Play2Earn is a new word but not a new concept
Today Play2Earn is a very fancy term especially after Web3 got famous but it is not a new concept at all. People have been playing games to earn money for over a decade or two. It is just that this concept has got special attention after NFTs and cryptocurrencies. With the help of cryptocurrencies, people can do wonders and they can create a big economy around some games. Some investors invest in games and purchase game assets. They get paid for having fun and that's how everything starts. But literally, people make a lot of money from games. This is not a new concept.
Playing games for fun
About 15 years back there were a few browser games that were MMORPG. Those games had a concept of selling in-game items. Those were the days when mobile games were not very popular. Even back then I have seen some people earning by playing games. I used to meet a few people from a few parts of the world who they say got hired for playing and testing the game. They get paid very well for doing that job. I used to think that it was the most interesting job that someone could get. Playing games just for fun is always a great thing. But imagine if it gives you money to earn too.
Game testers get paid
Even today game testers are getting paid for playing the game. This type of job has become very common. Only a few games have the community test the game for them. Otherwise, most of the game development companies have their exclusive team that does the testing. Their job would be to play the game and new features released in the game and provide feedback to the developers. It can be a fun fun-loving game but maybe not for all. But this is one good job to get into especially for people who love playing games.
Game Tournaments
Tournaments were another avenue for Play2Earn back then. Before this concept of available, there were several methods to play and earn money. Tournaments used to happen in big online games and people participating in those tournaments used to earn a good amount of money. I mean not just participating but they should also be winning. I remember seeing Dota 2 Tournaments and the prize amount people get for winning. The players were pro and even for watching the game, there was a huge fanbase. This was the old days play 2 earn concept. I have also seen a similar tournament happening in local places too where gaming zones conduct some tournaments and have some attractive cash prizes for the winners.
Game asset trading
Maybe today we are calling them NFTs but even before this term was in practice, people were selling their game assets and exchanging them for a very good price. Fun is created when playing a game and imagine earning some money along with fun. That's what happened back then when game asset trading happened. I remember people trading not only game assets but also some limited-edition items too. This was a craze for a short time. Popular game platforms like Steam blocked the trading part because they couldn't handle the support cases and spam. I guess they might have also had legal issues.