The 7 Breakout Crypto Games of 2024
It’s been a wild yr for crypto gaming, with some actual surprises within the combine.
Firstly of the yr, who would’ve thought that tap-to-earn gaming—a super-streamlined riff on the play-to-earn mannequin—would grow to be the most important story of the yr? And who thought we’d finish the yr with an enormous crypto recreation making critical inroads with mainstream avid gamers?
That’s simply the tip of the iceberg for the fascinating twists we noticed this yr, so with 2025 proper across the nook, right here’s a glance again at seven video games that actually outlined crypto gaming over the past 12 months. And keep tuned, as Decrypt’s GG will proceed to report on the subsequent massive video games to shake up this thrilling house.
Notcoin
Notcoin might need taken apparent inspiration from earlier “clicker” video games like Cookie Clicker, however it undoubtedly created the Telegram tap-to-earn craze—and really delivered, too.
Screenshots from Notcoin. Picture: Notcoin
Billions of {dollars} price of crypto (at NOT’s peak worth) was finally given out to gamers, spawning a surge of clones within the course of. None of them lived as much as the impression of the unique, even when some finally pulled in additional gamers, however that shouldn’t diminish Notcoin’s immense impression.
Off the Grid
It ought to be no shock that GG’s decide for the 2024 recreation of the yr is on this record, and relating to pure gameplay, nothing else comes shut. Off the Grid delivers a robust riff on the acquainted battle royale shooter gameplay of Apex Legends or Name of Responsibility Warzone, including thrilling twists reminiscent of cybernetic limbs that present particular talents.
That yielded many viral moments when the sport launched in early entry in October—however what many gamers could not notice is that there’s a blockchain behind the scenes, with an upcoming token launch and tradable merchandise NFTs positive to shift the narrative across the recreation.
Pixels
Social farming recreation Pixels gained a good bit of consideration when it migrated over to Ethereum gaming community Ronin in late 2023, however it grew to become a breakout crypto hit early this yr when it launched its PIXEL token, providing substantial rewards to early gamers.
Pixels didn’t fizzle out as soon as the crypto funds had been handed out, nonetheless, as the sport has solely expanded and developed since, holding gamers plugged in because the builders discover spinoff video games—like Pixel Dungeons and an early entry Telegram recreation—plus additional enhancements forward.
Hamster Kombat
For a buzzy second this summer time, Hamster Kombat briefly grew to become one of many most-talked-about video games on the planet, with the Telegram tap-to-earn recreation attracting 300 million whole gamers.
Picture: Decrypt
It reached a vastly bigger viewers than Notcoin with expanded gameplay parts, tasking gamers with working their very own crypto trade. Nevertheless, many gamers thought of the airdrop to be underwhelming, and a deliberate second season of gameplay continues to be MIA.
Fantasy Prime
Fantasy Prime felt like the most popular factor in all of crypto for about two weeks earlier this yr, at the least for these immersed in Crypto Twitter. Designed like an NFT fantasy sports activities recreation constructed round actual Twitter influencers, Fantasy Prime on Ethereum layer-2 community Blast was a roaring engagement machine for that transient second. The excitement cooled comparatively shortly, however with contemporary funding raised not too long ago, we’re curious to see if Fantasy Prime can regain momentum.
Parallel
Parallel was GG’s decide for final yr’s prime crypto recreation, however 2024 is when it began to make substantial inroads with gamers. This yr, Parallel entered open beta, launched to a a lot wider viewers through the Epic Video games Retailer, and debuted its esports collection with a giant championship set for Las Vegas in March 2025.
And for the cherry on prime, widespread F1 driver Fernando Alonso endorsed the sport. It’s nonetheless one of many most interesting blockchain video games you may play, and it solely seems to be rising.
Crypto: The Sport
Crypto: The Sport is certainly a recreation constructed round crypto, however it’s not a online game—properly, principally. It’s a multimedia expertise impressed by the TV present “Survivor,” mixing real-world and on-line occasions and a bit of little bit of video gaming, to not point out social maneuvering.
The primary two seasons ran early this yr and had been extensively hailed by many gamers as a few of the most enjoyable they’ve ever had on this trade. After being acquired by Uniswap Labs, an upcoming third season goals to be greater and higher whereas holding the compelling vibe of the preliminary efforts.
Edited by Stephen Graves
