go down in history as one of the first and best play to earn games, and has shown how profitable P2E can be. Although it’s still a hot spot, newer games have become better investing opportunities.
7. Star Atlas (ATLAS) – MMORPG Battle Game
The last of the best play to earn games is the MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) Star Atlas. This game offers a gigantic multiplayer metaverse where players must choose between one of three unique factions, battling for control of territory and resources. This game combines the extensive world of an MMORPG with the earning opportunity of GameFi NFTs, allowing players the chance to earn as they engage in combat, crafting, and guild warfare.
Players influence the outcome of battles and explore the sci-fi universe for in-game resources that have real world value. This gives fans of MMORPGs the ability to play one of their favorite types of games with the opportunity to earn from their gaming skills. While a unique idea, Star Atlas has suffered from poor timing, colliding with the crypto crash to decimate the value of their tokens. Still, their initial success demonstrates how newer games with a unique and focused idea can rise solidly over time.
Conclusion – GameFi is Expanding, Don’t Miss Out
The Web3 gaming space is poised and ready to go big. With that in mind, now’s the time to get in on the ground floor with so much potential growth available. Right now, play to earn crypto games offer a variety of gameplay options and investment opportunities. From card trading games, creature battling games, and MMORPG games, there’s no limit on what the future of the GameFi metaverse will be.
Some of these games have most likely already seen their heyday or are best suited to serious players. However, others are just getting started and will branch out into a whole new universe with the opportunity to reach new heights of value as they develop. Among these, Metacade has our attention and everyone else’s for that matter.
The Metacade platform has real potential for bringing new and unique earning abilities for serious and casual gamers alike. With its community-focused, multi-game platform, Metacade could become the leader of the pack. The combination of community building, Metagrants, and hosting a range of games is innovative and expected to bring in and keep players around. With that in mind, it’s all eyes on MCADE and yours ought to be as well.
You can participate in the Metacade pre-sale here.
Disclaimer: Insights provided by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of BanklessTimes.