Ademide, a Hyper gamer who identified himself only by his first name, was on his fifth game round of the day. He was playing ‘Hunter Killer’ in challenge mode on Hyper, the game finance (GameFi) app owned by Metaverse Magna, a Nestcoin portfolio company. By the end of his gaming sessions, Ademide said he had made ₦8,000.
Ademide has been a Hyper gamer for over two months now and considers himself skilled. He likes to challenge his friends in peer-to-peer (P2P) battles in his favourite games, sometimes competing in tournaments hosted by the app.
“I play the game every day as a side hustle,” he said. Some games are harder than others, and some plays earn him money while others don’t.
Ademide is one of about 100,000 active gamers on Hyper, the hypersocial play-to-earn (P2E) app where users play games to earn real money.
For many gamers, it is an opportunity to earn cash on the side. But games like Hyper were built on the popularity and hype of crypto-based P2E games.
The rise of crypto-based P2E games
Crypto P2E games date back to 2017. It was the first major crypto bull run and Cryptokitties became a popular platform for gamers to earn real money. Axie Infinity, another popular crypto-based P2E game, took off in 2021, crossing 1 million global users.
In Nigeria, crypto-based P2E games took off for two major reasons: increasing online gaming activity and the second major crypto bull run of 2021. Online gaming was becoming a popular pastime. Battle royale games like Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) and Garena Free Fire attracted a lot of players who formed communities around the activity.
And since a wide crypto bull run was taking off, it spread to other digital tokens. The price of $AXS, which was the in-game crypto token of the Axie Infinity game, reached an all-time high in 2021.
People started to form gaming guilds, similar to communities and hubs, to share resources and maximise earnings on these crypto P2E platforms.
The age of guilds
Guilds were essential to crypto P2E popularity in Nigeria. These collectives provided shared access to game assets, training, and community for players, especially during the early boom days.
Local examples included MVM Guild and African Gaming Guild. At their peak, they helped new players participate in crypto P2E platforms without needing to spend on costly non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and game skins.
Metaverse Magna (MVM), originally launched under Nestcoin, managed over 1,200 gamers across Africa. Globally, Yield Guild Games (YGG) also allowed thousands of players to earn through games like Axie Infinity.
But many of these guilds are no longer active today. The core challenge was unsustainable tokenomics: games minted massive volumes of tokens/NFTs while failing to build player demand, leading to hyperinflation.
The rewards for early users shrank as more tokens flooded the market, rapidly devaluing player earnings. For example, Axie Infinity’s $AXS token dropped over 98% in value since its 2021 peak.
As crypto token prices fell, so did enthusiasm. Volatility and speculative economics made consistent earnings nearly impossible. These realities forced a rethink.
Yet, from these ashes, a new model emerged. Crypto-based P2E games directly led to a new breed of earning games called hypersocial games. These platforms kept the idea of earning while playing online games, but ditched the fragile tokenomics of cryptocurrencies.
The emergence of “hypersocial” games
Hypersocial games focused on skill, earning stability, and simplicity of the games. This brought in users from all nooks and crannies, tempted by earning real cash.
Today, Hyper is the most visible example of these types of games. Developed by Metaverse Magna after spinning off from its guild model, the app hosts over 20 games, including popular titles such as Kong Climb, Hunter Killer, Deer Hunt, and Monkeys in Cars. Players match up with friends or strangers, create challenge links, and participate in daily tournaments.
The fact that players challenge themselves via P2P gameplay builds network effects; the more gamers play, the more opportunities there are to win, and the more attractive the platform becomes.
Hyper also invites Web3 developers and indie game creators to submit their games on the platform. For developers, it’s a tempting offer: Hyper already has a large and active user base, offering instant exposure without the need for a massive marketing budget from scratch.
Unlike its P2E predecessors, Hyper’s in-game token, HYP coins, are not cryptocurrencies. Instead, they are stable in-app credits, redeemable for real money. One HYP coin equals ₦5, and the exchange rate is fixed per region.
This design choice frees Hyper from the tokenomics traps that sank many crypto-based P2E games. There is no inflationary pressure, no need to constantly onboard new users to prop up value, and no volatility risk that slashes player earnings overnight.
“We don’t do crypto rewards to gamers because of the country’s law on cryptocurrency,” said Ladi Coker, one of Hyper’s Nigerian community moderators. “Hyper was created for hardcore gamers to compete and get paid. The focus is on skill. The more skilled you are, the more you can earn.”
Hyper’s 5,000-member Telegram community features members from different parts of Africa. The app supports withdrawals via local bank accounts or PayPal, and users must complete full Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, including ID and bank verification.
Most importantly, Hyper focuses on fun and fair play. The platform is accessible on entry-level smartphones, and gamers are encouraged to practice to improve their skills. It’s a win-win for gamers: get in with a little cash, play games, and become skilled. The more you play and improve, the more you can earn.
Gamers make thousands of naira
Beyond Ademide, dozens of gamers report using Hyper earnings for essentials, from buying phones to covering transport and daily expenses, according to Coker. With Nigeria’s cost of living on the rise, a side hustle bringing in ₦8,000 weekly is a lifeline.
Gamers earn anywhere from ₦2,000 to ₦8,000 weekly, and average up to ₦48,000 monthly, depending on how well they play, said Coker. Players battle in real time, and leaderboard rankings determine payouts in tournament game modes. The model is transparent: tournament rewards and winners are displayed publicly.
Some players set daily earning targets of ₦1,000 or more. While not everyone becomes a top earner, the model rewards consistency and skill over luck. Gamers can choose to go solo or enter tournaments, often featuring pools where the top scorers take the biggest share.
Gamers also benefit from in-app safety features: two-factor authentication (2FA) for withdrawals, ID verification, and personalised dashboards. Nicknames allow for anonymity while gaming, while the leaderboards promote healthy competition.
The future of P2E games
Crypto-based P2E games may have been on a decline in the last three years, but a new, non-crypto-tied model is benefiting from the hype that predecessors created. Platforms like Hyper are tapping into this momentum by offering players tangible returns without relying on volatile tokens.
Yet, this doesn’t mean the death of crypto-based P2E games. While they have now been relegated to the background, some Web3 projects still prefer launching crypto-based games as their preferred method of creating awareness for their tokens. For example, in April, SCOR Foundation, a Web3 gaming startup, launched new titles on the TON blockchain to allow users to play games online and earn $SCOR tokens in anticipation of its launch.
Crypto-based P2E games promised decentralisation and wealth-building, but their economics were unsustainable. Inflation, bot abuse, poor gameplay, and the collapse of token values left many gamers burnt. In contrast, the rise of hypersocial platforms like Hyper marks a more grounded approach: simple games, real competition, and stable earnings.
Rather than betting on the next crypto token, players now compete for fixed rewards. And instead of being limited by NFT access or token volatility, they win by being good at the games.
“We want anyone to think of Hyper whenever P2E is mentioned anywhere in Africa or beyond,” said Coker. “P2E gaming is gathering momentum. Soon, it [gaming] will evolve into live competitions and leagues, just like in America and the likes.”
If that future arrives, gamers like Ademide will already be ahead of the curve—smartphones in hand, battle-ready, and one high score away from another cashout.
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