In the exciting intersection of gaming and blockchain technology, a novel paradigm is swiftly gaining traction. DeFi gaming, the convergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming, is set to transform the gaming industry as we know it.
Understanding DeFi and GameFi
DeFi, short for decentralized finance, is a term that describes financial services using blockchain technology that operates without a central authority. DeFi applications aim to disrupt the traditional financial sector by providing open, accessible, and equitable alternatives to every financial service we use today—from savings and loans to insurance and asset trading.
Read More: How to Add Metis to Metamask
What is GameFi
In the context of gaming, we’re also witnessing the rise of a related term – GameFi. GameFi is a blend of gaming and finance, where the principles of DeFi are applied to the gaming world. In essence, it’s about marrying the fun and engagement of gaming with the economic opportunities of DeFi.
Traditional Gaming vs. DeFi Gaming
Traditional gaming, while providing hours of entertainment, doesn’t offer tangible rewards. Players invest their time and energy into these games without realizing real-world returns. DeFi gaming aims to revolutionize this, introducing a play-to-earn model where players can make a living from their gaming efforts.
Mechanics of DeFi Gaming
DeFi gaming utilizes blockchain technology, with in-game items or characters tokenized as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which players can trade or sell in an open market. Furthermore, many DeFi games integrate DeFi protocols, offering the ability to earn in-game currencies, stake assets for rewards, or participate in game governance through decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs).
Read More: How to Bridge Assets From BSC to Avalanche
How Does DeFi Gaming Work?
GameFi incorporates blockchain technology, allowing games to create, maintain, and incentivize in-game economies. This new gaming paradigm fosters a unique dynamic where players can truly own and monetize their gaming accomplishments.
Here’s how it works:
- Players spend time and resources to earn or create in-game assets.
- These assets, often represented as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), can be sold, traded, or leased on blockchain marketplaces, creating a two-way flow of value.
- Smart contracts automate the game mechanics and transactions, maintaining the integrity of the gaming ecosystem.
- Players’ profits depend on their skill, time investment, and market demand for the assets they own.
Notable DeFi Games
Games such as “Axie Infinity” and “Decentraland” have gained popularity in the DeFi gaming world, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s a list of the top 100 play-to-earn games in the DeFi space.
| Rank | Name | Blockchain | Genre |
| 1 | League Of Ancients | LOA (BSC) | MOBA DeFi PVP |
| 2 | Revolve Games | RPG (BSC) | RPG Action DeFi |
| 3 | Moonscape | MSCP (BSC) | Strategy Base Building DeFi |
| 4 | Reward Hunters | RHT (BSC) | Battle Royale MMORPG DeFi |
| 5 | Celestial | CELT (OKExChain) | Space Game MMORPG DeFi |
| 6 | Cryptomeda | TECH (Ethereum) | Collectible DeFi Fantasy |
| 7 | Cosmic FOMO | COSMIC (BSC) | DeFi Simulation PVP |
| 8 | TryHards | TRY (Polygon) | Action DeFi Shooter |
| 9 | Idle Mystic | MST (Polygon) | Fighting Idle Game DeFi |
| 10 | The Crypto Prophecies | TCP (Ethereum) | Collectible DeFi PVP |
| 11 | Binapet | BPET (BSC) | Breeding RPG DeFi |
| 12 | Moonie Friends | MNY (Ethereum) | Racing DeFi Minigame |
| 13 | 1000Blocks | BLS (BSC) | Strategy DeFi |
| 14 | Kaiju Worlds | KAIJU (BSC) | Sci-Fi Collectible DeFi |
| 15 | Yo Hero | YO (Ethereum) | Turn-Based Strategy DeFi |
| 16 | Riot Racers | RIOT (Ethereum) | Simulation Racing DeFi |
| 17 | BattleVerse | BVC (BSC) | Metaverse DeFi |
| 18 | Dragon Verse | DRV (BSC) | RPG DeFi PVP |
| 19 | Himo World | HIMO (BSC) | Strategy DeFi Minigame |
| 20 | Waves Ducks | EGG (Avalanche) | Breeding Collectible DeFi |
| 21 | LoserChick | EGG (Polygon) | Idle Game Arcade DeFi |
| 22 | AlinX | ALIX (BSC) | Card Game DeFi |
| 23 | Binamars | BMARS (BSC) | RPG Idle Game DeFi |
| 24 | Orakler | ORKL (BSC) | Mining DeFi |
| 25 | Zomfi | ZOMFI (BSC) | Action DeFi Shooter |
| 26 | Doom Hero | DHG (BSC) | RPG Strategy DeFi |
| 27 | Instinct Games | INSTINCT (BSC) | Card Game Collectible DeFi |
| 28 | CashCow Protocol | MILK (BSC) | Breeding Collectible DeFi |
| 29 | Pizza Game | PIZZA (Avalanche) | Idle Game DeFi |
| 30 | Defina | FINA (BSC) | Card Game RPG DeFi |
| 31 | Vodka Token | VODKA (BSC) | Collectible DeFi |
| 32 | Jungle Road | JGRD (BSC) | Adventure Collectible DeFi |
| 33 | Aqua Farm | PODO (Polygon) | RPG Adventure DeFi |
| 34 | DeFi Degen Land | DDL (BSC) | Metaverse DeFi |
| 35 | MoneyTree | MONEY (BSC) | Metaverse Collectible DeFi PVP |
| 36 | CryptoSnake | SNK (BSC) | Idle Game DeFi |
| 37 | TrustRise | TRISE (BSC) | DeFi |
| 38 | The Beacon | BCN (Arbitrum One) | Adventure Action DeFi |
| 39 | Invoker | IV (Solana) | Action DeFi MMORPG |
| 40 | Palmare | PAL (BSC) | Action DeFi Sports |
| 41 | InfinityGaming | PLAY (Ethereum) | Action DeFi |
| 42 | Hero Cat Key | HCK (BSC) | Fighting Battle Royale DeFi |
| 43 | GoldMiner | GM (BSC) | DeFi Shooter |
| 44 | Doom Hero Dao | DHD (BSC) | DeFi RPG Strategy |
| 45 | Step Hero Soul | STEP (BSC) | Metaverse DeFi Fantasy |
| 46 | DeFi Land Gold | GOLDY (Solana) | DeFi PVP Adventure |
| 47 | Infinite Battles | BLS (BSC) | DeFi Space Game Strategy |
| 48 | Reta Wars | GRT (BSC) | DeFi Strategy |
| 49 | Idle Treasure Party | DTEVIL (BSC) | Casual DeFi Idle Game Mining |
| 50 | Dog Collar | COLLAR (Ethereum/Polygon) | Adventure Casual Combat DeFi |
| 51 | Piratera | PIRA (BSC) | Metaverse Adventure Collectible DeFi |
| 52 | Diviner Protocol | DPT (BSC) | DeFi Metaverse Minigame |
| 53 | Armz Legends | PROT (BSC) | Fighting Collectible DeFi |
| 54 | APWars | – (BSC) | Fighting DeFi |
| 55 | Zendodo Party | – (WAX) | Adventure Collectible DeFi |
| 56 | Mecha Morphing | – (Ethereum) | RPG DeFi PVP |
| 57 | Battle Wave 2323 | – (Polygon/Ethereum) | Collectible DeFi |
| 58 | CyberKongz | – (Ethereum) | Breeding Collectible DeFi |
| 59 | Colonize Mars | – (WAX) | Simulation Space Game DeFi |
| 60 | DeNations | – (Ethereum) | Card Game DeFi |
| 61 | Nifty Island | – (Ethereum) | Action DeFi Minigame |
| 62 | Dogamí | – (Other) | Breeding DeFi Minigame |
| 63 | Crypto Mayhem | ADRIA (BSC) | Fighting DeFi Shooter |
| 64 | Memoverse | MEMO (BSC) | City Building Puzzle DeFi |
| 65 | Bobos Of War | BOW (Solana) | Action Collectible DeFi |
| 66 | ElementX | FIRE (BSC) | RPG DeFi PVP |
| 67 | Inu Base | – (BSC) | DeFi Move To Earn |
| 68 | Alteration | – (BSC) | RPG Sci-Fi DeFi |
| 69 | Mining Tycoon | – (Other) | Simulation Mining DeFi |
| 70 | Neon Skies | RAIN (Polygon) | Sci-Fi Mining DeFi |
| 71 | Realm NFT | RLM (WAX) | Strategy DeFi |
| 72 | Evo Surfers | EVOG (Polygon) | RPG Metaverse DeFi |
| 73 | The Lords Of Light | RAINI (Ethereum) | DeFi |
| 74 | Gambit | – (Avalanche) | DeFi Sports |
| 75 | GUNFIE | GFIE (BSC) | Action DeFi Metaverse |
| 76 | Voyage Finance | – (Other) | DeFi |
| 77 | Cashemon | CMN (BSC) | Collectible DeFi RPG |
| 78 | Glory Games: Worlds | GLORY (Ethereum/Polygon/Near) | AR Adventure DeFi |
| 79 | SleeFi | SLFT (Avalanche) | DeFi Move To Earn |
| 80 | Aniwar – The War Of Animals | ANIW (BSC) | Adventure DeFi PVP |
| 81 | MetaCity Game | CITY (Other) | Minigame Strategy DeFi |
| 82 | MonsterLand | – (BSC) | Arcade DeFi PVP |
| 83 | King Of Planets | – (Klaytn) | PVP Turn-Based Strategy DeFi |
| 84 | MetaBoards | – (BSC) | Arcade Card Game DeFi |
| 85 | Legends Of Bezogia | BEZOGE (Ethereum/BSC) | DeFi |
| 86 | BoomLand | BOOM (Polygon) | Casual DeFi Metaverse |
| 87 | Mindland | TBD (Solana/Polygon) | Collectible DeFi Metaverse |
| 88 | Lords Of Land | – (BSC) | DeFi Metaverse PVP Other |
| 89 | Klay Kingdoms | – (Klaytn) | DeFi Metaverse Mining PVP |
| 90 | Puffverse | – (BSC) | Action Casual DeFi Metaverse |
| 91 | Shelter Of Exiles | – (BSC) | Adventure Collectible DeFi RPG Strategy |
| 92 | NFT RockPaperScissors Game | – (Avalanche) | DeFi Idle Game Minigame Other |
| 93 | CapyMagi World | – (Ethereum/BSC) | Combat DeFi MMO RPG |
| 94 | SX.Bet | – (Other) | DeFi Sports |
| 95 | SX Network | – (Polygon) | DeFi Other |
| 96 | PixelBattle | – (Polygon) | Arcade Casual DeFi PVP |
| 97 | CryptoCaps | – (BSC/Other) | Arcade DeFi Collectible PVP |
| 98 | MegaWorld | – (Ethereum/BSC/Tron) | DeFi Metaverse MMO RPG |
| 99 | P.O.N.G. Heroes | – (BSC) | PVP DeFi Arcade |
| 100 | Black Sails Game | – (Polygon) | DeFi MMO Virtual-World |
The Unique Features of GameFi
GameFi’s primary features include player ownership, interoperability, and incentives for participation:
Player Ownership
GameFi allows players to truly own their in-game assets, which are often represented as NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). Players can sell, trade, or lease these assets as they wish.
Interoperability
Assets in GameFi can often be used across multiple games or platforms. This is made possible by the shared infrastructure of blockchain technology.
Incentives for Participation
GameFi models incentivize players to participate not just by offering enjoyable gameplay, but also by providing opportunities to earn real-world income.
The Benefits of GameFi
GameFi models offer several advantages over traditional gaming models:
- Monetization: Players can earn income by playing games, selling assets they earn or create, or even by lending their assets to other players.
- True Ownership: Players have true ownership of their in-game assets, giving them more control over their gaming experience.
- Community Engagement: GameFi often involves strong community governance models, giving players a say in the game’s development and direction.
The Impact and Potential of DeFi Gaming
DeFi gaming is fundamentally changing the gaming landscape, allowing players to reap economic rewards from their gaming endeavors and participate in in-game economies. This has the potential to transform gaming from a recreational activity into a viable income source, particularly in regions with limited job opportunities.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite its potential, DeFi gaming faces several challenges, including a still-evolving regulatory landscape and the inherent volatility of digital assets. Users should approach DeFi gaming with a well-informed understanding of these risks.
The Future of DeFi Gaming
DeFi gaming’s future is promising, with potential developments including more sophisticated in-game economies and a more significant impact on the broader gaming industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you mean by DeFi?
DeFi stands for decentralized finance. It refers to the use of blockchain technology to offer financial services without relying on centralized intermediaries like banks.
What is decentralized gaming?
Decentralized gaming, often associated with DeFi gaming, involves games built on blockchain technology. This allows for decentralized ownership and trade of in-game assets, often through non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
What is DeFi and how does it work?
DeFi, or decentralized finance, works by utilizing blockchain technology to remove intermediaries from financial transactions. It relies on smart contracts, which automatically enforce contractual obligations, making transactions transparent, accessible, and efficient.
What is GameFi and DeFi?
GameFi is a subset of DeFi, applying the principles of decentralized finance to the world of gaming. It involves earning real-world financial returns through gaming activities.
Can I make money from DeFi?
Yes, it’s possible to earn money through DeFi platforms. Users can earn interest on crypto assets, trade digital tokens, or earn through gaming in the case of DeFi gaming.
How do DeFi owners make money?
Owners or developers of DeFi platforms often earn through transaction fees and, in some cases, a percentage of interest earned by users.
Can you become a millionaire from DeFi?
While some have made substantial earnings through DeFi, it’s essential to remember that all investments come with risks. The value of digital assets can be volatile, and users should thoroughly research and consider potential losses.
How do I start a DeFi?
Starting with DeFi involves researching different DeFi platforms and services, understanding the risks involved, and perhaps investing a small amount to begin with. One can start with popular platforms like Ethereum, which hosts a variety of DeFi applications.
How do I start investing in DeFi?
Investing in DeFi starts with understanding the space—learning about blockchain, smart contracts, and the specific DeFi platforms you’re interested in. It’s crucial to be aware of the risks and only invest what you can afford to lose.
Conclusion
DeFi gaming is revolutionizing the gaming industry, integrating economic opportunities with entertainment. As this sector continues to evolve, it promises to reshape our understanding of value in gaming.
