Check a play-to-earn game before you put in time or money
Six questions to ask about any Web3 game economy. Answer them honestly and most decisions make themselves.
The checklist
1. Where does the money come from?
If rewards are paid mostly by new players' money, the economy depends on growth that can't last.
2. Who runs it?
Is the team public? Is there a track record you can check?
3. What's the token supply?
How many tokens exist, who holds them, and when do locked tokens unlock?
4. Is it fun without the rewards?
Games people would play for free tend to outlast games people play only to earn.
5. What does it cost to start?
Up-front costs to play are a risk, not an investment. Price them as money you could lose.
6. What happens when growth stops?
Look at how the game has handled a falling player count or token price before.
Go deeper
The P2E Bible is an applied textbook on Web3 gaming economies, evenhanded about what works and what collapsed.
Questions
How can I tell if a play-to-earn game is sustainable?
Ask where the money comes from. If rewards are paid mostly by new players' money, the economy depends on growth that can't last.
What should I check before putting money into a Web3 game?
Who runs it, the token supply and unlock schedule, whether it is fun without rewards, what it costs to start, and how it handled falling players or token prices before.
Is the cost to start a P2E game an investment?
Treat up-front costs as a risk, not an investment: price them as money you could lose.
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