1. What is the screen you saw?
Payment for the "SUMMONER'S SPELLBOOK" ($10 / 10.188 HBD). This is a mandatory step to upgrade a Splinterlands account from "starter" to "Battle Mage" status, allowing you to sell/rent out cards and earn rewards.
2. What is Hive Signer?
It is not a virus. It is the official login system for the Hive blockchain—think of it as the equivalent of MetaMask for Ethereum. It is used solely to sign your transactions without having to share your password with the game itself.
3. Scam or legitimate?
100% legitimate, PROVIDED that the URL is hivesigner.com and you are on the official splinterlands.com website. This has been the standard payment flow for the game since 2018.
4. Hive Keychain vs. Hive Signer
If you already have the Hive Keychain extension installed in Chrome, you do not need to use Hive Signer. The game will automatically trigger the Keychain pop-up for you to approve the transaction. It is both safer and more convenient.
5. Which key should I enter in the "Private Key" field?
NEVER enter your Master Password. Use only your Active Key to pay for the Spellbook. The Posting Key does not have the necessary permissions for payments, while the Master Password grants full access to your entire wallet.
6. The local "access code"
This is a code that YOU create on your computer to encrypt your key locally. It is never transmitted over the internet. You will be asked for this code again whenever you need to unlock Hive Signer—make sure not to lose it.
7. Does Splinterlands actually pay out?
Yes, the game is legitimate and still active in 2026. The process: you earn DEC/SPS in-game > convert it to HIVE on Hive-Engine > send it to Binance > convert it to USDT. It remains listed among the 6 Play-to-Earn games that still provide payouts.
8. How much can you actually earn?
We’re no longer in the 2021 era of $20/day. In 2024/2025, the average is $11 to $33 per month, depending on your league and your cards. With just the $10 Spellbook, your earnings will be very low. You need to invest in cards to earn more.
9. My advice before depositing HBD
If you’re just testing the game for fun: go ahead and spend the $10—that’s standard. If you’re looking to make a living from it: don’t make a large investment right now. And always double-check: ensure you’re on the official URL, use only your "Active Key," and never trust any message claiming "send us your key to double your earnings"—that is a definite scam.