Many can say that they are into Splinterlands because of the gameplay, but to be truthfully I have invested and played the game since its inception because it brought a new model of battling and also sharing somehow the revenue stream from its tokenomics. Crypto enabled a new model of distribution for the income coming to the game and also for the future trend that is setting at one point or the other. A new technology, a new financial layer over the gaming one, a decentralized market for selling assets outside the game itself and the potential to hit it big are the ingredients that attracted me to the game and which are still keeping me motivated to be in this ecosystem. And while the tokenomics are suffering for some time, the fact that you can earn in the game through different ways, some active while some others more passive, always succeeded to bring me back at the table and get some action. It is hard to stay away while there are so many possibilities and revenue streams.
For me the ranked battles have always been the main way of playing and earning in the Splinterlands. It’s where I strategize and where I go to test the power of my cards, whether those are older or newcomers. Winning battles earns tradeable SPS (Splintershards) and depending on the league I’m in the rewards stack up nicely over time. The play2earn loop really shines here, because even on days when my win rate isn’t the best, I know I’m still accumulating value. And with the SPS earned from here I can fund my next season participation as I am mostly a Wild mode player. As I don't have the newest edition cards, that's where I shine the most.
The land expansion brought a whole new layer of strategy and one of the most exciting long-term earning opportunities in the game. Owning land - I have 10 plots including a Keep - means I can stake cards to it, farm resources and eventually take part in an in-game economy that feels like building my own corner of the kingdom. The idea of producing items that others need and then setting taxes or trading them in the market has kept me deeply invested in the game. It’s not instant profit as land requires patience and some upfront capital, but as an OG player I see it as one of the most promising sources of passive income in Splinterlands. When the full land ecosystem will be implemented, I expect it to rival battles as a revenue generator.
Brawls brought community spirit into the mix. Being part of a guild means I’m not fighting alone anymore and my results contribute to the whole squad. Winning brawls doesn’t just feel good, it also earns merits, which I can use to grab gladiator cards. Those gladiators are exclusive and powerful and having them in my deck has boosted my chances in ranked battles too. Beyond that, guild brawls also provide SPS that I can spend as I want. Most of it goes to staking as I have patience until the Splintershards token will start shining for its intrinsic value that I see in it.
Outside earning on the battlefields, the Splinterlands economy offers plenty of ways to put the tokens to work. I’ve dabbled in liquidity pools, providing SPS or DEC to earn yield while also strengthening the ecosystem. Market trading is another avenue and along the years I’ve flipped cards, speculated on rentals and taken advantage of price swings quite a few times. All these strategies tie into the bigger picture: Splinterlands isn’t just a game, it’s a web3 economy where smart moves can multiply gains.
After all these years, I’ve seen token prices rise and fall, hype waves come and go and the player base evolve. What has kept me motivated isn’t just the gameplay, but the multiple ways to stay engaged and keep earning. Whether it’s battling for SPS, farming land, brawling with guildmates or managing liquidity and rentals, there’s always something happening that feels rewarding. Splinterlands, SPS, DEC and the broader play2earn ecosystem have taught me that gaming and earning don’t have to be separate worlds. That’s why, even during the quieter bear market phases, I’m still here battling, farming, and building. And this happens because I know this web3 ecosystem is far away from its potential.
