How play-to-earn (P2E) is transforming onchain mobile sports gaming

Play-to-earn games are transforming mobile sports gaming. Learn how blockchain, NFTs, and platforms like Polkadot create new opportunities for digital asset ownership and cross-chain gameplay.

By Meesh NguyenOctober 4, 2024

What's the deal with play-to-earn?

Play-to-earn (P2E) games have redefined the gaming landscape by allowing players to earn real-world value through in-game assets such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and cryptocurrencies. Unlike traditional games, where in-game items remain locked within the game's ecosystem, P2E games allow players to own, trade, and sell their digital assets on blockchain-based marketplaces. This model enhances player engagement while unlocking financial and social incentives for players.

How does play-to-earn work?

In P2E games, players can earn digital assets by engaging in in-game mechanics like completing tasks, leveling up characters, participating in battles, and more. These digital assets, stored onchain in crypto wallets can be traded on decentralized marketplaces. With the rise of blockchain technology and the growth of the GameFi sector, which merges gaming with finance, has cultivated a vibrant P2E community, particularly in mobile gaming.

Mobile gaming platforms offer a perfect ecosystem for P2E, enabling users to engage with these games at their convenience without being bound to a stationary console or computer. The P2E mobile gaming space is evolving, with players increasingly looking for experiences that offer both entertainment value and tangible benefits for their time and skill investment.

How does blockchain play a role in play-to-earn mobile gaming?

Polkadot connects P2E gamers

Blockchain technology forms the foundation of the play-to-earn model, offering enhanced security, transparency, and verifiable ownership of digital assets. In traditional mobile games, items such as skins, characters, or upgrades are typically confined within the game's ecosystem. However, with blockchain integration, these assets can be represented as NFTs or tokens and stored onchain. This allows players to buy, sell, or trade their assets in open, decentralized markets, potentially extending their utility beyond a single-game environment.

Cross-chain interoperability: The Polkadot advantage

Blockchain platforms like Polkadot offer cross-chain interoperability, enabling digital assets such as NFTs or tokens to be transferred between different blockchain ecosystems. Cross-chain functionality could potentially allow mobile gamers to use their assets across various games, enhancing their utility.

In the case of NFL Rivals, players can earn player NFTs that are designed to be transferable or tradeable on compatible marketplaces. Polkadot's modular architecture makes it possible to expand the in-game economy beyond a single platform, creating a more flexible and dynamic gaming experience.

NFL Rivals: Play-to-earn meets mobile football gaming

Football helmet and NFL Rivals logo

In the realm of mobile sports gaming, NFL Rivals stands out as one of the most exciting examples of how blockchain and play-to-earn mechanics can enhance traditional sports games. Developed by Mythical Games and powered by Polkadot, NFL Rivals offers players a unique mobile football experience where they can manage teams, earn player NFTs, and trade them in real-time on the Mythos Chain.

A football experience for mobile gamers

NFL Rivals simplifies football into quick, mobile-friendly matches, making it accessible to casual gamers while still appealing to football fans. The game allows players to collect and trade NFL player NFTs, which can be bought, sold, or exchanged on secondary marketplaces. This feature combines football gaming with blockchain technology, offering players both entertainment and digital asset ownership.

Built using Polkadot, NFL Rivals aims to create an in-game economy that is secure, transparent, and scalable. Players can experience the excitement of managing their favorite NFL teams while potentially benefiting from the play-to-earn model enabled by blockchain technology.

The evolution of blockchain mobile sports gaming

The future of mobile sports gaming

Mobile sports gaming is entering a new era, driven by the integration of blockchain technology and play-to-earn models. At the forefront of this shift, games like NFL Rivals reimagine how players engage with their favorite sports. By incorporating blockchain and NFTs, these games are creating an ecosystem that offers players verifiable ownership and the ability to trade their in-game digital assets. The emerging concept of cross-chain interoperability further enhances the utility of these digital assets, potentially enabling mobile gaming economies to expand across various platforms.

As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, the use of blockchain technology may become more prevalent in both mobile and sports gaming. This shift could open up new opportunities for even more immersive player engagement and more creative uses for digital asset ownership.

Pioneering the next generation of blockchain-based gaming

Blockchain networks like Polkadot are well-positioned to support this gaming revolution. By providing a foundation for seamless cross-chain asset transfers and flexible, cost-efficient blockspace, Polkadot already enables developers to create more dynamic and interconnected gaming experiences. As games built on Polkadot continue to launch and grow, gamers can potentially see increased asset liquidity, smoother cross-game interactions, and new forms of onchain gameplay.

From the blog

Uplifting new voices and validators: Polkadot's path to sustainable decentralization

Decentralized Nodes and Decentralized Voices programs by the Web3 Foundation offer pathways for validators and governance participants to gain influence based on merit, helping to build a fairer, more resilient Polkadot ecosystem that aligns with the core principles of web3.

Is large-scale, high-quality Web3 education possible?

The Polkadot Blockchain Academy (PBA) is taking Web3 education to the next level with PBA-X, an online course crafted to deliver high-quality blockchain knowledge at scale. Learn how we’re preserving educational standards, fostering a global community, and creating new opportunities for learners everywhere.

Blockchain explained: A practical guide from concepts to use cases

Blockchain has grown far beyond its roots in cryptocurrency, reshaping industries from finance to healthcare. This guide walks you through the basics, benefits, and groundbreaking potential of blockchain and its impact on the future of the open internet.

Empowering the next wave of founders: Welcome to EasyA x Polkadot University

Unlock a structured path to start building on Polkadot with EasyA x Polkadot University.

Dynamic & Modular: Scaling Ambition with Agile Coretime

Polkadot’s Agile Coretime simplifies launching and scaling blockchain projects with dynamic blockspace allocation and flexible cost options. Learn how Agile Coretime makes it easier to build, launch, and scale ambitious Web3 projects.

Polkadot Token 2049 and Decoded Asia 2024: A multichain ecosystem in action

At Token 2049 and Decoded Asia 2024 in Singapore, Polkadot teams and contributors showcased a multichain future for real-world applications. Key moments included Dr. Gavin Wood’s vision for digital individuality, Chrissy Hill’s regulatory insights, and announcements from emerging projects shaping the Web3 ecosystem.

What is a crypto wallet? Your all-access pass to the future web

In Web3, your wallet is your most valuable digital tool. It’s more than just a place to store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies securely—it’s your passport to the decentralized world.

July 2024: Key network metrics and insights

Welcome to your go-to source for the latest tech updates, key metrics, and discussions within Polkadot, brought to you by the Parity Success Team. This blog series covers a variety of topics, drawing insights from GitHub, project teams, and the Polkadot Forum.

Polkadot 2.0: The rebirth of a network

Polkadot 2.0 reimagines blockchain with a bold rebrand and powerful features: Agile Coretime, Async Backing, and Elastic Scaling. Step into a more flexible, faster, and scalable network. Learn about the improvements and changes that led to this next era of Polkadot.

Meet the Decentralized Futures grant recipients: transforming ideas into impact on Polkadot

The Decentralized Mic is here to spotlight the innovative projects and teams driving Polkadot’s growth. Join us as we explore the achievements of Decentralized Futures grant recipients and their contributions to the Polkadot ecosystem on the new ecosystem community call series.

The ultimate 2024 Polkadot grants and funding guide

Explore Polkadot ecosystem funding: grants, venture capital, bounties, and community initiatives. Discover opportunities for blockchain builders today.

Decoded 2024: Polkadot’s vision for a decentralized future

Polkadot Decoded 2024 in Brussels brought together top blockchain minds to explore the future of Web3. Highlights included Björn Wagner's insights on payments and Dr. Gavin Wood's vision for digital individuality. Showcasing technical breakthroughs and real-world use cases, Polkadot affirmed its leadership in the multi-chain future.