When we hear the term “globalisation,” we immediately think of public policy, trade treaties, immigration, and big business. But, more often than not, global connectivity occurs in virtual environments accessible from anywhere in the world, rather than in boardrooms. MMO games have changed the way we interact, form friendships, and build communities by allowing people to connect and socialise without borders in virtual and sometimes playful environments.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this rapid globalisation of communities is the economies that have sprung up as a result of it, as well as how players place and create value on digital goods and services. Online games, particularly MMOs, have been at the forefront of innovative business strategies that allow participation from all over the world.
This has ranged from players wishing to sell their digital goods in exchange for real-world currency to large corporations inventing entirely new business models. For example, using the exchange of cryptocurrencies.
One such model has given birth to Axie Infinity, a cryptocurrency game that has started gaining immense popularity due to its impressive tagline; ‘play to earn.’ This plays right into the interests of people who are looking to make money from their hobbies.
In this ultimate guide curated specially for beginners, we’ll cover everything that you need to know about Axie Infinity, including how you can start playing and more importantly, how you can start earning.
Overview of Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a blockchain-based computer game that has recently dominated the non-fungible token (NFT) market. Axie Infinity, which debuted in 2018 on the Ethereum blockchain, is a Pokemon-inspired RPG (Role Playing Game) in which players battle, collect, and breed pet-like creatures known as “Axies.”
Sky Mavis, the company behind Axie Infinity, has used the blockchain to create an economic model in which players are rewarded for their participation. So, basically, while Axie Infinity is powered by blockchain technology, the platform offers a ‘play-to-earn’ structure instead of mining blocks on the chain.
This could largely be credited as the reason for the popularity of this game as players can earn by playing games instead of solving complicated math problems that generate an accepted hash.
With a vision of combining work and play, the game has captivated a large number of fans worldwide. The platform’s long-term goal was to introduce blockchain technology to a larger proportion of the population. This has been a huge success, with many early players amassing large sums of money through game rewards.
What is Axie Infinity?
Axie Infinity is a virtual world called Lunacia in which users battle, grow, and trade fictional creatures known as Axies. You must have at least three Axies, which can then be used in PvE and PvP conflicts and bred up to seven times each to give a player a new Axie.
To give you a better understanding of how this world works, we’ve explained each component related to the game in detail:
An Introduction To Axies
As you might have guessed, the entire game depends on Axies, as players need to trade, breed and fight with these fantastical creatures. But what exactly is an Axie?
Axies are digital creatures, with each of them having their own traits. The stronger your Axie, the more likely you are to win battles. Axies are divided and classified by classes and body parts.
Understanding Axie Classes
When selecting an Axie team, keep in mind that not all Axies are made equal. Each Axie can be classified into one of nine different classes. Dusk, Beast, Bug, Mech, Aqua, Reptile, Plant, Bird, and Dawn are among these classes.
Each Axie class has unique strengths and limitations. Some classes will be more or less successful against others. You can consider Axie Classes as similar to Pokemon categories.
Understanding Axie Body Parts
In addition to classes, Axies can be customised using body parts. An Axie has six bodily sections that can be customised. The eyes, ears, horns, mouth, back, and tail are examples of these.
As each body component is tied with a unique class, combining certain body parts with specific classes might provide bonus skills.
However, any combination of bodily components can be assigned to any class. This allows for a wide variety of setups while also ensuring that every Axies are unique.
Understanding Axie Abilities
All Axies have four distinct abilities. These are the moves that an Axie can use in battle. Each move is represented by a different card. The four talents are defined by the class and body parts combination that a player chooses.
Attacking movements that cause harm to an opponent are contrasted with defensive moves that aid in recovery or evasion. The game contains 132 cards (moves).
What Are Axie Stats?
The strength of your Axie, along with its effectiveness and well-being is measured by Axie Stats. Depending on the class and body parts you choose, the Stats will be adjusted accordingly.
Generally, Axie Stats measure four components, as listed below:
- Health: This indicates hit points (HP), which determine how much damage an Axie can withstand before being knocked out.
- Skill: The higher an Axie’s skill level, the more harm he can inflict on an opponent. Combo moves amplify its effect.
- Speed: The frequency at which an Axie can attack opponents is determined by its speed. The faster an Axie is, the more likely it will be the first to attack.
- Morale: The level of morale determines the likelihood of an Axie landing a critical hit on an opponent. It also controls how many “last chance” moves are provided when the player is in a critical condition.
An Introduction To Axie Infinity Combat
The Axie Infinity battle system is based on a card game with a turn-based system. As previously stated, each Axie action is paired with a card that requires a certain amount of energy to play. When a player’s energy levels are depleted, they must wait for their Axie to recharge before employing that move again.
Each Axie class has unique strengths and weaknesses that come into play during combat. A player must determine which Axie and move are best suited to an opponent.
Overview of Axie Infinity Gameplay
Axies are virtual pets that users raise and battle in Axie Infinity. It’s akin to strategy games like Pokemon and turn-based card games like Hearthstone.
Axie Infinity is a blockchain-based game, and each Axie is a non-fungible token, or NFT. If you are unfamiliar with these terms, you should consider getting a better understanding of how blockchains and NFTs work.
To begin playing Axie Infinity, you must first purchase three Axies. You can then opt to battle against opposing beasts in Adventure Mode to level up your Axies, or battle against other players’ teams in the Arena wherein you’ll be able to compete with other players in the leaderboards.
Regardless of the game model you choose, you’ll qualify to receive Smooth Love Potions or SLPs that are rewards. SLPs are a crucial factor in the game as they can later be sold for real-life money.
How to Start Playing Axie Infinity
Like most online games, you can download Axie Infinity directly from their website. However, you cannot start playing right away. To start playing the game, you first need to buy 3 Axies using Ether and set up your wallet.
Mentioned below is a step-by-step instruction manual that you can use to start playing Axie Infinity:
Step 1. Create A MetaMask Wallet
Download the MetaMask cryptocurrency wallet and charge it with Ether (ETH). Ether is the cryptocurrency linked to the Ethereum blockchain, and it will be required to purchase Axies.
Step 2. Create An Axie Infinity Account
Visit the Axie Marketplace page and click “Login.” Then choose “Login using MetaMask.” Follow the on-screen instructions in your MetaMask wallet. Your Axie Infinity account will be created once the prompts are followed. When you return to the website, you will be asked to enter a username and password. Choose a username that is unique to you.
Step 3. Create A Ronin Wallet
Sky Mavis created the Ronin wallet to connect with the Axie Infinity game using the Ronin sidechain. The Ronin sidechain was designed expressly for blockchain games, allowing players to bypass the often prohibitively costly transaction costs connected with the Ethereum blockchain. The Ronin wallet, like MetaMask, is a browser extension.
Connect the wallet to your Axie Infinity account via the dashboard once it has been downloaded and installed.
Step 4. Transfer ETH Via Ronin Bridge
Using the Ronin Bridge platform, transfer ETH from your MetaMask wallet to your Ronin wallet. The Ramp Network can also be used to purchase ETH directly from your Ronin wallet. However, it’s important to note that this might not be available in all countries.
Step 5: Purchase Your First Axies
After depositing Ethereum into your Ronin wallet, you can proceed to the Axie Marketplace. This is the dashboard where you may swap your ETH for Axie NFTs. Use your Ronin wallet to log in to the platform.
Choose your Axies and pay for them using ETH. After purchasing, you will be given an NFT that will serve as proof of ownership. The price of each Axie will be determined by the current value of ETH at the time of purchase.
Step 6: Download & Install Axie Infinity
The Axie Infinity desktop application then must be downloaded and installed. Go to the Axie Infinity webpage and click “Play Now” in the upper right corner of the screen. Install the application after downloading it.
After installing the Axie Infinity gaming application, you will be prompted to input the credentials of your Axie Infinity account, which you created earlier. The Axies you purchased with your Ronin wallet should appear in the game automatically. You and your Axies are now prepared to embark on an adventure in the Axie Infinity realm!
While most of these steps are pretty straightforward, what you need to be particularly careful about is choosing the right Axies as they can potentially make or break your game.
Things To Consider While Buying Your First Axies
Axies are always purchased through the Axie Infinity Marketplace. Axies’ price has risen in recent months due to an increase in user base. Hence, it’s very important to think carefully and to do proper research before selecting your first Axies to maximise your winning potential and SLP earnings.
Personally, we would recommend only purchasing Axies with a 0 breed count, since this allows you to breed your Axies to make additional Axies that you can either play with or sell for money.
You can use the filter on the left side of the screen to look for specific Axies.
How to Earn Money by Playing Axie Infinity
There are four basic ways for users to gain money in the Axie Infinity realm. To give you a better understanding of how you can earn money by playing Axie Infinity, we’ve provided a comprehensive explanation of each method.
However, keep in mind that this is not an entire list. Remember, the game is currently in Alpha form and has only just begun!
How To Earn Money Using Smooth Love Potions (SLPs)
SLPs are in-game awards that players earn just by playing. As a result, they are the simplest way to generate money in the game. They are obtained by completing tasks or battles. After amassing a certain number of SLPs, they can be sold for real-world currency worth.
Each SLP is represented as an ERC-20 token, allowing it to be freely sold and swapped on the Ethereum blockchain. As they are required for breeding Axies in the game, each token has a real-world monetary worth. Axies can only be bred by players that have a particular number of SLPs. SLPs have intrinsic value as a result of this.
That being said, it’s important to note that SLPs can only be withdrawn from the platform after 14 days of play to eliminate any bot-like behaviour or malicious activity.
Now that you know what they are, let’s discuss how you can earn SLPs within the Axie Infinity realm:
- Adventure Mode: Battles with creatures in adventure mode earn players SLPs. Axies receive the experience points (EXP) needed to level up. The level of an Axie determines how many SLPs are won at the end of each combat. Each day, a maximum of 100 SLPs can be won in Adventure mode.
- Arena: The Arena is a multi-player platform where people can compete against one another. SLPs can be obtained by defeating an opponent. To earn more SLPs for each victory, each player must improve their matchmaking ranking (MMR). In Arena mode, players can acquire an unlimited amount of SLPs.
- Daily Quests: These are platform-built challenges that encourage players to keep playing the game. They include things like winning a certain number of battles per day or logging in to the game once every day for a certain amount of time.
How To Earn Money By Breeding Axies
As previously stated, the second way users can generate money inside the Axie Infinity ecosystem is by breeding and then selling Axies.
When two Axies are bred, a baby Axie is born. A certain amount of SLPs are required each time an Axie is utilised for breeding. When these SLPs are used, they are burned. The number of SLPs required increases in direct proportion to the number of times a parent Axie has been utilised for breeding. An Axie can only breed 7 times overall.
Each new Axie created has a unique set of stats and abilities. As a result, they might be valuable collectibles. New Axies can be kept by a player’s squad or sold to other players. Remember that each Axie is represented by an NFT and can thus be traded and exchanged across the Ethereum network.
How To Earn Money In Flipping Lands
The third approach to make money is to flip “Lands” on the same marketplace. Since land use has yet to be implemented in the game (possibly in Summer 2021), their worth is strictly hypothetical for the time being. What is known is that the land will create some form of passive income for the owner – either by other players walking over it or by accessing the content that will be available on it.
How to Earn Money with Axie Infinity Scholarships
You can only battle with a squad of three Axies in Axie Infinity. Once you have obtained more Axies, either by breeding or by purchasing more Axies from the market, you can give these to other members of your community and allow them to use your team to farm SLPs for you.
This is known as a “scholarship,” and it is very common in the Axie realm. It is usually always a win-win situation for both the manager (who distributes the free Axies) and the scholar. Scholarships typically involve a 50-50, 60-40, or 70-30 split in which the management takes a part of the SLPs farmed by the scholar.
This type of revenue is referred to as passive income, or running a franchise for a firm!
What are Axie Infinity Shards (AXS)?
Axie Infinity Shards, or AXS, are the Axie Infinity platform’s native governance tokens. They were introduced in November 2020 and allow each token holder to vote on choices like platform development and fund distribution. Axie Infinity’s long-term goal is to become a totally decentralised organisation managed solely by game participants.
The AXS token is also essential to the Community Treasury. The Community Treasury receives 100% of all transaction fees collected on the site. AXS token holders can receive a part of the transaction fees earned by staking AXS tokens and supporting the ecosystem. It encourages community support and expands the Axie Infinity ecosystem.
AXS can also be earned in-game, according to the Axie website, but actual play-to-earn potential is not yet widely available.
AXSs, like Smooth Love Potions (SLPs), are Ethereum-based ERC-20 tokens. However, unlike SLPs, which have an infinite supply that fluctuates based on the number of players, AXS has a circulating supply cap of 270 million.
Conclusion
Almost all of us have fantasised of earning money while playing video games. This is now a real possibility! And, owing to blockchain technology; crypto games and NFTs will change the way we play.
Remember that Axie Infinity is still in its early stages—it is still in Alpha phase. Who knows what may happen in a few years when developers add even more features to the game?
We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of how the Axie Infinity gameplay works, how to get started, and what options are available to make money! If you’re looking for other great ways to make money on the side or check out our in-depth and comprehensive guides today!
Bernard currently works full-time as a growth hacker and content researcher for HUSTLR. When he was studying in the US 2 years ago, he flipped Yeezys on eBay as a side hustle to fund his degree and living expenses. He’s currently working on his Amazon FBA business & dropshipping on the side.
