With the growing trend of play-and-earn, GameFi is embracing more sustainable practices.
In Brief

GameFi has surged in popularity within the blockchain sector, enabling individuals to earn tangible rewards while enjoying video games. As the industry progresses, it is gradually transforming from the conventional 'play-to-earn' model to a more dynamic 'play-and-earn' format, which is inherently sustainable and aims to resolve the inflation issues that have affected many initial GameFi titles.
The play-to-earn model gained immense popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing gamers around the globe with a means to generate passive income while staying indoors. With popular titles such as Axie Infinity and Splinterlands, players engaged in daily tasks and competitive battles to earn cryptocurrency rewards, which could subsequently be converted into real money. It was a thrilling concept that made many avid gamers significantly wealthier, but serious flaws in tokenomics became evident as the model matured.
A major challenge faced by many play-to-earn games is their sustainability. While early players could enjoy profitable returns, the underlying tokenomics began to reveal flaws as more participants entered, causing the value of the game’s native cryptocurrency to plummet and making it increasingly difficult for players to recover their initial investments. Additionally, the enjoyment factor often left much to be desired; for instance, an article by Vice highlights Axie Infinity, where despite players earning substantial sums during peak pandemic times, many found the gameplay tedious and unenjoyable. Wealth inequality also posed a significant issue, as players with more resources typically dominated the game, reaping far greater rewards than others.
Transitioning From Play-to-Earn to Play-And-Earn
These challenges have prompted GameFi developers to embrace the play-and-earn model, which represents a fresh, evolving concept aimed at overcoming the shortcomings of play-to-earn systems. By focusing more on gameplay enjoyment than merely financial gain, this approach seeks to deliver games that players genuinely find enjoyable before introducing financial incentives.
The play-and-earn model merges captivating gameplay with financial rewards, necessitating more robust tokenomics frameworks to ensure long-term sustainability for in-game economies. This approach encourages player engagement primarily through enjoyable game experiences, with cryptocurrency rewards serving as additional benefits.
To succeed in developing a play-and-earn game, developers must invest significant effort. They must prioritize security and transparency, ensuring players' data and assets are safeguarded while guaranteeing fair outcomes in gameplay. High-quality gameplay is crucial, and ongoing updates with new content are essential to keep the experience fresh and engaging over time.
Above all, play-and-earn games must feature a thoughtfully structured in-game economy that maintains a healthy balance between the supply and demand of their native rewards token. This is vital for stabilizing prices so that the daily rewards players receive retain their value.
Sustainable In-Game Economics
So far, one of the standout examples in the play-and-earn space is LandRocker, which skillfully combines adventure, exploration, strategy, and rewarding gameplay.
With LandRocker In LandRocker, players venture across a universe filled with numerous planets, mining for precious resources along the way. They utilize NFT-based Rovers to explore each planet, extract valuable resources, and further develop their fleets.
The game is built around blockchain technology, featuring an innovative validation system that guarantees fair distribution of in-game rewards, thereby fostering trust and fairness.
What sets LandRocker apart is its balance of both play-to-win and play-to-earn elements, with limited participation levels helping stabilize the in-game economy. The supply of LRT tokens is capped, and the amount of rewards players can earn daily through various tasks is restricted, effectively preventing inflation by managing the introduction of new capital into the game. The fixed number of daily rewards keeps token circulation in check, alleviating inflationary pressures. balanced rewards pool Another enduring title is a compelling space exploration game, where players build fleets, trade minerals, engage in piracy, and much more. This addictive RPG features NFTs that have a limited lifespan and can only be purchased using the game’s native currency, ATLAS. The temporary nature of these NFTs drives players to continually reinvest their earnings into the game, helping to maintain stable supply and demand for tokens.
The blockchain-based card trading game also exemplifies the play-and-earn model. Significantly, this game operates on a free-to-play basis, although players can enhance their experience by acquiring an NFT. Since the core game is FTP, players can engage with the game without the pressure of financial investment, while NFT purchases remain optional yet rewarding. This framework encourages players to reinvest in the game’s economy to boost their potential rewards. Continuous updates from developers ensure the game remains engaging, differentiating it from other card trading games and solidifying its in-game economy. Star Atlas Sustainable Gaming Represents The Future Of GameFi
While the play-to-earn model marked an exhilarating evolution in both gaming and blockchain, it has ultimately proven unsustainable due to its focus on earning potential. This model's emphasis on financial rewards creates an imbalance that impedes long-term success without a steady influx of new players. Dfiance Conversely, the play-and-earn model emphasizes enjoyable gameplay, where potential earnings are merely a delightful extra. By prioritizing enjoyment, players are more likely to remain engaged over time, contributing to a stable in-game economy.
GameFi developers must focus on finding the right equilibrium, crafting engaging and fruitful games with stable tokenomics. As more creators adopt this approach, the industry is poised for a sustainable and prosperous future. Ideally, play-and-earn games can cultivate vibrant, inclusive communities of players from diverse backgrounds. By putting gameplay first and promoting player retention, the play-and-earn model sets the stage for embedding GameFi mechanics into every aspect of gaming.
Please remember that the information on this page is not intended to serve as and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, financial, investment, or any other kind of advice. It’s crucial to only invest what you can afford to lose and seek independent financial guidance if you have any uncertainties. For further clarification, we recommend reviewing the terms and conditions as well as the help and support resources provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is dedicated to delivering accurate and unbiased reporting, but market conditions can fluctuate without warning.
Gregory, a digital nomad from Poland, is not just a financial analyst but also a key contributor to several online publications. His extensive experience in finance has garnered him acknowledgment in various outlets. In his spare time, he is focusing on writing a book that delves into cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
Blum marks its one-year anniversary with accolades for ‘Best GameFi App’ and ‘Best Trading App’ at the Blockchain Forum 2025.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines Addressing DeFi fragmentation: Omniston scales liquidity on the TON platform.