This was an interesting read, and you're right it will take more than economic incentive to keep the game sustainable.

I'm waiting for the time when the team is ready to release the game on the app stores. They have said before that they have not released it just yet because it's not yet a product that they are proud of to share with the rest of the world. Which makes the situation we are in both puzzling and phenomenal.

Puzzling because the team has allowed so many players to be onboarded to a game that is still in alpha. Most teams would put a cap on while they iron out the imperfections. If you open the gates to everyone, you open yourself to the flood of backlash that's coming every time something goes wrong.

Phenomenal because there are so many people who continue to flock to a game that is still in alpha, in spite of the many issues that have cropped up every now and then. Shows us how many people are really in need of some extra cash. I don't think Axie Infinity is going to go bust anytime soon, but we'll have to wait and see whether they will be able to attract the type of crowd who come and stay for fun and community rather than solely for economic reasons.