Best Crypto Gaming Projects

Best Crypto Gaming Tokens

As of 2024, crypto gaming coins have a combined market capitalization of $13.23 billion, representing about 6% of the total cryptocurrency market. To identify the leading contenders, our team analyzed over 25 games, each unique in gameplay, token design, and target audience. Based on this thorough review, here are the top crypto gaming projects today.

‍

1. Immutable X

Immutable X stands out as a leading Layer 2 network for NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain, designed specifically to support the next generation of Web3 games. Unlike traditional Ethereum-based competitors, Immutable X offers gas-free, fully carbon-neutral NFT minting with transaction speeds of up to 9,000 TPS, thanks to StarkEx's zero-knowledge rollups. A key statistic is that around 400 games are building on Immutable in 2024.

The platform's integration with Ethereum's Proof-of-Stake model further enhances its environmental sustainability. Immutable X's IMX token, launched in November 2021, plays a vital role in the ecosystem, serving functions such as fees, staking, and governance. Immutable X is also integrated with major NFT marketplaces like Rarible and Nifty Gateway, further boosting its ecosystem's liquidity and reach.

With a market cap of $1.8 billion, Immutable X dominates in terms of valuation, though it lags in decentralized finance (DeFi) support with only $30 million in total value locked (TVL).

‍

2. Notcoin

Notcoin is the rising powerhouse in the 2024 crypto gaming scene, leveraging Telegram's vast user base to attract millions of players to its simple, yet addictive clicker game. Unlike other games, Notcoin focuses on the broad, community-driven distribution of its NOT token, achieving a staggering 40 million players and a $1.19 billion market cap without any VC backing.

Its fair distribution model, which included a record-breaking airdrop of $2.5 billion in NOT tokens, ensured widespread participation and decentralization. The platform's Explore feature further engages users by offering special rewards and launching new projects, making Notcoin a top contender in the GameFi arena, with more similar games launching every other week.

As of its latest expansion, Notcoin has successfully distributed tokens to over 11.5 million users, setting a new standard for community-driven crypto projects.

‍

3. Hamster Kombat

Hamster Kombat, the most popular Telegram-based game, has captured the minds of over 300 million players worldwide by combining social interaction with strategic gameplay. This game differentiates by allowing players to act as CEOs of fictional crypto exchanges, earning millions of coins daily through challenges and community interactions (teams and competitions).

With a unique focus on members-driven growth and massive airdrops, Hamster Kombat aims to transition a billion Web2 users into Web3. The game’s token, HMSTR, is set to be distributed in what could be the largest airdrop in history, with 60% of the supply allocated to active players.

Despite facing delays, the project’s ambitious goal and its organic content-driven virality have made Hamster Kombat a standout in the crypto-gaming industry. The game's YouTube channel alone has amassed over 35.1 million subscribers, highlighting its massive reach.

‍

4. Axie Infinity

Axie Infinity's uniqueness comes from its player-owned economy, where digital pets called Axies can be bred, traded, and used in battles. Unlike other projects, Axie Infinity offers complex strategic gameplay combined with an open economic system, allowing players to earn real-world value, making them one of the first at their time to do so in 2020.

The game is built on the Ronin Network, a custom Layer 1 blockchain designed for gaming, featuring the highest TVL in GameFi at a $133 million market cap. Axie Infinity’s governance token, AXS, facilitates staking, governance, and in-game rewards, with a current market cap of $711 million, almost 5 times more than its host's L1.

The Axie ecosystem continues to expand with six distinct games, all contributing to its reputation as a leading platform in the Web3 gaming space. To date, players have spent over 2 million ETH within the Axie universe, which is normal, considering one Axie costs $200-$600 on average.

‍

5. Stepn

Stepn introduces a novel move-to-earn (M2E) concept, blending physical activity with blockchain rewards on the Solana network. Unlike other crypto games that focus purely on gameplay, Stepn rewards users for walking, jogging, or running with its NFT sneakers, making it the first Web3 fitness application to gain widespread recognition.

The platform’s dual-token economy uses GST for in-game rewards and GMT for governance, offering users varied earning opportunities based on their physical activity. Stepn’s sneakers, categorized by speed, determine the amount of GST earned per unit of energy, with more active users receiving higher rewards.

With a market cap of $262 million for GMT, Stepn has carved out a niche in the crypto space by encouraging healthy lifestyles through blockchain technology. Furthermore, the platform had 705,000 active monthly users at its peak. Right now that is catastrophically down to 8000, however, the first-mover advantage in M2E and utilization of Solana can give the needed edge for rejuvenation.

‍

Is Crypto Gaming Profitable?

Crypto gaming has drawn attention due to its potential for profitability, offering a play-to-earn model that contrasts sharply with the pay-to-win mechanics common in traditional gaming. This model resonates with both dedicated gamers and newcomers by allowing players to earn real value through gameplay.

Over the years, various monetization strategies have been tried, with early ideas like NFTs functioning as in-game skins with on-chain value. While this approach has found success in some games, the NFT-GameFi combination does have its limitations (in demand mostly). The move-to-earn craze of 2021-2022 further expanded the possibilities, rewarding users with crypto for physical activity.

Today, mobile clicker games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat show how players can earn real crypto by collecting virtual points, that increase airdrop eligibility. A final note is that, while crypto gaming can bring in profits without any initial money investment, it does however require a good chunk of your time in most cases, so a player must as well choose games that he enjoys playing.

‍

Does Crypto Gaming Have a Future?

Crypto gaming is one of the few sectors in the blockchain space with the potential to onboard millions of users, thanks to its low entry barriers. Unlike other areas of decentralized finance, such as yield farming or staking, which require reasonable capital and an interest in both technology and finance, gaming appeals to a much broader audience.

The gaming industry is already a multi-billion-dollar market with players spanning all age groups. Projects like those in the TON ecosystem have successfully blended social elements from the Telegram app with simple clicker games, drawing in retail users who might have otherwise avoided crypto entirely.

The future of crypto gaming isn't just about market caps or how quickly Web3 games can match the sophisticated design and gameplay of their Web2 counterparts. It's about the ability to attract and engage players compared to other crypto sectors. Onchain data supports this promising outlook: according to DappRadar, popular gaming blockchains like Ronin, TON, Immutable, and XAI are all nearing or achieving all-time highs in unique active wallets (UAW), indicating strong and growing interest in the space.

‍

Bottom Line

The best crypto gaming projects in 2024 are Immutable X, Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, Axie Infinity, and Stepn. However, this list is dynamic and can change as the industry evolves—just as we’ve seen the shift from open-world games to move-to-earn models, and now to mobile clicker games.

Rebecca Liao, co-founder of Saga (another amazing gaming-focused blockchain), noted that the best Web3 games won’t be those with the most complex graphics or the simplest mechanics, but rather something in between—and we tend to agree.

While the play-to-earn model remains a key attraction, the ultimate goal is for the games themselves to draw users into the blockchain.