Why Play to Earn Games Flock to Metaverse Experiences

Play to earn games come in many genres – racers, puzzles, e-sports, RPG. A class of projects aims to have an immersive 3D experience at its center. Metaverse games are also employing the sandbox model of free building and content creation, possibly putting in the beginnings of a Web3 environment. 

Why Metaverse Games Turned Successful

At the basis of metaverse blockchain games is the digital land plot. The idea of owning something non-physical, but still valuable, has been tried out for years among blockchain and crypto projects. The first products around that concept appeared only in the past year or two, starting with Decentraland, The Sandbox and becoming a staple in many P2E games. 

The metaverse extended the hype on social media, and moved the community into a new environment. The games carried an element of familiarity, sometimes using the Minecraft frame to offer special features. Free creativity available in sandbox games soon attracted not only players but also corporate brands and a list of celebrities. 

Even games that started off as simpler adventures attempt to build a digital map and create landmarks. A map is a source of value, because each plot is scarce and unique. It can also be a source of passive earnings from the game, as for instance in buying racing tracks, battle arenas or mining spots. 

Resource Games and the Metaverse

Games like Mobox mix the resource-gathering model with metaverse locations. Resource gathering, treasure hunts, quests, or casual gameplay is often the first stage in P2E game creation, since it is relatively easy to implement and has mass appeal. 

But building a map with exclusive rights generates more complexity. Owning a part of the game also incentivizes users to stick around, especially important for early-stage projects. Some games even use the sale of land as a sort of bootstrapping, as well as a marketing tool. Games like My Neighbor Alice, NFT Worlds and The Sandbox sold land plots sometimes before coming up with a playable version. 

So, What is an NFT, Really

An NFT stands for non-fungible token, and it is a technology that brings value to digital land. Blockchains like Ethereum allowed the creation of records that could designate a specific asset. The resulting token was very versatile – it could be held safely for the long term, could be bought, sold and resold. 

The ability to create a tool to transfer value meant the metaverse was more than a digital playground. 

Digital land was especially suited to trade as an NFT. The use case works to show that an NFT is much more than a fad-driven avatar. Digital ownership could evolve – a plot in the game could be developed with items, buildings and become an attractive spot for events. 

Are All Metaverses Made Equal

The metaverse trend swept through P2E games. But not all metaverses are made equal. To fulfill the Web3 vision, metaverse projects had to work hard with promotions and events. 

Success stories came for projects that managed to offer a light 3D immersive experience, compatible with most hardware. Social media promotion and community events also populated the games. 

At the other end of the spectrum were projects that sold land plots, but only as a promise, with nothing happening in that digital metaverse. It is still early to say if those projects would sink or swim. But the longer the model is around, the more chance it will have of appealing to players and becoming one of the common types of game experience.

How to Start with Metaverse Games

Most metaverse games have a web-based version, offering immediate access to their world. Some are free to play, while others will award tokens to early testers. The Sandbox game is one opportunity to earn SAND tokens for early testing. 

To join a game, it is necessary to download and launch a cryptocurrency wallet such as MetaMask. The games will prompt users to connect a wallet so they can receive rewards. It is best to always visit bookmarked versions of games, to avoid connecting a wallet to a fake site. 

One does not need to be a crypto enthusiast to join P2E games. In 2022, swapping assets has been simplified as much as possible. Buying a starting sum of crypto tokens, such as ETH, BNB, MATIC and others is possible with a debit card from most locations. Games can also be started in free mode before investing more tokens or buying digital land. 

P2E is a new sector of gaming, often met with skepticism. But it is also a try-and-fail, growth stage environment which can produce game hits or a new platform for content.

Game mentions are not investment advice. Holding any digital asset contains market risk and technical risk of loss. Do your own research before starting a P2E blockchain game.