Riverfronttimes gaming is a genre of video games that utilize special computer technology called blockchain to allow players to own and make money from the things they do in the game. This blurs the lines between virtual economies and real-world financial systems and is reshaping the future of digital ownership.

Players monetize their game in different ways, from purchasing in-game tokens that can be sold for real world cash to earning prizes through tournaments and events that award cash or in-game currency. Many games also offer unique features like breeding, which enables users to produce new in-game assets (e.g., a pair of Axies in the monster collecting and battling game Axie Infinity) that can then be traded on an NFT gaming crypto marketplace. Staking is another way for gamers to earn, where they “lock” their game assets and receive rewards based on how long they’ve been locked up.

Gamers to Investors: The Shift in Perception with Crypto Gaming

There are a wide variety of crypto games, ranging from simple experiences such as collecting or raising virtual pets to more complex strategies with in-game economies and competitive PvP (player versus player) elements. Examples of these include Illuvium, which is a cryptocurrency mining game that rewards users with in-game currency for successful mine operations; Axie Infinity, a NFT-based monster collection and battle game; and Decentraland, a metaverse game that allows users to buy plots of virtual land and build and monetize their content in this immersive space.

While the opportunities to make money through crypto gaming are exciting, gamers should be aware of the risks associated with these emerging technologies. For example, the value of in-game items is tied to real-world monetary values and can be susceptible to price fluctuations. Moreover, these types of games are relatively new and are yet to be regulated by most governments.