Axie Infinity, developed by Vietnamese company Sky Mavis, is reportedly allowing players to make money by trading cryptocurrencies in-game. Using crypto in video games is a trend that has grown more popular in the past few years, and rumors suggest that big franchises like Grand Theft Auto may soon expand the practice even further. Axie Infinity, while a relatively small game itself, is using crypto and NFTs in a novel way to put real money on the line for its players.
NFTs are an offshoot of cryptocurrency, particularly the Ethereum blockchain, that provides a way to put a value on digital goods. In essence, NFTs are a way to make a limited number of digital creations — images, GIFs, text — that can usually be copied endlessly online. Interested parties can then buy or sell that creation and transfer ownership of it. NFTs have been introduced into many video games already and some developers have funded games through NFTs.
As reported by MSN, Axie Infinity goes further in its use of cryptocurrency than nearly any other video game so far. The game itself is similar to Pokémon with its catchable monsters (called Axies), turn-based combat, and different types associated with each monster. Where it differs is how players acquire the monsters. Each Axie is unique and must be bred using the in-game currencies connected to crypto wallets the player must set up before playing the game. Bred Axies can be sold or used in battles, both of which earn currency for the player that is directly tied to real-world money. Allegedly, some players have earned thousands of dollars by playing the game.
While some games like Fortnite have declined to use NFTs in their games, it has become the main attraction for Axie Infinity and other games like it. The initial cost to play, however, is steep. It reportedly costs close to $1,500 to start playing the game, and it must be ed directly online as it is not currently available through any app stores. Sky Mavis has announced that it is working on a free-to-play version of Axie Infinity that it hopes will qualify for the Apple and Google Play Stores.
The future of NFTs and crypto in video games is unclear at the moment. Whether online currency will become a standard part of the gaming experience or the trend will fizzle out entirely is yet to be seen, but Axie Infinity and other games like it are using crypto in ways it never has been before. Video games have been involved in cryptocurrency since the beginning — World of Warcraft played a role in the development of Ethereum — and it appears that at least for the immediate future, games will continue to be a vehicle for innovations in digital currencies.
Source: MSN