Original article: https://polkadot.com/blog/best-web3-games-2025/
By Joey Prebys
Compiled by: OneBlock+
Web3 games have entered a mature stage. After years of hype and half-finished products, a new wave of blockchain-based games has finally become interesting. Whether you are interested in metaverse games, want to earn while playing, own game assets, or simply look for an immersive gaming experience, this article summarizes it for you.
This article lists the most worthwhile Web3 games currently, covering a variety of types and platforms. From NFT-based racing, fantasy RPGs, to immersive construction and social games, we will explore their highlights, shortcomings and development directions one by one.
By the end of this article, you’ll understand why more and more developers are choosing platforms like Polkadot to build sustainable gaming economies and unlock true digital ownership, laying the foundation for the next era of gaming.
The Best Play-to-Own Games of 2025
The new generation of Web3 games are abandoning the "earn while playing" extraction design and embracing a more sustainable model - Play-to-Own . These blockchain games no longer reward players with volatile tokens, but through NFTs and digital assets with real value and function, allowing players to truly "own" what they win in immersive construction, racing and battles.
Polkadot is becoming a popular ecosystem for Play-to-Own games. Thanks to its interoperability, fast transactions, and developer-friendly stack, it is becoming the platform of choice for studios looking to build sustainable game economies that put players first.
Here are two of the most popular Play-to-Own games to try right now:
FIFA Rivals (Polkadot/Mythical Games)
FIFA Rivals integrates Web3 mechanics into sports games, but you can hardly feel the presence of blockchain. Players can collect digital player cards, participate in real-time events, and build a lineup that truly belongs to them - players and items are minted in the form of NFTs. The game is based on the Mythos chain and belongs to the Polkadot ecosystem. Mythical Games chose Polkadot because of its fast transactions, true interoperability, and strong development support.
The game does not advertise its blockchain elements - this is the key to its design. No wallet or crypto knowledge is required to play, and players' progress and assets are recorded on the chain, no longer relying on centralized accounts.
FIFA Rivals is still in its early stages, and features such as asset trading are not yet available. Even so, it provides a promising prospect for a player-centric economy and a more sustainable direction for Web3 games.
Exiled Racers (Polkadot)
Exiled Racers is a fast-paced, browser-based racing game that emphasizes chaos, competition, and community. In the new Ghost Riders League, players compete in dynamically changing weekly tournaments - tracks and rules change in real time, no wallet, no downloads, just sign up and start racing.
You will receive a set of random racing props every week and have five official ranking opportunities. The higher the points, the greater the chance of winning. If you connect your wallet, you can also use your own NFT equipment to participate in the competition, accumulate prizes and retain ownership across seasons.
It has a fast pace and a pleasant experience, fully embodying the spirit of Web3 without appearing "deliberate". It is an excellent demonstration of the integration of Play-to-Own and Play-to-Earn: providing real returns without setting high thresholds.
A really fun Play-to-Earn game
Although Play-to-Own is more sustainable, providing real digital asset ownership and long-term user stickiness, there are also some Play-to-Earn games that achieve a balance between "making money" and "having fun". These games distribute rewards through competition or skill advancement and are no longer simply speculative games.
Gods Unchained (Immutable/Ethereum)
Gods Unchained is a strategic card battle game where each card exists as an NFT. The game is fast-paced and similar to Hearthstone, running on Immutable Ethereum infrastructure and supporting asset ownership.
Although trading cards and earning ranking rewards requires a wallet, the in-game guidance and tutorials are very complete. With multi-level mechanisms and high playability, it is one of the few P2E works that still puts "gameplay" first.
Aurory (Solana)
Aurory is an expanding Web3 gaming ecosystem, with Seekers of Tokane as its core game. In this free JRPG, players can explore procedurally generated maps, collect and train Nefties, and participate in turn-based battles. All assets are NFTs, which can be used across platforms, and mix on-chain and off-chain asset management. Although it integrates Play-to-Own elements, its structured reward mechanism and token system give it a place in the P2E field.
Current popular metaverse games
Open-world, user-generated metaverse games have always been a symbol of Web3. These games value community, creativity, and virtual social interaction rather than simply upgrading and killing monsters. They demonstrate the potential of digital asset ownership and user-led economies.
The Sandbox (Ethereum/Polygon)
As an old Metaverse project, The Sandbox runs on the Ethereum mainnet. Through Polygon expansion, it has gathered a large number of artists, brands and players. Its creative tools are powerful, but it is a little difficult for new users to get started.
The highlight lies in brand cooperation. In 2025, The Sandbox launched the Jurassic World theme island, which includes 40+ mini-games and dinosaur conservation experiences. Past partners include Snoop Dogg, Gucci, Ubisoft and other 400+ brands.
Decentraland (Ethereum)
As one of the earliest blockchain gaming platforms, Decentraland has laid the foundation for the metaverse, allowing users to build games, hold events, and build a virtual world with the community. Although the graphics and interactions are a bit old-fashioned, its decentralization and user governance mechanisms are still benchmarking.
A virtual fashion week was held again in 2024, with participating brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and DKNY, artists such as Grimes and Deadmau5 also participated in the event, and a DAO fund governance mechanism was set up.
Otherside (Ethereum/Yuga Labs)
Otherside is a metaverse under construction launched by Yuga Labs, integrating narrative, exploration and digital identity. Currently only open to NFT holders such as Bored Ape, it has not yet been fully launched, but there is a real machine demonstration.
This is an attempt to make high-priced NFTs "animate" - from static collectibles to playable characters.
Other Web3 Games Worth Trying
Some games are difficult to categorize, but they also demonstrate the diversity of Web3 games: from card battles and farm simulations to social stories and Telegram click games, there is everything that is both fun and has asset attributes.
Pixels (Ronin)
Pixels is a casual farming and social MMO game where players complete quests, craft items, and explore a colorful world. It runs on Ronin, an EVM-compatible chain developed by the Axie Infinity team. You don't need a wallet to play, but you can own NFTs of characters and items by connecting your wallet, and earn items with real value in the game. It's suitable for Web3 novices, but some players may find the game loop a bit repetitive.
Shrapnel (Avalanche)
Shrapnel is a tactical shooting "extraction" game created by AAA team members such as "Halo" and "Call of Duty". It runs on the Avalanche subnet and supports players to fight, collect, evacuate, and own assets such as skins and equipment. It can be played without a wallet through Epic Games, and props can be minted and traded after connecting to a wallet. It is still in the early stages of development, and plans to link the revenue mechanism with performance and rarity in the future to create a masterpiece with deep gameplay and assets.
From Hype to Playability: The Future of Web3 Gaming
Many Web3 games are still stuck in the dilemma of "tokens before games", and the gaming experience is lackluster under the dominance of speculation. However, the projects that really stand out always put "fun" first, and the blockchain element is just the icing on the cake.
This is why more and more top Web3 games are starting to be built on Polkadot. They provide real gaming experience, digital ownership and sustainable reward systems, allowing players to choose whether to participate in monetization, and prioritize long-term value rather than short-term speculation.
