GameFi is a mix of gaming and decentralized finance (DeFi). Games in this sector run on blockchain technology, which means everything — from your character’s outfit to your in-game land — can be owned, traded, and sold by players using crypto.
Players earn rewards in the form of:
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Tokens (cryptocurrencies)
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NFTs (unique in-game assets)
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Virtual real estate, avatars, or tools
These rewards can often be exchanged for real-world money. It’s all possible thanks to the Play-to-Earn (P2E) model, which flips the traditional pay-to-win formula on its head.
What is Play-to-Earn?
In traditional games, players often spend money to unlock content, buy gear, or boost progress. But in Play-to-Earn, you get paid — in crypto — for your achievements in the game.
You might:
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Win tokens for defeating enemies
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Collect and sell rare NFT items
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Rent out your land or character to other players for passive income
Of course, earning in GameFi isn’t just about luck — it takes strategy, consistency, and skill. Some games require completing quests, battling others, or building complex structures to earn real rewards.
Why is GameFi a Big Deal?
Before GameFi, most games were built on centralized servers — which meant developers could shut down the game at any time. Players never really owned their assets. Even after spending money on gear or characters, you couldn’t do anything with them outside the game.
GameFi changes that. Because it runs on blockchain, players can:
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Truly own their in-game items
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Trade them freely
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Convert digital rewards into real income
This isn’t just exciting for gamers — it’s also attracting investors, creators, and crypto enthusiasts who see the potential of merging finance and entertainment.
How GameFi Works
Each GameFi project has its own economy, but they usually include:
NFTs
NFTs represent in-game assets like characters, skins, weapons, and land. These can be bought, sold, and traded on marketplaces for real crypto.
DeFi
Many GameFi platforms offer DeFi features — like staking, lending, or renting assets — that let players earn passive income even when they’re not actively playing.
For example:
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In Decentraland or The Sandbox, you can rent out your virtual land.
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Some players lend their NFT characters to others and earn a share of the profits.
Getting Started with GameFi
Feeling ready to dive in? Here’s how to begin:
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Create a crypto wallet
Choose a wallet that’s compatible with the game you want to try (e.g. MetaMask or Phantom). -
Add funds
You’ll need some crypto (usually ETH, MATIC, or SOL) to start, depending on the game. -
Buy game assets (if needed)
Some games are free-to-play, while others require buying NFTs to start (for example, Axie Infinity requires three Axies to begin playing). -
Start playing and earning
Once you’re in, the rewards depend on your time, strategy, and the game’s design.
Most Popular GameFi Projects (as of June 2025)
Axie Infinity
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Launch of the Classic Competitive Season 9 Off-season on June 9, 2025, featuring new Level 2 cards and an 800 AXS prize pool.
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Open registration for the upcoming MMO “Atia’s Legacy,” slated for summer 2025, which will combine a quest system, crafting professions, and community growth in Axie’s persistent world.
The Sandbox
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Game Maker v0.11 (February 2025) released with advanced multiplayer features (team-vs-team modes, NPCs that react to player actions) and new game templates: Tag, Trivia, Idle Clicker, Crash Game, and Social Platforming.
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“Quick Loop Game Jam” running June 2–6, with a 50,000 SAND prize pool for top creators, encouraging experiments in interactive experiences.
Decentraland
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Virtual LAN Party on June 5–6 as part of the All Hands 2025 program, featuring the DCL Prom, Pride PJ Party, and a teaser for the Career Quest mode coming in July.
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Upcoming Q2 2025 protocol update will bring major scalability improvements, expanded avatar customization options, and Layer-2 integration.
Illuvium
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Premiere of the cinematic trailer for the MMO-Lite mode, showcasing multiplayer raids against Leviathan bosses and the return of the Arena mode after its revamp.
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The “Overworld” project enters its final beta phase—with the first raid sessions and guild system launch scheduled for mid-June.
Star Atlas
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June 7 Town Hall revealed the C4 update (Combat, Claim Stakes, Cultivation Claims, Council Rank, Crafting Habs), transforming SAGE into a full-blown 4X experience with thousands of explorable planets and a new galactic economy.
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Holosim—a free browser-based test version—launched on June 5, allowing onboarding and mechanic testing ahead of the full Unreal Engine 5 debut mid-year.
Gods Unchained
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Battle Pass Season 3, which began on May 13, offered two reward tracks (Cosmetic & Collectors) and Immutable zkEVM support; card migrations took place in early June.
My Neighbor Alice
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“$ALICE Adventure Airdrop” campaign kicked off on June 3, disbursing 500,000 ALICE tokens across four waves.
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Announcement of Chapter One: “A New Adventure” set to launch on June 17, plus the addition of Guest Mode, land-sharing features, and the Moxie system for enhanced player collaboration.
Splinterlands
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Introduction of the Tutorial Campaign on June 3—11 onboarding chapters that automatically assign cards upon completion in the Bronze League.
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Integration with Ramp for quick SPS purchases on Ethereum and BSC, and simplification of the Land system by removing the card-locking requirement.
What’s Next for GameFi?
The future looks strong. Reports from DappRadar and Blockchain Game Alliance show that over $1 billion was invested in blockchain games in 2022 — and the momentum hasn’t slowed down.
Even traditional gaming companies like Blizzard and Atari are exploring Web3 opportunities. Meanwhile, flagship projects like Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Axie Infinity have reached multi-million dollar valuations.
With over 3 billion gamers worldwide, many of whom would love to earn from their skills and time, GameFi has a massive potential user base.
Summary
GameFi is more than just a trend — it’s a shift in how people see gaming. For the first time, players can truly own their progress, earn real rewards, and participate in decentralized economies.
As metaverse adoption grows and blockchain tech becomes more user-friendly, expect more projects to appear — blending gaming, investing, and social connection in ways we’ve never seen before.
