What Are NFT Games? And How to Launch Your NFT Games Career

Key takeaways

NFT games are similar to traditional video games, but players can sell, trade, and buy items for digital assets stored on the blockchain. 

• Popular NFT games include Alien Worlds, which became the first game of its type to exceed 100,000 users (and now has over 9.3 million), and Splinterlands, which saw its user base increase by more than 400,000 users in the first six months of its release [ [2, 3, 1]. 

• Types of NFT games include play-to-earn, in which you can earn money or “tokens” while achieving goals and finishing tasks, and games that allow you to acquire NFTs, including tools, gloves, and accessories for your avatars. 

• You can enter the NFT games space professionally in roles ranging from NFT game developers and blockchain game engineers to business roles, including brand marketing strategists, consumer research analysts, and business development managers. 

Learn about NFT games, including what they are, and gain insight into potential career opportunities. If you’re ready to begin developing in-demand skills, consider enrolling in the Google UX Design Professional Certificate. This eight-course, beginner-friendly program takes an average of six months to complete. Throughout the program, you'll have an opportunity to gain valuable skills in user-centered design, information architecture, user experience (UX) research, and usability testing.

What are NFTs? 

NFTs stand for non-fungible tokens, which are digital assets stored on a blockchain that can’t be copied, substituted, or changed. A blockchain is a digital ledger that securely stores and tracks transactions and assets. These tokens provide proof of ownership and validate the authenticity of digital content. NFTs also have many uses, such as digital assets in a game or collectible pieces of art.

What is an NFT game, and what is the difference between blockchain gaming and normal gaming?

NFT games use non-fungible tokens to provide the foundation for how players interact, the rules, and how players move in the game. Users who play an NFT game might use NFTs to create a character or find, create, buy, or trade NFTs within the game to play. 

Generally, developers create NFT games using smart contracts, a unique contract designed on blockchain technology. Smart contracts are coded directly into the blockchain and execute once gameplay meets a predetermined set of functions. 

NFT games differ from many video games because the value of in-game assets carries over outside gaming contexts. Smart contracts shift ownership of in-game NFTs to players when they meet the requirements. Players can either continue using their NFTs in the game, take their tokens to another gaming platform, or sell them outside the gaming environment.

Users can play or design two types of NFT games that use NFT and blockchain technology, slightly different in their design. You can also find both features within one NFT game:

Play-to-earn NFT games

As the name suggests, play-to-earn NFT games allow players to earn money as they play the game. This type of design usually runs on “tokens,” which players earn by completing in-game tasks and achieving milestones. 

In-game NFTs NFT games

NFT games let you earn NFTs and trade them within the game or exchange them for real-world money. This is the original way to generate income through NFT games. Examples of in-game NFTs include currency used only in:

• A particular game

• Avatar character skins

• Weapons

• Tools

• Gloves

• Trading cards

• Pets

• Other items in a game 

Are there any successful NFT games? 

Whether you are interested in being a player, starting a career in NFT gaming, or both, familiarity with the leading games can help you feel more confident in making decisions in this space. Take a look at a few examples of NFT games:

Splinterlands

Splinterlands is a blockchain-based collectible card game where users build a card collection of cards with different abilities, such as camouflage, forcefield, and heal. Players can battle each other by using these cards and abilities. Splinterlands has its own coin, Splintershards, which users can collect and trade to earn money while playing. Splinterlands exploded in popularity in mid-2021, seeing an increase from 8.24k users on July 8, 2021, to 409.75k users on October 31, 2021, according to historical data on DappRadar [1]. 

Alien Worlds

Alien Worlds was the first blockchain-based game to top 100,000 users, with more than 9.3 million lifetime miners [2, 3]. In Alien Worlds, you mine for Trilium (its crypto token) in a metaverse spanning seven virtual planets. This game is a play-to-earn game in which users and you can earn Trilium by mining coins, achieving milestones, renting digital land, and battling other players. Players can take out their Trilium from the gaming environment when they want to cash out. 

CryptoMines Reborn

CryptoMines Reborn is another play-to-earn NFT game set in an alternate sci-fi reality. This game is the updated version of the original, now known as CryptoMines Legacy. CryptoMines games are based on the Binance (BNB) blockchain and are designed to have players search for $CRUX, its cryptocurrency. By collecting $CRUX and exchanging it for Dark Matter, players strive to travel throughout the Reborn galaxy by collecting $CRUX, hangars, spaceships, fleets, and workers.

Axie Infinity

Axie Infinity is a popular NFT game that averages more than 220k users per month and primarily uses Ethereum as its base coin [4]. For this game, users have NFTs as digital pets called Axies. Players can raise these pets, train them, battle with other players’ pets, and sell them. Users try to increase the value of their in-game pets and assets to sell to other players to make money.

Farmers World

Farmer’s World is a play-to-earn NFT game where users can build farms, buy resources, acquire tools, and create a thriving virtual ecosystem. Users can earn three in-game tokens: Food (FWW), Wood (FWF), and Gold (FWG) on the WAX blockchain. Players can exchange their tokens for other resources or sell them on the marketplace to make money. 

5 NFT game development companies to know

NFT gaming industry careers 

The demand for blockchain-based NFT games and gaming systems has risen over the past year, and many exciting roles exist in the game development industry to become involved in this space. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are some projected growth rates for occupations that may be in the NFT gaming industry from 2024 to 2034:

• Computer and information technology: 20 percent [6]

• Business and finance: 6 percent [7]

• Web developers and digital designers: 7 percent [8]

Game development companies are recruiting professionals to help in areas including game design and development, coding, game testing, creative roles, and more. 

If you are interested in working in the NFT gaming industry, understanding the available careers can help you decide how to build your skills and increase your employment opportunities. While companies will vary in available positions and ideal candidate qualifications, here are some examples of NFT gaming companies and possible career opportunities on their teams.

NFT game industry job titles and salaries

While not a comprehensive list, some common roles and their respective annual US salaries you are likely to find within the NFT gaming industry include:

*All US salary data represents total median pay, which includes base salary plus bonuses, commissions, profit sharing, and other forms of additional compensation. It is sourced from Glassdoor and is updated as of October 2025.

• Blockchain developer: $136,000

• Game developer: $97,000

• Game engineer: $116,000

• PHP developer: $108,000

• Magento developer: $115,000

• React Native developer: $113,000

• Unity developer: $81,0002

• UX designer: $109,000

• Sound engineer: $91,000

• Business analyst: $105,000

• Financial analyst: $106,000

• Quality assurance analyst: $76,000

• Marketing coordinator: $67,000

• Customer support specialist: $60,000

• Graphic designer: $64,000

Skills for working in NFT gaming

For an industry as diverse as the NFT gaming industry, a mix of workplace human and technical skills is often beneficial to create high-quality products, network with global partners, and market the product to a wide audience. If you are looking at a technical position, such as an NFT game developer, you will need skills such as:

Technical

• Programming languages (C++, Java, Objective-C)

• Web development (JavaScript, HTML, Solidity)

• Agile software development

• Game development tools (Unity, Unreal Engine)

• Knowledge of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency technologies, and decentralized networks

• Knowledge of virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and Web3 concepts 

• 3D art and animation

Read more: What Is Web3 (+ How Does It Work?)

Workplace

• Critical thinking

• Clear communication skills

• Ability to work on tight deadlines

• Problem-solving

• Ability to work with diverse teams

• Creativity

• Resilience

Education

The educational qualifications you will need to work in NFT gaming will depend on the kind of role you are applying for. Employers often prefer a bachelor's or graduate degree for technical positions such as blockchain developers or NFT game developers. Degrees in technical fields, such as computer science or computer engineering, can help demonstrate you have the skills required to be successful in these positions. These roles typically require advanced coding and software development skills. 

Additional education focused specifically on game development or blockchain technology can also help you gain familiarity with game engine environments and platforms commonly used in the NFT gaming industry. 

For less technical roles, such as graphic design or business development, having educational experience related to the position, such as an MBA for business positions or a graphic design degree for artistic positions, can be beneficial to showcase your skills. 

Certificates

Whether you’re in another industry or want to pivot into the NFT world, specializations and certificates can help demonstrate your technical knowledge and enhance your resume. Gaining a certificate can validate your skills and draw attention from hiring managers. Since this field is diverse, here are some specializations and certificates to consider: 

NFT gaming portfolio

Building a portfolio of past projects and highlighting relevant experiences on your resume are great ways to potentially stand out during the application process and increase your chances of moving on to the next hiring stage. However, only some roles may benefit from having a portfolio, such as game designer, UX designer, computer programmer, and content writer. 

If you don’t have relevant project experience or want to pivot to the technical aspect of the gaming industry, completing a course on Coursera may help you demonstrate your skills in applicable ways. Options such as C# Programming for Unity Game Development Specialization can help you build your project experience and gain confidence using common platforms. 

Explore free resources to keep up with gaming technology

Become more familiar with advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and Web3, or explore your career options when you subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, Career Chat. Other resources to check out include the following:

• Find your career path: Career Aptitude Quiz

• Watch on YouTube: Blockchain Basics Practitioner’s Perspective: Jon Wolpert, ConsenSys by University at Buffalo

• Hear from another learner: Mastering the Future: Andrew Femrite’s Vision for Engineering

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