Ever since play-to-earn games have gained popularity, the debate surrounding them has focused on the initial costs. Is there such a thing as free NFT games? How much do I need to spend to get started? Will I get my money back? These are some of the questions many prospecting players ask themselves. The good news is, there are plenty of them!
In this article, we will have a look at some of the best free to play NFT games out there and give you key insights.
It is true that most NFT games require initial capital to get started. They offer a play-to-earn model which enables players to gain a steady return on their initial investments. This has been the core selling point of many blockchain-based games. In most scenarios, players have to spend a certain amount of money to buy an in-game NFT, which would act as the main game character. For example, one of the most popular NFT games out there, Axie Infinity, requires new players to buy three Axies (in-game NFT characters) in order to get started. The price range for these NFTs is highly dependent on their rarity and varies anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Naturally, this can very easily discourage many new players from entering the world of NFT games.
Fortunately, there are still a handful of NFT games that do not impose any entry costs. We will walk you through the top five of these games below:
#1- Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained has claimed the first spot as a free-to-play NFT game, not just by us but many other crypto enthusiasts. A trading card game based on a blockchain, Gods Unchained offers new players a Welcome Set of 140 cards. As the Welcome Set does not live on the blockchain, it cannot be sold or traded with others. Players need to invest time and effort to level up, unlocking packs that contain Common Core cards. These cards are still not minted on the blockchain. In order to earn NFT based cards, players must earn Flux by winning Ranked matches. Flux is required to ‘fuse’ duplicate Common Core cards via Forge. After combining core cards, it produces NFT cards that are registered on the blockchain.
#2 – The Sandbox
As the name suggests, The Sandbox is an immersive Ethereum-based metaverse where players can create assets, monetize them and participate in many other fun activities. The Sandbox does not require any upfront costs from players, but rather relies upon users to create content for each other and monetize it. Players retain the rights to all elements created by them in-game. The main gameplay activity revolves around owning a piece of LAND and crafting new creations on that LAND. These creations can be bought, sold or traded in The Sandbox Marketplace.
#3 – Splinterlands
Splinterlands is perhaps one of the tops, and consistently, performing NFT games that is also free to play. Another card trading NFT game that allows players with similar rankings to match up for a shot at glory. Unlike Gods Unchained, Splinterlands is based on the Hive blockchain. The winner of a ranked match gets to earn more sets of cards which they can sell on the marketplace. All new players of Splinterlands receive a set of free base cards when they join. There are however several in-game purchases, such as buying more potent cards through booster packs or purchasing someone else’s set of cards. This in return would strengthen the player’s position in a ranked match allowing them to potentially earn more.
#4 – Chainmonsters
If you are a Pokemon fan, chances are you are already familiar with Chainmonsters. Chainmonsters is a Pokemon-themed massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that also offers a free-to-play mode for new players.
Chainmonsters is currently running on the FLOW blockchain and is said to be in its final stages of the beta phase. The team behind Chainmonsters stated that there are plans in place for the game to be launched on both Playstation and Xbox as well. The gameplay, similar to Pokemon, revolves around collecting Chainmons and other items, which can then be sold via its marketplace. The rarer the Chainmon, the higher it can be sold for.
#5 – Coin Hunt World
The last in our list is not purely an NFT based game. However, Coin Hunt World is free to play and allows players to scavenge for Bitcoin and Ethereum. This is another game that takes inspiration from Pokemon Go. Here players need to walk around their cities with the help of a digital map and search for keys. Upon collecting sufficient keys, these can be deposited in a vault. This is then followed by answering a trivia question, and if your answer is correct, you will be rewarded with BTC and ETH. Coin Hunt World is not just a free way to earn potential crypto coins, but also motivates consumers to walk, and promotes a healthy fit lifestyle.
The only key difference between Coin Hunt World and the rest of the games on this list is that the former does not distribute any rewards in NFTs. All rewards are paid out in either Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Key takeaways
NFT based games have been at the forefront of exploding metaverse growth and popularity. While many prospective players have been reluctant to join this movement due to perceived high barriers, there are several game options that can be enjoyed with no upfront costs. Free NFT games are levelling the playing field and ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to benefit from the fast-growing NFT economy.
While the NFT landscape is still in its infancy, its potential and growth trajectory are considered to be strongly positive. As the demand for such games grows, we expect many free-to-play games to move towards paid options for sustainability. So pick a game from the list and get started while it’s still free to do so!
