I just realized that blockchain games are really hot right now—especially NFT games. The vibe of playing games while earning money is quite addictive, and many people are jumping on this trend. I want to share a few things I’ve learned about NFT games so you can understand them better too.

Maybe many of you still don’t know what NFT games actually are. Simply put, they’re games built on blockchain, where NFTs play a central role in gameplay and in the game’s economy. Unlike traditional games, here you truly own your digital assets in the form of NFTs—unique items that can’t be copied.

The great thing about NFT games is that each NFT has its own unique identifier code, which helps verify ownership. You can trade them on the marketplace, and each transaction is recorded on the blockchain. This creates a high level of transparency and makes the assets truly valuable.

As for history, NFT games aren’t completely new. In 2012, Yoni Assia introduced Colored Coin on Bitcoin, marking an early step toward decentralized tokens. But the real turning point came in 2017 when CryptoKitties was launched—the world’s first NFT game that lets you create unique virtual cats. The game was so popular that it clogged the Ethereum network. Later, Axie Infinity was developed by a Vietnamese team and exploded globally with its play-to-earn model, truly changing how people view NFT games.

So what makes NFT games appealing? First is real ownership. You’re not just playing—you also own assets that you can sell or trade. Second is uniqueness—each NFT is different, and there are no two identical ones. Third, many NFT games let you use assets across multiple platforms, creating flexibility. In addition, the economic model of these games is often designed so that players can earn real income.

But I also have to admit that NFT games aren’t perfect. The biggest risk is that if a game stops releasing content, the NFTs inside it will become worthless, because they only have value if they can be traded. Also, since this industry is still young, many participants join just to make quick profits, which leads to low-quality games. The value of NFTs also depends on many factors, such as the rarity, the popularity of the game, community interest, and even currency market volatility.

Now, if you want to try playing NFT games, there are quite a few options. Axie Infinity is still one of the most well-known games with a strong play-to-earn model, and now it even has a mobile version. Pixels is a farming game with quite cute pixel graphics, built on the Ronin blockchain, and it has attracted more than 900,000 players. It offers two ways to earn: renting out your NFTs to others, or playing yourself to earn tokens.

There’s Shrapnel, a sci-fi shooter game that lets you own in-game assets. Heroes of Mavia is a mobile tower defense strategy game, similar to Clash of Clans, that has reached more than 1 million downloads. Big Time is a multiplayer action RPG developed by Big Time Studios with funding of 21 million USD, where you can choose from six different character classes.

Illuvium is a fairly unique open-world RPG game, regarded as the first IBG game in the world. It’s built on Immutable X with very low gas fees. The world of Illuvium is vast, with Pokémon-like creatures called Illuvial that you need to capture to use in battle.

Life Beyond is an MMORPG FPS-style game that puts you in the role of a citizen on the planet Dolos. The game uses the DOLS token and lets you play solo or with a group. Wreck League is a competitive game developed by Nway with support from Animoca and Yuga Labs, and it has both web3 and web2 versions to reach different types of gamers.

The Beacon is a roguelike game developed by Treasure DAO, using high-end pixel graphics. It’s accessible even to people who don’t know anything about blockchain. Finally, there’s Crazy Defense Heroes, an RPG card game with tower defense gameplay, developed by Animoca Brands.

You might be wondering whether NFT games are the future of gaming. I think they will definitely keep evolving. The combination of creative gameplay and blockchain technology is creating new opportunities. Although there are still many challenges and risks, NFT games are gradually drawing attention from both traditional gamers and tech enthusiasts. The potential of NFT games in the future is huge. If you’re interested in blockchain and gaming, this is definitely an area worth exploring. Have you played any NFT games before?