Crypto games in 2026: how they work and how much you can earn from them
Today you can earn from crypto games only in exceptional cases – and it is usually a matter of pennies up to a few tens of crowns a day, not an income. Play-to-earn games pay players in tokens or NFT items whose price depends mainly on the inflow of new players. Most projects from 2018–2023 no longer work, and those that are still running mainly promise fun. Treat them as a game, not an investment.
Summary
- In-game rewards are paid in tokens (AXS, SLP, TLM, GODS…), which have lost over 99% of their value since their 2021 peak.
- According to a CoinGecko study, 75% of web3 games launched in 2018–2023 have stopped working.
- In 2026, Axie Infinity, Gods Unchained, Splinterlands and Alien Worlds, for example, are still running – but the earnings are symbolic.
- The biggest risk is not low rewards but scams: fake game websites, “airdrops” and transaction signatures that empty your wallet.
- This is not investment advice. Only put into games money you are willing to spend on entertainment.
How play-to-earn games work
In-game characters, cards, tools or plots of land are NFTs – digital items recorded on the blockchain. They belong to you, so you can sell them to other players. For playing, you receive a game token that can be exchanged for other cryptocurrencies on an exchange.
The catch lies in who is paying you that money. The game itself usually generates no income – the tokens are created “out of nothing” and their value is held up only by demand. They are bought mainly by new players who need characters or items. When newcomers stop arriving, the token falls, and with it the “earnings” of everyone else.
That is why the same pattern repeats in play-to-earn: rapid growth, high rewards, an influx of people chasing money, token inflation and a crash. The games that survived now present themselves rather as “play-and-earn” – the game comes first, rewards are a bonus.
What happened to the earnings of 2021–2022
The best-known example is Axie Infinity. During the 2021 boom it had around 2.8 million active players a month, and for some of them playing was their main income. Then came inflation of the SLP reward token, a decline in new players and, in March 2022, a hack of the Ronin network bridge in which roughly USD 625 million disappeared.
The AXS token stood at around USD 165 at its peak in November 2021. In April 2026 it traded at around USD 1.5 – i.e. 99% lower. The tokens of most games fared similarly. The figures of “USD 300–1,000 a month” that circulated on the internet are nowhere near true today.
Which crypto games are still running in 2026
For the table, we selected games whose activity in 2026 we verified (new seasons, expansions or active-player rankings). We left out games whose status we could not verify.
| Game | Genre | What you can get | Evidence of activity in 2026 | Earnings reality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axie Infinity (Origins) | card battles with characters | AXS token, in-game items | AXS traded at around USD 1.5 in April 2026, the game runs on the Ronin network | rewards mainly for the best players |
| Gods Unchained | collectible card game | cards (NFT), GODS token | Battle Pass 12 was running in March 2026 and new expansions were being released | mainly selling cards |
| Splinterlands | card game | SPS and DEC tokens, cards | a new expansion and card sale in summer 2026 | players themselves report earnings of a few tokens a day |
| Alien Worlds | click-based “mining” in a metaverse | TLM token, NFT items | active in 2026, newcomers get a free shovel | pennies a day with the basic tool |
| Off The Grid | shooter (battle royale) | in-game items as NFTs | around 571,000 active wallets a day in January 2026 | mainly trading items, not a regular income |
The data are based on the latest reports we were able to find as of 18 Oct 2026 (see the evidence column). Player numbers and token prices change quickly – before you put anything into a game, check its official website and the current token price.
Alien Worlds: how much browser “mining” earns
Alien Worlds is a sci-fi metaverse on the WAX blockchain. According to DappRadar, in Q3 2025 it was among the most active games by number of transactions per player. It is played in a browser on a computer or mobile.
How to play
- You create a WAX Cloud Wallet (an e-mail or Google account is enough).
- You choose a planet and a plot of land on it. Plots are owned by other players, who take a commission from your “mining” – they set it themselves.
- You put a tool in the slot. Newcomers get a free shovel.
- You click “Mine”, confirm the transaction and receive a small amount of the TLM token. Then you wait for the tool to “recharge” and repeat.
For transactions, you need reserved computing power (CPU) on the WAX network, for which 1–2 WAX is usually enough. Stronger tools are bought as NFTs and shorten the waiting time.
How much it earns
With the free shovel, you mine fractions of a TLM per click. In 2026 the TLM token traded at thousandths of a dollar, so it comes to pennies a day. With better tools and a good plot, according to game guides you can reach tens of cents to a few dollars a day – but you have to buy the tools first, and both their price and the TLM price change.
The game is also plagued by bots. Analysts at Naavik estimate that 30–40% of “miners” may be bots. Land is also heavily concentrated: roughly 20% of wallets own about 80% of the plots. For someone clicking by hand, that means an even smaller share.
Beware of the word “mining”. In Alien Worlds it is merely a game mechanic – nothing is computed and clicking does not validate any blocks. How real cryptocurrency mining with computing power works is explained in our article What is cryptocurrency mining.
Free-to-play or with an initial deposit?
| Free game | Game with NFT purchase | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | CZK 0, possibly a small transaction fee | buying characters, cards or tools – price depends on the game and the market |
| Rewards | minimal, often limited to beginner levels | higher, but dependent on the token price |
| Risk | wasted time, phishing | loss of deposit, fall in NFT price, end of the game |
| What happens when the game ends | nothing | NFTs may lose all their value |
If a game wants you to pay up front and promises that your deposit will “pay back within a few weeks”, treat it as a high-risk investment – not as a game.
The biggest risks of crypto games
- Token crash. Rewards are counted in tokens, not in crowns. When the token falls by 90%, your earnings and the value of your NFTs fall by 90% too.
- End of the game. The studio may end development or shut down the servers. In 2025 alone, dozens of games publicly announced their closure.
- Fake websites and airdrops. Scammers copy game websites and send out “bonuses” via Discord, Telegram or X. After you connect your wallet and sign a transaction, your tokens and NFTs disappear.
- “Scholarships” and rentals. Offers like “we'll lend you characters and split the earnings” are often just a way to extract an upfront fee from you.
- Taxes. For tax purposes, game tokens are crypto-assets. Selling or exchanging them counts as income – since 2025 it is exempt up to CZK 100,000 a year or after three years of holding (Czech rules). You will find details in our cryptocurrency guide.
How to start safely
- Find the game via its official website or an app store, not via an advert or a link from a message.
- Create a separate wallet for gaming and don't put more into it than you can afford to lose.
- Never share your recovery phrase (seed) with anyone – no game or support team needs it.
- Before signing a transaction, read what you are signing. If a site asks for “unlimited access” to your tokens, reject the transaction.
- Start with the free version. Only put money into NFTs once you enjoy the game even without rewards.
- Keeping records of your token sales will make your tax return easier later.
What next
- How to recognise a fake wallet through which scammers steal cryptocurrency is described in our article The fake wallet scam.
- Game tokens are a frequent target of price manipulation – what a pump and dump means and how to avoid it.
- If real mining appeals to you more, start with our article What is cryptocurrency mining and how does it work.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can you make a living from crypto games in 2026?
Which play-to-earn games are free?
Do I have to pay tax on tokens earned in a game?
Is Alien Worlds real crypto mining?
How can I spot a scam crypto game?
This text was prepared with the help of AI. Facts, figures and procedures were checked by Yegor.
