How to Get Crypto While Playing Video Games - Ultimate Guide

Key Takeaways:

• Play-to-earn (P2E) Games offer a way for players to earn real-world rewards, like crypto and NFTs, through playing video games.
• These games leverage blockchain technology to provide decentralized ownership, allowing players to buy, sell, and trade in-game assets for real-world value.
• Some of the best play-to-earn crypto games include: Axie Infinity, Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Valhalla.

Video games have always been about skill, strategy, and having fun with the boys—but what if they could also be a way to make real money? Play-to-earn (P2E) crypto games are changing the gaming industry, letting players earn digital assets and cryptocurrency just by playing and interacting.

If you're wondering how to earn crypto by playing video games, you're in the right place! This article breaks down the best P2E games in 2025, how they work, and how you can start earning today.

What is Play-To-Earn (P2E?)

As the name implies, play-to-earn games let players earn rewards—whether it's crypto, non fungible tokens (NFTs) or other digital assets—by playing a video game. Unlike traditional video games, where players usually spend money on in-game items or progress, P2E games let players monetize their gameplay and generate actual IRL revenue.

The decentralized nature of these games gives players ownership over their in-game currency, encouraging them to grow the in-game economy, fostering a win-win ecosystem for both players and developers.

Types of Play-To-Earn Crypto Games

Just like traditional video games, P2E games span multiple genres, each offering different gameplay avenues and earning opportunities. They're typically free-to-play, although some require you to buy an NFT or a specific number of tokens to get involved.

Here are some of the most common types of play-to-earn games you'll come across:

Role-Playing Games (RPGs):

Similar to traditional MMORPGs like World of Warcraft (WoW), P2E RPGs reward you for completing quests and winning battles with valuable in-game assets that hold real-world value.

Strategy Games:

Strategy-based play-to-earn games require tactical decision-making to build, manage, and expand virtual assets. Successful players earn in-game rewards by optimizing their strategies—whether it's through constructing civilizations, managing armies, or outsmarting opponents.

Virtual World Games:

Think Roblox—Virtual world games let you interact with other players, acquire virtual properties, and earn rewards based on your contributions to the in-game ecosystem.

Trading Card Games:

Collectible card games (CCGs) merge traditional card game mechanics with blockchain technology. Players can collect, trade, and battle using digital cards, which may hold real-world value.

Battle Royale Games:

Some P2E games adopt a battle royale PvP format, where players compete against each other for in-game rewards. Survival and skill determine how much you can earn.

Sports and Racing Games:

Similar to Rivalry offering sports betting options, some P2E games focus on racing and sports competitions. Your individual performance and skills will directly influence the rewards you earn, so go balls to the wall to be the best!

Idle Games:

These play-to-earn games let you earn rewards over time with minimal effort. Idle games are perfect for players who prefer a laid-back experience while still making steady progress.

DeFi Games:

A unique blend of gaming and decentralized finance (DeFi). Players can earn rewards, stake assets, or even gain interest through in-game DeFi features—making gameplay both fun and potentially profitable.

Best Play-To-Earn Crypto Games for Rewards

Here's a quick summary of all the best play-to-earn crypto games on this list. We'll go into more detail as you scroll down.

List of the Best P2E Games in 2025

1) Axie Infinity

Axie Infinity is a popular play-to-earn crypto game developed by Sky Mavis. Taking inspiration from pet battler games like Pokemon, Axie Infinity lets players collect, breed, and raise their adorable digital pets called Axies for battle. Besides acquiring Axies through the game's marketplace, players can also purchase virtual real estate minted as NFTs.

As a P2E crypto game, Axie Infinity allows players to sell their in-game assets and earn tokens by playing. The game features two unique crypto tokens:

• Axie Infinity Shards (AXS): The primary token that doubles as a governance token, playing a role in earning rewards and staking. AXS is currently priced at $4.16.
• Smooth Love Potion (SLP): The in-game token used for breeding Axie

In 2024, Axie Infinity had over 2.8 million active users and has generated over $4.27 billion in total sales, making it one of the most successful play-to-earn crypto games to date. The game's ecosystem is constantly expanding, with new features regularly introduced.

To start playing Axie Infinity, you'll need an Ethereum-compatible crypto wallet, Ethereum funds, and a Ronin wallet to connect to the game. The game is available on PC, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

2) Valhalla

Channel your inner viking with Valhalla, a turn-based combat game developed by the creators of Floki Inu. Players take on the role of warriors, battling monsters, completing quests, raiding dungeons, and engaging in PvP combat.

In the vast open world, players can capture, collect, and unlock Veras, unique upgradable NFTs in Valhalla. When leveled up, their rarity increases, which reflects on its price tag should you choose to sell them.

While Valhalla is only currently available on Testnet via web browser, the Mainnet release is expected in Q1 2025. Once fully launched, players will be able to earn FLOKI tokens—currently priced at $0.00009291—as rewards from the game's $50M treasury.

3) The Sandbox

The Sandbox is a metaverse game built on the Ethereum blockchain, allowing players to purchase and customize their own virtual land. The game has a large and growing user base, with over 24,000 LAND owners and more than 100,000 unique creators. The Sandbox has also previously partnered with global brands like Ubisoft and Gucci, along with celebrity figures such as Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton.

Originally launched as a Steam game, The Sandbox was acquired by Animoca Brands in 2018 and remains available as a PC game. The Sandbox lets you buy LANDS and ASSETS, craft 3D assets, and design experiences without any prior coding experience, using tools like VoxEdit and Game Maker.

Players can buy, sell, and trade assets as NFTs via the Sandbox Marketplace, earning SAND tokens in the process. SAND, an ERC-20 token, serves as both a governance token within the game's ecosystem and an in-game currency for purchasing ASSETS and LANDS.

4) Decentraland

Virtual world games reign supreme in the P2E gaming industry, with Decentraland being another top contender. In this play-to-earn game, players can create, explore, and trade in a metaverse that is owned and governed by its community.

Launched in 2017 and built on Ethereum, Decentraland has allowed users to create everything from virtual shops to art galleries. It's controlled by a DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), giving players full control over their in-game currency and experiences.

Dencentraland has two tokens:

• MANA: The game's native token used to purchase in-game items like LAND and other virtual goods such as avatars and cosmetics on the game's marketplace for their in-game character.
• LAND: An NFT that represents the player's virtual real estate.

The game's ecosystem revolves around MANA, an ERC-20 token, which players can earn through participation in activities like playing games, attending events, or creating content. MANA is currently priced at $0.3282. Decentraland is available to free to downloand and play on Windows PC and iOS devices.

5) Big Time

Big Time is a multiplayer action RPG built on the Ethereum blockchain by Big Time Studios, where players can choose from four classes: Time Warrior, Chronomancer, Shadowblade, and Quantum Fixer. Players can switch classes without having to create a new character from scratch.

While the game is free-to-play, it incorporates a play-to-earn model. Players can team up in co-op mode to take on quests and explore procedurally-generated dungeons, meaning no two adventures are the same. These dungeons are a goldmine for loot, including NFTs and Big Time Tokens (BIGTIME), the in-game currency, which is currently priced at $0.05965 . These digital assets are tradable, making the game's economy largely driven by the player base.

Additionally, the game features SPACE—virtual land that players can own to enhance their in-game abilities. This, along with other NFTs, can be traded freely on the in-game marketplace, providing players with the opportunity to earn real-world value.

6) Star Atlas

Star Atlas is a space-based, open-world exploration play-to-earn crypto game built on the Solana blockchain. Set in the year 2620, players can explore an expansive universe, mine resources, engage in intergalactic battles, and even join different factions, incorporating MMO-like elements.

What sets Star Atlas apart is its focus on a player-driven economy, where players can trade or sell NFTs based on spaceships, badges, and even space stations. Star Atlas has two main tokens:

• ATLAS: Tokens are earned through gameplay and used for transactions, currently priced at $0.001785.
• POLIS: Governance token in the DAO.

Although active user numbers and total sales are not fully disclosed, Star Atlas has attracted attention for its immersive gameplay, beautiful graphics, and complex in-game economy. To get started with Star Atlas, you'll need an in-game NFT, which can be used to gain an access key.

7) My Neighbor Alice

For fans of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, My Neighbor Alice might be right up your street. Developed by Antler Interactive in 2021 and built on Binance Smart Chain, this P2E game has made history as the first 3D MMO game built entirely on-chain.

This relaxed virtual world combines farming, co-op gameplay, and blockchain technology, appealing to gamers of all ages and backgrounds.

Players can buy their own virtual land and farm crops, all while earning ALICE tokens (currently priced around $0.6796 USD) by completing specific in-game tasks, selling produce, and trading digital assets like NFTs. For those who love the charm of farming sims and want to earn money while they play, My Neighbor Alice is a solid pick.

8) Gods Unchained

Gods Unchained, built on the Ethereum blockchain is a free-to-play trading card game that utilizes play-to-earn mechanics. Developed in 2018 by a lead led by the former director of Magic: The Gathering Arena, players collect cards, build their own decks, and battle with other players.

The game's P2E mechanics revolve around winning matches to earn $GODS tokens, which are priced around $0.1237. The cards in Gods Unchained also double as NFTs, meaning they can be sold on the in-game marketplace. The prices vary, but a general rule of thumb: is the rarer the card, the higher the price tag.

If you want to unleash your inner god with Gods Unchained, you can play on PC or Mac, with a version for Android devices currently in development. While you can play without connecting a crypto wallet, it's recommended to link one to your gaming account to fully reap the rewards of the play-to-earn model.

9) Revv Racing

Revv Racing, another NFT game by Aniomca Brands, brings the excitement of motorsports to the blockchain. If you want to be the next Lewis Hamilton, you can race your NFT cards on different tracks, participate in events, and even win tournament prizes.

Players can trade their cars as NFTs, each with unique stats and attributes, and compete for the best rewards, which come in the form of the game's native cryptocurrency, REVV, currently priced at $0.002013. Overall, Revv Racing is ideal for fans of motorsports looking for a way to make their hobby profitable.

10) Aavegotchi

Are you old enough to remember Tamagotchis? Well, Aavegotchi takes inspiration for the retro pet game. In this P2E crypto game, players collect and interact with digital pets called Aavegotchis, which double as NFTs.

Built on the Polygon blockchain, Aavegotchis have various traits that can impact their stats and performance. The game is designed with a play-to-earn model, where you can earn the game's native token, GHST (currently worth $0.5097), by participating in different activities like auctions, staking, and engaging with the game's broader ecosystem.

What makes Aavegotchi stand out is its blend of DeFi (Decentralized Finance) with gaming. Players can stake Aave tokens to increase their pets rarity and even earn interest for doing so, providing easy passive income. For those who love both NFT collectibles, Aavegotchi offers a fun and easy way to earn money.

11) Alien Worlds

Alien Worlds takes you on an interplanetary adventure where you can mine resources, claim land, and engage in battles across six different planets: Neri, Eyeke, Kavian, Magor, Naron, and Veles, each with its own DAO, planetary leaders, treasury, and voting rights.

Built on Ethereum, BSC, and WAX, this space-themed game lets you earn Trilium (TLM), the main currency used for mining, staking, and upgrades. Aside from mining and staking TLM, you can trade NFT game cards to switch up your strategy and 'teleport' your TLM between other blockchain platforms like BSC, WAX, and Ethereum.

Alien Worlds is available to play on PC, Mac, and available as a mobile app on Android and iOS. Whether you're mining for TLM or collecting rare NFTs, Alien Worlds offers an exciting opportunity to earn, with over 100K daily players.

Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it: a guide on how to earn crypto playing video games; the ultimate dream! Play-to-earn crypto games like the ones mentioned in this article are redefining the gaming industry, one game at a time, turning virtual achievements and in-game items into real-world rewards.

As blockchain gaming continues to evolve, opportunities to make money through gaming will only expand. To make the most out of these play-to-earn games, you should make sure you understand how blockchain technology works and have a crypto wallet connected to your game account to start earning. GL HF!

Disclaimer: The information in this article is meant for entertainment and informational purposes only. Do your research into these crypto games before creating an account and playing them.

FAQs

Are P2E games worth it?

Play-to-earn crypto games offer unique rewards, such as NFTs or high-value crypto tokens, making them a fun way to make money without having to watch crypto charts and exchanges rise and dip.

What is the highest earning play-to-earn crypto game?

The highest-earning P2E crypto game is Axie Infinity, which has reportedly generated over $4.2 billion in NFT sales.

Are play-to-earn crypto games safe?

Yes, thanks to the technology behind them, these blockchain games are safe and legitimate, offering true ownership of your digital assets with the ability to earn real-world rewards.

Can I play P2E games for free?

For some of the games on this list, like Gods Unchained, you can play for free. However, you will likely need to connect a crypto wallet to your account to start earning crypto-based rewards.

How do blockchain games work?

Blockchain games use decentralized technology to give players true ownership of their in-game assets, which are recorded and stored on the blockchain. Players earn in-game assets like NFTs or crypto tokens, which can be sold for real-world value, and the blockchain makes sure they're secure and verifiable.

Learn More About Crypto, NFTs, and Web3

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