

How PlayToEarn Has Changed Since the Blockchain Gaming Boom



PlayToEarn was revolutionary for the blockchain gaming space, but a narrative change swithced focus on the ownership and gameplay
PlayToEarn, PlayAndEArn, PlayAndOwn, PlayToOwn
PlayToEarn has evolved since it became the term most associated with the 2021 blockchain gaming boom lead by popular Web3 game, Axie Infinity.
The initial blockchain gaming model featured a token that gamers earn while playing a game, thus the term PlayToEarn. The idea was revolutionary in the sense that regular gamers could now earn a living by playing a game without being a content creator or a pro player. Through $SLP farming during its initial model, Axie Infinity managed to give players in some countries an income that was, at one point, higher than the minimum wage.
Play 2 Earn is dead.
— Brycent 🚀 (@brycent_) September 22, 2022
It’s been dead for quite sometime.
This is great, it means more sustainable models that are not cash grabs will rise to the top.
However, this model proved to be a bit short-lived as it was exhaustively extractive to the game economy. Value needs to enter the economy in order for value to be extracted. When Axie Infinity became popular in 2021, value entered its economy through new players. But when the supply of its utility token overtook its demand, prices started to go south as economic laws took over.
This wasn’t an isolated case. Games with a similar model all had the same problem. Pegaxy, a horse simulation game on Polygon, saw an influx of players, most of whom came from the Axie ecosystem. Prices of its NFTs and tokens rocketed quickly, but also dropped just as fast. Web3 gaming personalities became critical of the PlayToEarn model, and soon after, games began creating a new narrative.
P2E is not DEAD. It's just evolved to P2Enjoy and P2Esports. 😁
— Spike (@SpikeReacts_) September 23, 2022
PlayAndEarn
The narrative shifted from PlayToEarn to PlayAndEarn to try and change the focus of the project from financial gain to enjoyable gameplay. The potential to earn from playing the game is still present and players can still own their assets. The main difference is that developers now focus more on creating a fun game, rather than a project that can generate financial rewards.
2/
— Psycheout - Aleksander (@Psycheout86) July 27, 2022
In our opinion, "Play-to-Earn" means that players are able to earn Fungible and Non-Fungible tokens in a gaming universe, which may or may not have value.
Over time we noticed that players viewed it differently, hence the change to "Play-and-Earn"
Apart from the narrative shift, projects started investing more on the development of their games. Value-adding gameplay, instead of just interacting with the protocol, was the priority when incentivizing players. The competitive nature of games is one aspect that developers look to focus incentives on as more projects try to build a competitive eSports scene to supplement their basic in-game economies.
PlayAndOwn / PlayToOwn
However, attaching the word “Earn” still connotates an extractive mindset which doesn’t really help blockchain gaming economies, especially in their infancy stage. Earning is still equated to the old model where token earnings are seen as salaries for players. From PlayToEarn to PlayToOwn, a new concept called PlayAndOwn or PlayToOwn started forming.
2/ When you buy a house you don't buy it to sell, you buy it to live in, because it has a purpose and you hope that in the future if you sell it, and the markets are favourable, then you might make a profit. Web3 is the same.
— SteveWoody.eth | Undisputed Noobs (🌻,🌻) (@STEVEW00DY) May 1, 2022
Play and OWN, and you have the choice to sell
The shift in focus from earning to owning takes away that extractive mentality. This doesn’t inhibit the ability of players to extract tokens from the ecosystem, but it does realign the thought process to reinvesting the tokens in the economy instead of taking them out and creating additional sell pressure for the token. Earnings through this narrative come in the form of value accrual through ownership of game asset Non-Fungible Token (NFTs).
Sunflower Land, a PlayAndOwn blockchain game on the Polygon network, adheres to this narrative quite well. In their protocol, players earn $SFL, the primary in-game currency that is also an on-chain token. However, instead of extracting $SFL from the ecosystem, the team has built desirable and limited-edition NFTs that can only be purchased using $SFL. Once those are all sold out, players looking to acquire the asset have to do so on the secondary market.
PlayToEarn was a revolutionary start to the blockchain gaming philosophy. It is still debatable if the changes in narratives really affects players’ extraction decisions. But one thing is for sure, the ideologies around PlayToEarn have shifted since the 2021 blockchain gaming boom.
This is a paid press release, BSC.News does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. The project team has purchased this advertisement article for $1500. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. BSC.News is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.
This is a paid press release, BSC.News does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. The project team has purchased this advertisement article for $2500. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. BSC.News is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.
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PancakeSwap v3 Launches on BNB Chain’s Layer2 Network, opBNB

The launch of PancakeSwap v3 on opBNB promises users enhanced transaction speeds, reduced fees, and an overall improved trading experience.
On September 28, PancakeSwap Decentralized Exchange (DEX) announced the launch of PancakeSwap v3 on BNB Chain’s Layer2 network, opBNB. The announcement was made official through a post on its official X account and shared details via its blog.
🐰PancakeSwap v3 has officially launched on opBNB @BNBCHAIN!
— PancakeSwap🥞Everyone's Favorite DEX (@PancakeSwap) September 28, 2023
🔀Trade with fees as low as 0.01%
🥈Provide liquidity to the 2nd largest DEX
⛽️Transfer with gas fees as low as $0.005
👉Learn more: https://t.co/nvu7sZk0L7
🎥: https://t.co/xllWcW0fu2 pic.twitter.com/6QJWp4RdAt
According to the protocol’s blog, the new PancakeSwap v3 on opBNB promises traders and liquidity providers a host of benefits. These include the opportunity to trade with reduced fees, enjoy increased returns, and experience enhanced capital efficiency. Further, the Layer2 network ensures these advantages are delivered with high throughput and minimal gas fees.
opBNB, which powers this new integration, is built on the bedrock version of Optimism’s OP stack. It stands out as a swift Layer2 solution within the BNB Chain ecosystem.
Addressing the Layer1 Limitations
One of the significant challenges with numerous Layer1 blockchains has been handling high transaction volumes. With the introduction of opBNB on PancakeSwap, this issue is addressed.
The opBNB network boasts the capacity to handle over 4,000 Transactions Per Second (TPS). Additionally, it offers a minimal gas fee, which can go as low as $0.005. This ensures improved throughput and scalability for users.
In the words of the DEX, “PancakeSwap on opBNB offers a scalable solution; the opBNB network accommodates over 4,000 TPS and reduces gas fees to under $0.005 for transfers. Users enjoy improved throughput without sacrificing decentralization by offloading processing to Layer 2 while posting data to BNB Smart Chain.”
Expanding the DeFi Space
This recent integration marks opBNB as the sixth Layer2 network to be deployed on PancakeSwap v3. This expansion provides users with a broader range of options in the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) space.
Chef Mochi, the Head Chef of PancakeSwap, shared insights on this development, stating that the integration showcases the DEX’s dedication to promoting widespread adoption and empowering users in the cryptocurrency arena.
“By joining forces with the opBNB, PancakeSwap is pleased to bring users more accessibility and functionality than ever before. Our decision to launch on opBNB reflects our continued commitment to driving mass adoption of DeFi, empowering users, and fostering a vibrant DeFi community,” Mochi said.
The launch of PancakeSwap v3 on opBNB is a significant step forward in the DeFi space, promising users enhanced transaction speeds, reduced fees, and an overall improved trading experience.
This is a paid press release, BSC.News does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. The project team has purchased this advertisement article for $1500. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. BSC.News is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.
This is a paid press release, BSC.News does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. The project team has purchased this advertisement article for $2500. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. BSC.News is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.
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