How to Create a Play-to-Earn Blockchain Game Using Solidity and Phaser.js

 When I first stumbled into the idea of creating a blockchain-based play-to-earn game, I wasn't sure where to begin. I had been watching the crypto space evolve, and the concept of players earning real-world value for their in-game actions struck a chord with me. It was a departure from the traditional gaming world, where players invest time and money but rarely get anything tangible in return.

Play-to-earn (P2E) games flip that dynamic. These are games built on decentralized networks where users own in-game assets, often represented by tokens or NFTs, and can earn cryptocurrency by completing tasks or simply participating. The potential here is revolutionary—not just for players, but for developers too.

This blog post isn't just a theoretical walk-through. What I’m sharing here is based on my own journey—trial and error, nights of debugging smart contracts, and learning how to connect an off-chain game engine like Phaser.js with an on-chain logic controller like Solidity. My goal is to walk you through every essential component, clearly and practically, so you can start building your own play-to-earn game using these two powerful tools.

Why Solidity and Phaser.js?

Before diving into the code, it's crucial to understand why I chose these two technologies. Solidity is the primary programming language used for writing smart contracts on Ethereum and other EVM-compatible blockchains. It's what powers the on-chain logic—who owns what, how transactions are verified, and the entire reward system.

Phaser.js, on the other hand, is a lightweight, fast, and highly customizable 2D game framework built in JavaScript. It runs in the browser, which makes it perfect for accessibility and scaling. Most importantly, it integrates smoothly with web3 libraries, so you can bridge blockchain functionality right into the frontend of your game.

Structuring the Game’s Core Concept

When building a play-to-earn game, you want to avoid falling into the trap of “web3 for the sake of web3.” Blockchain should enhance your game, not limit it. The first thing I did was outline the core idea of my game. It needed to be fun on its own, regardless of the blockchain mechanics. Then I layered on the crypto rewards.

Let’s say your game is a simple 2D battler. Players move through levels, fight enemies, and collect items. Each item is a unique NFT stored on-chain. Players earn tokens by reaching milestones or winning battles. These tokens can be used for buying new items or even be traded on exchanges.

The on-chain portion handles the rules around ownership, earnings, and transactions. The off-chain game logic and visuals live in Phaser.js. Together, they create a game that is both entertaining and rewarding.

Building the Smart Contracts in Solidity

Writing the smart contracts is the first real development step, and it’s arguably the most sensitive part because you're dealing with actual financial value. If there's a bug in your code, someone could exploit it and drain your in-game economy.

The three main contracts I wrote were for player registration, token handling (ERC-20), and asset ownership (ERC-721 for NFTs). Here’s the simplified structure of what that looked like:

solidity

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

import "@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC20/ERC20.sol";
import "@openzeppelin/contracts/access/Ownable.sol";

contract GameToken is ERC20, Ownable {
    constructor() ERC20("BattleCoin", "BLC") {}

    function mint(address to, uint256 amount) public onlyOwner {
        _mint(to, amount);
    }
}

This contract mints the reward token. It's centralized in the sense that only the owner can mint it—so we use this in the backend logic to reward players after validating their off-chain actions.

For the NFTs representing in-game assets like skins, swords, or power-ups:

solidity

import "@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC721/extensions/ERC721URIStorage.sol";

contract GameItem is ERC721URIStorage, Ownable {
    uint public nextTokenId;

    constructor() ERC721("GameItem", "GMI") {}

    function mintItem(address player, string memory metadataURI) public onlyOwner {
        uint currentId = nextTokenId;
        _mint(player, currentId);
        _setTokenURI(currentId, metadataURI);
        nextTokenId++;
    }
}

These contracts give players provable ownership of their items. They can list them on marketplaces like OpenSea or transfer them directly to others.

Connecting Smart Contracts to the Game Frontend

This is where the magic happens. After deploying your contracts to a testnet like Goerli or Sepolia, you’ll need to connect them to your game using Web3.js or Ethers.js.

Phaser.js doesn’t natively understand blockchain logic, so I created a bridge layer using Ethers.js. This bridge handled wallet connections, contract interaction, and event monitoring.

Here’s an example of how I connected the wallet:

javascript

async function connectWallet() {
    if (window.ethereum) {
        await window.ethereum.request({ method: "eth_requestAccounts" });
        const provider = new ethers.providers.Web3Provider(window.ethereum);
        const signer = provider.getSigner();
        return signer;
    } else {
        throw new Error("MetaMask is not installed");
    }
}

Once the wallet is connected, the player can receive rewards directly into their wallet or mint items they collect during gameplay.

Handling Gameplay Logic in Phaser.js

Phaser.js is incredibly flexible. After initializing the game canvas, I defined all player movements, enemy interactions, and collectibles in a scene.

When a player completes a level or defeats a boss, the frontend sends a call to a backend API, which validates the action and calls the appropriate smart contract to mint a token.

I learned the hard way that blockchain should never handle live in-game events in real time. It’s too slow and expensive. Instead, all gameplay logic should run off-chain, and only final, important events should trigger smart contract interactions.

So when a player wins a match, the game logs that outcome, sends a confirmation to a backend server, which then verifies and mints the reward.

Security and Cheating Prevention

Here’s where many P2E games fall apart. Because blockchain is public, bad actors can try to spoof interactions to get free tokens. I spent a lot of time creating server-side logic that validated each in-game achievement before calling the smart contract.

Never allow the frontend alone to interact with minting functions. Always include a server as a gatekeeper. I implemented nonce tracking, wallet signature verification, and rate-limiting to reduce spam.

Gas Optimization and Layer 2 Solutions

The first time I tested minting NFTs on Ethereum mainnet, I was shocked by the cost. It simply wasn’t sustainable for a game that might need thousands of transactions per day. So I moved the entire project to Polygon, a layer 2 blockchain that is compatible with Ethereum but much cheaper and faster.

This made a huge difference. It allowed me to mint tokens with minimal fees, keeping the game free to play and truly accessible.

Tokenomics: Building a Healthy Economy

Designing a game economy was the most fascinating part. You can't just hand out tokens without considering inflation, player behavior, and long-term engagement.

I structured the economy around limited daily rewards, a marketplace for NFTs, and staking options where players could lock tokens to earn more. This kept the game fun while ensuring players couldn’t exploit the system for quick profit.

The native token had utility: buying cosmetics, entering tournaments, voting on game upgrades. This created demand, which is crucial for maintaining token value.

Real Player Ownership and Interoperability

One of the coolest things I achieved was creating an interoperable NFT system. Players could use an item earned in one version of the game in another. All of this is possible because NFTs live on the blockchain, independent of the frontend.

I also integrated a player profile system tied to wallets. Players could see their full inventory, trade with others, and even list items on third-party marketplaces without leaving the game.

Launching and Gathering a Community

Launching the game wasn’t just about code. I had to think like a marketer. I used Discord and Telegram to build a community, ran early access demos, and rewarded early players with exclusive NFTs.

Feedback from these early adopters helped shape the final product. Some pointed out balancing issues, others gave ideas for new game modes. This collaborative approach helped us build not just a game, but a living ecosystem.

Challenges I Faced (and How I Overcame Them)

There were days I almost gave up. Smart contracts failing without clear errors. Phaser crashing on mobile devices. Token prices crashing just before launch. But each challenge taught me something new.

I learned to test everything on testnets repeatedly. I learned to use Hardhat and Ganache to simulate the blockchain environment. I even wrote automated scripts to simulate player behavior and catch bugs before users could find them.

But most of all, I learned patience. Blockchain development is not plug-and-play. It’s not as forgiving as traditional game development. But it’s also far more rewarding—both creatively and financially.

Tips for New Developers Starting Out

Start small. Build a simple game like a clicker or platformer and just integrate token rewards. Use testnets and faucets to avoid spending real money in development. Join developer communities—Reddit, Discord, or forums like StackOverflow—to get help when you're stuck.

Don’t worry about launching a massive MMORPG with play-to-earn mechanics from day one. Build slowly. Focus on fun first. Then build the economy around it.

Use open-source tools. OpenZeppelin contracts are battle-tested. Phaser has a great plugin ecosystem. And if you're struggling with wallet connections, libraries like RainbowKit or Wagmi can speed things up.

Conclusion

Creating a play-to-earn blockchain game using Solidity and Phaser.js isn’t just technically possible—it’s creatively liberating. It’s where gaming meets ownership, and where players and developers are part of the same economic loop.

My journey into this world taught me that while the tech is complex, the principles are simple: reward players fairly, secure your smart contracts, and focus on fun. If you can do those three things well, you’ll not only build a successful game—you’ll pioneer a new generation of gaming itself.