Top 11 Play-to-Earn Games for Earning Real Money

2026-02-08 22:04:48
Blockchain
GameFi
Gaming
NFTs
Web 3.0
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Discover the top play-to-earn games in 2024 that transform gaming into real income opportunities. This comprehensive guide explores how blockchain-based P2E games reward players with cryptocurrency and NFTs through gameplay. From Splinterlands' card battles to The Sandbox's creative metaverse and Chainmonsters' monster-catching mechanics, learn which games offer the best earning potential. The article analyzes 11 leading titles, explaining their earning mechanisms, blockchain foundations, and player rewards. Whether you're seeking free entry games like Crypto Royale or exploring premium options like Axie Infinity, discover how to monetize in-game assets on Gate exchange. Understand earning risks, investment requirements, and withdrawal strategies. Perfect for both crypto enthusiasts and traditional gamers seeking legitimate play-to-earn opportunities in 2024's expanding gaming economy.
Top 11 Play-to-Earn Games for Earning Real Money

Play-to-Earn: A Revolutionary Model for Gaming Income

With the emergence of the cryptocurrency world, the appeal of play-to-earn games has significantly increased. Many early Internet users wondered whether they could play free online games to earn money, and it turns out they can.

This unique play-to-earn gaming model is designed for adults for legal reasons and rewards participants with virtual currency for playing specific games. One of the most popular blockchain games currently is Axie Infinity, where players must build a collection of Axies, which are in-game NFT creatures. Considering the total value of in-game assets, Axie Infinity has a market capitalization worth over $3 billion.

However, it's important to remember that while earning money from games is not a myth, most of these play-to-earn games are not entirely free. Axie Infinity requires three NFT Axies to start playing, and NFT prices have risen along with the game's popularity.

The best incentive to play any of these games is that your in-game assets are registered on the blockchain and are actually NFTs. These items are useful if you want to play the game, but you'll most likely also be able to find buyers for them quite easily if you ever decide you no longer want to play.

That's why NFT and blockchain games can be excellent investment options and sources of income. This model allows players to receive compensation in virtual currency and play free online games to earn money. With the prospect of the upcoming metaverse, we expect to see even more games emerge.

1. Splinterlands

Splinterlands is one of the best play-to-earn games available. Formerly known as Steem Monsters, it exists on the Hive blockchain and belongs to the card game genre. Splinterlands is a game where players battle monsters for in-game rewards.

The Splinterlands platform allows card game enthusiasts to earn rewards. It's available on both mobile devices and desktop computers, and currently features over 500 cards in the game (with more constantly being added), which players can combine to upgrade their characters' abilities and make them stronger.

Seven metrics are used to determine a player's skills: speed and armor, mana cost, and various types of attacks, including melee, ranged, and magic. Splinterlands is divided into different "factions," also known as "Splinters." Each card belongs to one faction:

  • Fire
  • Earth
  • Dragon
  • Death
  • Life
  • Water
  • Neutral

In Splinterlands, there are many rare items, abilities, and ways to gain an advantage over others.

Splinterlands offers a wide range of in-game activities in which players can participate to earn rewards every day. There are many forms of gameplay, including quests, ranked play, and tournaments.

The game allows participation at multiple levels. Players can earn card packs, rare and magic elixirs, as well as the rarest item - digital currency, which is used to purchase in-game items.

Splinterlands players can use cards to level up, rent cards from other players, or exchange their cards for various cryptocurrencies. This makes it possible to earn money by playing.

2. Chainmonsters

Chainmonsters is an exciting cross-platform online game that allows players to battle, trade, and catch digital monsters in a massive open-world multiplayer environment.

The game combines traditional gameplay mechanics with new features made possible through integration with the Flow blockchain. All NFTs are owned by users, and only they have exclusive control over them.

The game's creators chose Flow because they believe it's the best solution for next-generation applications and games. Flow's main design principles are both consumer-oriented and developer-friendly, making this blockchain network highly scalable and a platform for global brands such as UFC, Warner Music Group, Dr. Seuss, NBA, and Ubisoft.

Chainmonsters aims to create long-term partnerships and build a large-scale player-driven economy. Since 2022, the game has been in beta version, with access only available to wallets with valid Access tokens.

As players embark on an epic journey, they are constantly connected to the blockchain. Every Chainmonsters digital asset exists on the Flow blockchain.

There are 135 different Chainmons available to catch in the game, but each has different strengths. Their power is determined by their individual characteristics. Each Chainmon's serial number depends on how many players have caught it. It can also be seen in three different visual variants:

  • Normal
  • Shadow
  • Crystal

There are 600 crystal Chainmons in the game, making them rare and desirable NFT collectibles.

In-game digital items, such as costumes, can be tokenized and traded for Chainmons.

3. Gods Unchained

Gods Unchained represents one of the popular options if you want to play free online games to earn money. It's a card game that you can play for free and earn virtual currency. It was first announced in 2018, when developers sold millions of mystical cards and raised $15 million in a Series A funding round.

The game's native token is GODS, which also functions as a payment option throughout the game. The unique value of rare cards is that they can be exchanged for GODS cryptocurrency, which can then be converted to cash. Because players have full control over the assets they acquire over time, this model provides greater incentive to play.

With more players and greater sales each month, it's rapidly gaining popularity. The team behind the game has done an excellent job promoting it through tournaments and ranked events. They plan to release a mobile version, which will allow them to reach more people worldwide. Gods Unchained NFTs were released on Ethereum Layer 2.

Gods Unchained offers players the opportunity to earn money by playing and trading cards during gameplay, making it a great option if you want to play free online games to earn extra income.

4. Coin Hunt World

Coin Hunt World incorporates elements from various popular online games and combines them into one cryptocurrency game.

Coin Hunt World is very similar to Pokémon Go and encourages players to go outside and explore the world. It uses the user's location, and instead of chasing new Pokémon, players can capture Bitcoins.

The cryptocurrency you find in Coin Hunt World can be used in various trading applications and exchanged for real money.

How to play Coin Hunt World? Simply download the app to your device and start searching for treasures hidden on the map. During the hunt, you'll be able to play mini-games, meet new people, and earn Bitcoins. You can even acquire NFTs from selected locations, allowing you to secure exclusive pieces of Coin Hunt World history.

Players must find keys to vaults while exploring the real world. Players will answer questions that appear each time a vault is discovered. The user will be rewarded if they answer correctly within a specified time.

Users are currently rewarded with real Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as crafting items and avatar skins, which will soon be available as NFTs.

Coin Hunt World is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. iOS users living in other countries awaiting the premiere have access to daily questions.

The map shows specific places and objects scattered around the globe. You just need to enter the game and start hunting.

5. The Sandbox

The Sandbox is a play-to-earn game that uses blockchain technology, DeFi, and NFTs to create a 3D metaverse. The virtual world allows players to customize and create their own games and digital assets using free design tools. The game can be perceived as a DeFi version of Minecraft on the blockchain.

You can monetize the virtual goods you create using NFTs and sell them on the Sandbox marketplace for SAND tokens, the game's cryptocurrency. SAND is used for all transactions and interactions in the game. You can earn it by participating in contests or buying it on cryptocurrency exchanges. To access various games, environments, and hubs in Sandbox, players must create their avatars.

The Sandbox was originally a mobile gaming platform designed to compete with Minecraft. The game proved to be a huge success and has been downloaded over 40 million times worldwide.

In 2018, Arthur Madrid and Sebastien Bourget, co-founders of the application, decided to explore the possibility of creating a 3D metaverse using blockchain technology. They want users to own their creations and receive NFT rewards for participating in the ecosystem. The Sandbox project, which launched in 2020, has become one of the most popular cryptocurrency games, competing in popularity with Axie Infinity and Decentraland.

In November 2021, the Sandbox team received $93 million in funding from SoftBank, a Japanese mobile industry company. The game has attracted over 50 partners, including Atari, the well-known gaming company, CryptoKitties, The Walking Dead, and rapper Snoop Dogg.

6. DeFi Degen Land

DeFi Degen Land is an online metaverse where users can interact with the blockchain within the game. NFTs, digital asset ownership, voice chat, blockchain interactivity, and the play-to-earn model are part of the metaverse.

The main goal of this metaverse is to combine gamification and DeFi. Soon this metaverse will become accessible to players, allowing them to network in-game, own their own items, earn money online, and use in-game NFTs. The metaverse will make it easy and enjoyable for new users to familiarize themselves with DeFi.

In DeFi Degen Land, you can send and receive data via the blockchain, which opens up a world of possibilities for future development and updates.

The game is based on the BSC blockchain and offers basic features:

  • Blockchain interaction
  • Ownership rights to items
  • Playing online games and earning rewards
  • Using NFTs in-game
  • Voice chat

7. Crypto Royale

Crypto Royale is another play-to-earn game that can be played without any upfront investment. It runs in a browser, and players must compete with each other to win cryptocurrencies.

Crypto Royale allows users to enter the battlefield and win cryptocurrencies. Users are represented by moons, which can be different colors (blue, yellow, or pink). Crypto Royale is based on the Harmony blockchain, and the project's native cryptocurrency is ROY, which is an HRC-20 token.

Every day, over 1,000 players fight for ROY. To win the reward, a player must be the last person standing on the battlefield. A player's character can be represented by three moons (blue, yellow, or pink). Collecting boxes on the battlefield can cause colors to change. They should be used to increase the player's power, gain an advantage over the opponent, and win.

Each player can adopt their own style, which often becomes their signature trait. Regardless of the strategy used by the player or opponent, there's always an external force that adds pressure to the gameplay. While going outside in the darkness can cause health to drop, items located outside can often lead you to victory. Timing and position are key elements of player skill.

8. Worldwide Webb: An Interesting Game to Earn Money

Worldwide Webb is an interoperable metaverse and MMORPG game that provides tools for popular NFT projects. NFTs are used to create avatars, pets, lands, items, and quests. A group of core cryptocurrency creators, artists, coders, and marketers implemented the game, guided by a build-first mentality. They are rapidly developing new technologies and applications.

The Worldwide Webb ecosystem includes lands owned and controlled by NFT token holders. These in-game areas can be used for social events. The quest builder allows for the creation of custom smart contracts and the sale of your art.

The main feature of Worldwide Webb is the ability to own NFT avatars and profile pictures from OpenSea projects. When it comes to avatars, the game is integrated with Cryptopunks, KaijuKingz, and CyberKongz. Pets are represented by NFT collections PunkCats and Cypher City Pets.

Players will find skill-based mini-games, numerous prize contests, and generous freebies here. As new features develop, players expect new ways to earn real money from the game.

9. Nine Chronicles

Nine Chronicles is an open-source MMORPG game based on blockchain, where players can earn its native token, NCG coin.

You can choose one of four character classes here. The character will be equipped with weapons and armor, and will also receive food that can be used as needed. Now it's time for adventure. Players have no control over their character's adventures, hence the Idle gameplay style. Nine Chronicles has thousands of players and also features an RPG progression system.

All gameplay decisions in Nine Chronicles are made during the preparation phase. During this phase, players can sell and create equipment for their characters. After the character sets out on their adventure, the player can do nothing but watch and wait for events to unfold. The character can continue their adventure until they are defeated or exhausted.

In Nine Chronicles, there's an opportunity to earn the Nine Chronicles Gold cryptocurrency. NCG is earned by completing tasks, selling in-game items, or participating in real-world or digital events.

10. Black Eye Galaxy

Black Eye Galaxy is a play-to-earn game that uses NFTs to represent planets and spaceships. It allows players to explore outer space and mine resources from planets.

The virtual reality space will not only test your combat skills but also allow you to explore the virtual world. You can create civilizations, impose taxes, and terraform planets. You can even create your own currencies to support your domestic economy through game mechanics. This game will allow everyone to unleash their inner dictator and rule with an iron fist.

In Black Eye Galaxy, each star cluster represents a different layer 1 chain. Binance Smart Chain is the first implemented blockchain, with others to follow.

The game featured spaceships and planets as NFTs, allowing players to discover unknown areas.

11. Space Misfits

Space Misfits is set in 3D outer space. Here, users have the opportunity to hunt and collect real-world resources. They must determine the role they want to play in the game's economy. Options include: space pirate, trader, or miner.

The game allows players to explore the universe, find resources, build starship components, and battle other players. These elements result in an open economy within the Enjin blockchain, enabling trading of in-game digital items.

Two cryptocurrencies are available in Space Misfits. The governance token is SMCW, which can be earned through staking, participating in tournaments and in-game events, and NPC drops.

SMCW is recommended for long-term investors who plan to spend a lot of time on the platform. The token gives them the ability to influence content on the platform. Over time, they will also become more valuable than BITS because there will be fewer of them.

BITS, the second token, can be used to purchase NFTs, game assets, minerals, or to pay game fees. It's earned and collected by participating in daily missions and completing tasks. Both Space Misfits tokens will be available for purchase on DEXs, as the game is still in beta version.

Start Earning with Free Play-to-Earn Online Games Today

As you can see, there are games that allow you to earn real money. However, to ensure maximum utilization of each of these online games and earn the virtual currency they offer, you'll probably need to spend some time developing strategies and understanding how the game's economy works.

FAQ

What are Play-to-Earn games and how do they work?

Play-to-Earn games reward players with cryptocurrency or digital assets for completing in-game tasks. Players earn tokens and NFTs through battles, puzzles, and milestones, stored in digital wallets via blockchain technology. These rewards can be traded or sold for real-world value on external platforms.

The most popular Play-to-Earn games in 2024 include Axie Infinity and Illuvium. These games stand out for their high returns and innovative player reward mechanisms that attract millions of users.

Can you really make money playing Play-to-Earn games? What is the average income?

Yes, Play-to-Earn games enable real money earnings through crypto and NFTs. Average income varies significantly based on game selection, player skill level, and time investment. Earnings typically range from modest amounts to substantial sums depending on market conditions and individual performance.

How to start playing Play-to-Earn games? How much investment is needed?

Start by creating a crypto wallet like MetaMask. Minimum investment ranges from tens to hundreds of dollars depending on the game. You'll need NFTs or tokens to begin earning. Connect your wallet to the game platform and start playing to accumulate rewards.

What are the risks of Play-to-Earn games? What should I pay attention to?

P2E games carry risks including lack of proper licensing, potential fraud schemes, and unregulated virtual currency trading. Key concerns include games without version approval numbers, cryptocurrency exchange risks between game tokens and real currency, and secondary market manipulation. Players should verify game legitimacy, avoid unofficial trading platforms, and be cautious of unsustainable earning promises that exceed advertising revenue models.

What is the difference between Play-to-Earn games and traditional games?

Play-to-Earn games enable players to own and trade in-game assets with real value, while traditional games restrict asset ownership to the game ecosystem. P2E games offer true asset ownership and real-world earning potential through blockchain technology, creating genuine economic opportunities for players.

What is the role of NFTs in Play-to-Earn games?

NFTs serve as in-game assets and rewards in Play-to-Earn games. Players earn NFTs by completing tasks, winning battles, or achieving milestones. These NFTs can be staked in smart contracts to generate passive income, traded for other assets, or converted into real-world value, creating a sustainable play-to-earn economy.

Which Play-to-Earn games are easiest to get started with and offer stable income?

Axie Infinity and CryptoBlades are the most beginner-friendly with stable returns. Both feature simple mechanics, low entry barriers, and consistent token earnings. Players can start earning within days through basic gameplay without requiring extensive gaming skills or experience.

How to withdraw cryptocurrencies earned from Play-to-Earn games?

Sell your game tokens or NFTs on exchanges for mainstream cryptocurrencies like USDT or ETH. Then withdraw the crypto to a fiat-supported exchange and convert to your local currency such as USD or EUR.

Which Play-to-Earn game should beginners choose to get started?

Beginners should start with Axie Infinity, which features an active community and stable income sources. Players earn cryptocurrencies through gameplay and can trade NFTs, making it ideal for newcomers entering the Play-to-Earn space.

* The information is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice or any other recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by Gate.
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