The gaming industry has become so powerful that continuous innovations and advancements are inevitable. Another technology that has been skyrocketing recently is blockchain (decentralised technology). Therefore, it was only a matter of time before these two technologies joined forces to offer something we call decentralised games.

If you don’t know how Ethereum works, many great sites are offering Ethereum 101 courses. Basically, Ethereum is not only a cryptocurrency but also an entire platform that uses smart contracts to make decentralised apps. It was only logical that someone would go on and make games based on decentralised technology.

These games are not as popular as traditional PC or console games, as the majority of them are just exploring how we could “gamify” blockchain. Although they are yet to achieve mass adoption (much like any other blockchain-based app), enthusiasts are already playing these games on a daily basis.

Let’s take a look at the most popular games built using the Ethereum platform and see what makes them so unique. Read on!

CryptoKitties

CryptoKitties was the first game developed on Ethereum. Basically, the goal of this game is to collect kitties that come in all shapes and sizes. You need to breed them and you can even sell them to other players.

The game itself, however simple, was very impressive as it showcased the potential of blockchain technology in gaming. Some gamers got bored with it pretty quickly due to the lack of any concrete action, but the majority accepted it and explored it further.

The idea is that kitties, just like bitcoins, are all unique. Every single kitten is part of a distributed ledger, meaning no other cat in the game is the same. These kittens could be traded for money, and some turned out to be more valuable than others. Simply put, CryptoKitties offered digital assets in the form of cartoonish-looking kittens. The fact that they were unique and couldn’t be destroyed or tampered with since they were on a distributed ledger made the game even more popular.

CryptoKitties paved the way for some other games that use Ethereum as the underlying platform, some of which are listed below.

My Crypto Heroes

My Crypto Heroes is a collectible game in which players can collect heroes from history and equip them with unique items and collectibles. Moreover, they can train their heroes and let them battle other characters owned by other players. The goal of the game is to make a hero team and have the best possible results against your opponents. Right now, the game is available both as a mobile app and as a PC game.

Knight Story

Knight Story is the first game of its kind — an RPG powered by blockchain technology. Developed by EOS Knights, this game lets you battle various mythical creatures, make items, and even build a village. You can download it as an app from the App Store or Google Play. Alternatively, you can download an APK file from its official website.

Axie Infinity

Axie Infinity is the combination of CryptoKitties and My Crypto Hero. Essentially, it’s Pokemon for Ethereum, as players get to raise digital pets and prepare them for battles. Naturally, these fantastical creatures are all unique and are called Axies. You can upgrade their abilities and trade them for other Axies if you want.

What makes Axie Infinity stand out from the crowd is the fact that players can earn money by playing the game.

CryptoDozer

CryptoDozer is a unique concept that combines collecting coins and dolls. Both of these have real value, and the coins you collect can be used for unlocking various things in a series of games built around CryptoDozer, such as DozerBird or DozerTreasures. The game also lets you donate your coins to UNICEF, meaning you can do a good deed while playing CryptoDozer.

There’s Still Much to Do

As you can see, all these games are rather simple and easy to grasp. They are just scratching the surface and we’re yet to see what blockchain can do in the future concerning PC and console games.

Imagine playing a complex MMORPG such as World of Warcraft in which each item is unique and cannot be destroyed or modified by admins. That would create a real in-game economy. Moreover, items would become available in cross-game universes thanks to blockchain. There are already several projects exploring the possibilities of this technology in combination with games.

One thing is certain — there’s still a lot of work to be done in this sphere, as blockchain is still in its infancy, especially when used for gaming. Until then, feel free to collect crypto kitties or play any other Ethereum game mentioned in this article.