Right now, over a million players are logging in to web3 farming title Pixels every day, making it the most popular blockchain game by player count – but what is it?
Pixels is a browser-based farming and resource-gathering MMO. By planting, cultivating, and selling crops, gathering and crafting materials, and creating their own farm land for others to explore, players can earn tokens and NFT rewards. The game is built on the Ronin network, an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible chain developed by Sky Mavis.
With a rich narrative environment on top of its enticing gameplay and play-to-earn features, how can you get started in Pixels?
What is Pixels about?
Fun social interactions, lighthearted gaming, and asset collection are all hallmarks of Pixels. Players can engage in a variety of activities in the stylized 16-bit open world of the game, including farming, exploring, and completing quests.
Additionally, by purchasing farm land, players can create an island that other players can explore, cultivate crops on, and use to craft resources. Landowners receive a share of the crops grown on their land, incentivizing players to create land that is not only visually appealing but also efficient in terms of farm plots and crafting options.
By cooking, brewing beer, or creating tools and furniture, for example, raw resources can be crafted into other items. However, some of these crafts require special blueprints or recipes that can be acquired through gameplay or events.
In addition to developing their character traits, interacting with others, and socializing with the aim of building a vibrant virtual community, players can import NFTs from the top collections or create their own in-game avatar.
How do I get started in Pixels?
One of Pixels’ main advantages is that there are no startup costs. New players can start producing resources by setting up their farms on Specks, or free land. The main in-game currency, “Coins,” can be earned by selling these resources. Coins can be used to buy basic resources, lower-tier crafting kits, and initial upgrades for Specks.
In-game achievements, event participation, and quest completion are extra ways for players to gain Coins.
The native token for Pixels, $PIXEL, is a premium in-game currency. It can be purchased directly from exchanges, where it currently trades for $0.23 USD, or earned by completing quests, which supports the game’s play-to-earn model.
While the $PIXEL token is not required to progress in the game, it is intended to enhance the gameplay experience. In addition to accessing upgrades and cosmetic improvements outside of the main gameplay, players can purchase items more quickly by using $PIXEL.
Pixel VIP, an exclusive membership level with many advantages like additional opportunities to earn more $PIXEL, lowered costs on the in-game marketplace, and more, can be purchased with $PIXEL.
The story behind Pixels
Pixels’ development team is led by Luke Barwikowski, who has fostered strong engagement and a devoted following with the gaming community.
November 2021 marked the start of Pixels’ development, and that same month, the company integrated its first non-fungible token (NFT) collections. Within the first few months of 2022, features like Farming, Farmlands, and Quest updates quickly followed.
At the end of 2022, Chapter 1 was released, bringing a host of new features, such as quests, additional characters, enhanced user interface, and a thorough overhaul of the gameplay mechanics.
At the end of 2023, Pixels moved from the Polygon Network to Ronin, improving player experience and enabling the game’s ongoing expansion and improvement.
Chapter 2, featuring more substantial updates, was released in June 2024. The marketplace was redesigned, new shops improved the game mechanics, and new skills were added. A new avatar system with updated NPC graphics was also added to the enhancements.
Three main pillars—prioritizing fun, embracing interoperability, and gradually decentralizing control—continue to steer the game’s rapid development. The ultimate goal is to decentralize more aspects of the game, giving players a say in its direction and governance.
Pixels, which releases updates weekly, stands out as an innovative, player-friendly game that combines traditional gameplay with blockchain technology to provide a unique and evolving web3 experience.
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