Have you ever wondered if you might make money just by playing top play to earn games on your phone or laptop? I used to believe it seemed too wonderful to be true, but then I tried it myself. I’ve spent weeks playing and evaluating new play-to-earn cryptocurrency games to ensure you don’t waste your time.
Here, I’ll share 10 top play to earn games that offer good gameplay and the opportunity to earn real cryptocurrency reward. Whether you’re new to blockchain or have experience with crypto games, this guide will help you decide which ones are worth your time.
Play-to-Earn Games and How They Work?
Play to earn games offer a watershed moment in the gaming industry, leveraging blockchain technology to create decentralized virtual worlds in which players genuinely own their in-game goods. Unlike traditional games, where purchased items belong to the game publisher, P2E games provide players with complete ownership via non-fungible tokens and smart contracts.
The primary idea underlying these crypto games is to reward players with the game’s native currency for various in-game actions. Players can earn money by winning fights, completing missions, exchanging virtual land, or contributing to the game’s economy through staking and governance activities.
These digital assets are freely exchanged on decentralized marketplaces, with prices decided by player demand and asset scarcity.
Top 10 Play to Earn Games in 2025
Here are my choices for the 10 best play to earn games. The following are my recommendations for the finest play to earn games. Each title has good gameplay and significant revenue potential on PC, console, Android, and iOS. Each game is based on proven economic models, with active player bases and reliable prize distribution structure.
1. Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is still a well-known name in play-to-earn. Built on the Ronin blockchain, it allows users to acquire, breed, and battle cartoon-like monsters known as Axies.
Smooth Love Potion (SLP) is awarded for victories in both PvP (player vs player) and PvE (player versus environment) games, with AXS serving as the governance and staking token.
Following its meteoric growth and subsequent challenges with token inflation, the game has received significant changes. The Origins fighting system made combat more strategic, while the Homeland land gameplay provided new opportunities to earn money through resource collecting and crafting.
This year, Sky Mavis is also testing Atia’s Legacy, an Axie-themed MMORPG with the potential to grow the ecosystem.
Entry is easier than it was during the 2021 boom. Players can begin for free with starter Axies (though earnings are limited) or invest in NFT Axies and land to fully participate.
2. Gods Unchained
I don’t enjoy card games. I played The Witcher 3 but never tried Gwent. However, Gods Unchained stands out as one of the most popular games. It is built on Immutable’s scaling technology, resulting in fast, low-cost transactions, and it has fully transitioned to Immutable zkEVM, which increases speed and liquidity.
Gods Unchained is 100% free to play. New players are given a beginner deck straight away, and when they win matches or go up the ranking ladder, they can collect GODS tokens and NFT cards. These cards can be exchanged on secondary marketplaces or utilized to improve your deck, providing competent players with a direct path to actual prizes.
With an official Android app on Google Play and iOS support in the works, the game has also spread to mobile devices. It is therefore among the easiest mobile games to play and earn money.
3. Big Time
Big Time blends fast-paced MMORPG gameplay with a complex cosmetic NFT economy that rewards competent players without requiring an initial investment. Players earn BIGTIME tokens by completing dungeon raids, crafting tasks, and participating in the game’s player-generated marketplace.
The game’s emphasis on cosmetic NFTs rather than pay-to-win mechanics means that success is determined by player skill rather than wallet size. SPACE NFTs serve as virtual real estate, allowing owners to run businesses and profit from marketplace transaction fees.
Big Time, which runs on Ethereum and includes Open Loot interface, allows for interoperability with other blockchain games as well as easy asset exchange. The free-to-play aspect attracts a large audience, while the earning potential keeps dedicated players interested over time.
Community events and seasonal content releases offer regular opportunities to earn limited-edition NFTs and bonus token incentives. The game’s economy strikes a balance between accessibility for newbies and significant earning possibilities for loyal players.
4. Illuvium
Illuvium is generally referred to as the first AAA-quality blockchain game, and with good cause. Built on Ethereum and powered by Immutable’s layer-2 technology, it combines an open-world RPG with an auto-battler system.
Players explore exotic environments, capture NFT creatures known as Illuvials, and engage in combat for prizes. The ILV token is used for governance and staking in the game, whilst sILV2 is spendable in-game.
Illuvium’s economy is based on Illuvials, which are rare NFTs with various affinities, classes, and synergies that make combat more strategic. If you don’t enjoy PvP, the Overworld mode focuses on exploration, resource collection, and wildlife hunting.
The Illuvium Pro League is one of the esports-style contests with prize pools that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Epic Games Store’s free-to-try concept has also made cryptocurrency accessible to mainstream gamers who might not have otherwise used it.
5. The Sandbox
In terms of metaverse-style play-to-earn, The Sandbox has gradually established itself as an expert. It’s a virtual world where people may own digital land, create unique experiences, and sell them for SAND tokens. It’s built on Ethereum with Polygon support for less expensive transactions.
The site continues to draw popular businesses and artists, holding collaborations and events that increase visitors. Even directly rewarding inventors is part of the Builders’ Challenge program. Tens of thousands of SAND tokens are available for the best experiences.
While artists and investors can buy LAND NFTs to host their projects, users can explore user-made games for free. The Sandbox’s dual appeal—playing for fun or investing and building—maintains its place among the best play-to-earn games.
6. Splinterlands
Another blockchain game in the trading card style is Splinterlands, although their strategy is intriguing. Before every combat, players form a team and let the match to automatically resolve based on strategy and card synergies rather than playing cards in real time. It is more accessible and moves more quickly, especially for mobile users.
Dark Energy Crystals (DEC), the in-game currency, and Splintershards (SPS), the governance token, are the two tokens used in the Hive blockchain game. While staking SPS can increase prizes and grant voting power in governance, players can acquire DEC by participating in ranking battles, daily missions, and tournaments.
With regular updates and cheaper entrance fees than larger games, Splinterlands has developed one of the most vibrant communities in cryptocurrency gaming. Card rentals also let starters to compete while spending less.
7. Decentraland
One of the first blockchain-based metaverses, Decentraland is still a significant player in the play-to-earn market. It is based on Ethereum and allows users to purchase, acquire, and create virtual land parcels (LAND NFTs).
Then, by organizing events, developing experiences, or exchanging assets on the open market—all of which are connected to the MANA token—players can make money from those parcels.
Decentraland’s position as a social center has been cemented this year. It frequently holds brand-sponsored events, art festivals, and cryptocurrency conferences. It largely relies on community-driven content, in contrast to the majority of P2E games that concentrate on farming or fights. Instead of fighting, players can get money through networking and ingenuity.
Although the platform is still free to use, creators and investors find it more appealing than casual players because significant profits typically require owning or renting LAND. Nevertheless, it remains at the forefront of top play-to-earn games due to its longevity and decentralized governance.
8. Star Atlas
Star Atlas is a space exploration game that blends economic strategy with MMORPG features. As they construct ships and establish territorial dominance, players make money from resource extraction, interstellar trading, and PvP battle.
For the real-time economic activities that power the game’s universe, operating on the Solana blockchain guarantees quick transaction processing and minimal fees. The game’s intricate economic mechanics and beautiful graphics are reflected in its medium-to-high entrance cost.
9. My Neighbor Alice
My Neighbor Alice happens to be a social farming and building game built on the Chromia blockchain. Consider it a hybrid of blockchain ownership and Animal Crossing: players may purchase and personalize virtual islands, cultivate crops, nurture animals, and communicate with neighbors.
The ALICE token, which is utilized for land ownership, in-game purchases, and governance, powers the economy. As one of the more laid-back play-to-earn games, it nevertheless stands out.
My Neighbor Alice appeals to a wider audience than competitive card games or expensive role-playing games. While NFT-based land and items provide players with a route to real-world benefits, events and quests keep things going.
10. World of Dypians
In the sci-fi MMO-style metaverse World of Dypians, you can explore a large city, pursue time-limited events, and show off your cosmetics while making progress. It is presently in beta, operates on several EVM chains, including opBNB and BSC, and employs the WOD token for access benefits and ecosystem incentives.
Instead of tab-target fighting, expect social hubs, crafts, and scavenger hunts. As the team develops the sandbox, the focus is currently on live events and collection cycles.
Is Play to Earn Still Worth It in 2025?
Since the 2021 hype cycles, play-to-earn gaming has developed. Many ventures at the time promised profits that would change people’s lives, however they eventually failed due to unsustainable tokenomics.
Things have changed. Well-known games like Axie Infinity, Illuvium, and Splinterlands now prioritize gameplay and have more sustainable reward systems.
However, P2E is not a reliable source of income. Rewards frequently decrease as more players join the game, and tokens and NFT values are still dependent on erratic cryptocurrency markets.
My recommendation is to view winnings as a bonus, a means of earning tiny amounts of cryptocurrency or offsetting gaming expenses. It is most definitely not going to be a major source of income or a replacement for people’s work.
This year, treating P2E games as entertainment first is a safer strategy. Rewards provide an additional level of value if you enjoy the gameplay. However, there’s a significant possibility you’ll be let down if your only motivation is to make money.
Are Play to Earn Rewards Taxed?
Yes, most of the time. When you receive cryptocurrency incentives, prizes, or airdrops, most nations tax it at your regular income rate depending on its fair market value on that particular day.
The profit from the sale, exchange, purchase, or gift of those tokens may be subject to capital gains tax. You should maintain accurate records of dates, values, and fees because P2E combines the two. When in doubt, consult a tax expert or refer to local guidelines.
Closing Remarks
The early days of NFT pets and speculative farming appear to be significantly different from the present play-to-earn economy. The top P2E cryptocurrency games available now span many different genres.
Games like Axie Infinity, Illuvium, and The Sandbox are still at the top of the list if you’re searching for tried-and-true games. Options like Gods Unchained, Splinterlands, and My Neighbor Alice make it simple and affordable for casual players to get started. Additionally, the famed Hamster Kombat demonstrates the enormous size and rapid decline of play-to-earn mobile games.
Whichever option you select, keep in mind that earnings differ according on the game, the state of the market, and the amount of time you are ready to devote. Playing games you truly enjoy is the safest course of action.
