Non-fungible tokens are one of the most popular use cases of blockchain technology, right behind crypto-currencies. By their nature, they are unique and rare, meaning that multiple copies cannot exist simultaneously and there can only be one owner.
In 2021, Verified Market Research (VMR) estimated the market at $11.3 billion. and is expected to reach $231 billion by 2030. I know what you’re thinking: that’s a huge increase in a short period of time, but you can jump on the bandwagon before it’s too late.
As the NFT space grows, we’ve seen the introduction of some exciting projects. In the beginning, NFTs were mostly used for digital art, but now they are used in many different forms of digital objects such as music, videos, tweets, and even virtual lands. If anything, NFTs can find a home anywhere, as long as it’s something a person can own.
Among the aspects of NFTs that are rapidly gaining popularity are Web3 games. Unlike traditional games, NFT games offer a unique experience to their players in terms of ownership and rewards. In traditional games, you spend money to acquire in-game virtual goods, such as skins, weapons, and avatars, which enhance the gameplay experience. But ultimately, these virtual goods or assets stay in the game and have no value outside of it.
Web3 games, on the other hand, give you ownership of the items you acquire while playing. In addition, you can even sell these items for crypto-currencies which you can then convert into fiat currency. These web3 games are called play-to-earn (P2E). Obviously, you can make a lot of money playing these games. And now you must be wondering how to get started? Relax, we’re almost there.
While NFT games allow you to earn money by playing, they sometimes require you to pay to start winning. For example, to play Axie InfinityTo play Axie Infinity, the most popular game on the web3, you have to buy avatars called Axies, which can cost anywhere from $600 to $3,000. If you don’t win much, that can be a lot of money to drop at once.
However, there are NFT games that allow you to play without paying any upfront fees. These games are called free NFT games. Like the paid games, they also allow you to redeem characters or chips acquired while playing the game. Now, if this has caught your attention, you should read on.
To save you from endless Google searches, here is a list of the best free Web3 games :
Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained is one of the most popular free-to-play NFT games. The trading card game, which was launched in 2019, has more than 450,000 registrants and has recorded over $34 million in NFT sales.
At the start of the game, new users are given a pre-made starter deck that you will use to compete against other players and climb the leaderboard. These initial sets of cards from the starter deck cannot be transferred or used outside of the game. This is because they are not on the blockchain. However, by winning ranking matches, you gain Flux, a tool you can use to forge two duplicate trading cards. Duplicating trading cards creates cards that can be minted on the blockchain. Ethereum and sold on other markets.
It is important to note that the higher your rank, the more chances you have to earn quality cards. A good feature of Gods Unchained is that, unlike most other games, it ranks you against players who are at the same level as you. This increases your chances of winning matches and moving up the ranks.
Splinterlands
Splinterlands is another trading card game that might interest many players. Unlike Gods Unchained, this game is built on the Hive blockchain.
All players receive basic cards at the beginning of the game, which they use to fight other ranked players. However, players can acquire more powerful cards by winning matches, completing missions or receiving seasonal rewards. An easier way is to purchase booster packs or from the game’s marketplace.
While the game is free to play, players who want to trade in-game assets or earn rewards will have to pay $10 to get the Summoner’s Spellbook. According to Splinterlands, all resources in the game are unique and limited in number.
CoinHuntWorld
If action games aren’t your thing, then Coin Hunt World might be the NFT game for you. To make it more fun, it combines a bit of physical and virtual experiences. However, it is only available in a few countries.
The Pokemon Go themed game is a… exploration game where players search for keys to unlock chests. Once a chest is opened, the game asks the player an anecdotal question that allows them to obtain in-game assets or crypto-currencies if they answer correctly.
Players who play this game have a chance to win Bitcoin or Ethereum. In 2021, players earned $1.5 million from the game and traveled over 35 million miles. If you want to lose weight or stay fit, you might find the game enjoyable.
Chainmonsters
Chainmonsters is a Pokémon-themed MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) that runs on the. Blockchain feed. Similar to most other free-to-play games, it allows you to play for free and… collect in-game items that can be traded on the market.
Although the game has attracted attention, it is still in development, and based on its alpha products, many users consider its graphics to be among the best. If you like this game, now might be the time to get into it before the rest of the world catches up.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a top play-to-earn game that requires you to spend before you can get into the game. As mentioned earlier in the article, this spending can range from $600 to $3,000. However, the Axie Infinity Scholarship gives aspiring players a ticket to be part of the game.
With the scholarship, players who cannot afford the game fees could get the characters from users who are currently playing the game. However, given the cost of these Axes, it is difficult to find a player willing to part with them. Also, it requires a lot of trust between the Axie player and the aspiring player.
Nevertheless, players lucky enough to get this scholarship will have the opportunity to play the game and earn rewards. These rewards will be shared with the original owner, with the original owner taking a significant portion.
The Sandbox
Last on the list is The SandboxThe Sandbox, a free-to-play game hosted by Ethereum. The Sandbox offers a different gaming experience than any of the other games on this list. The game, which resembles Minecraft, is an immersive 3D metaverse where users can own plots of land to build and develop new creations.
Players use an in-game 3D modeling and NFT creation package called VoxEdit to create and animate 3D objects in the game. These in-game creations can then be downloaded, published or sold on the game’s NFT marketplace.
Another component of the game is The Sandbox Game Maker, which users need to create free 3D games in the metaverse. It is also important to note that the game has its native currency, $SAND, which is exchangeable on multiple crypto exchanges.