CryptoKitties vs. Axie Infinity: Computational Analysis of NFT Game Reddit Discussions

Chien Lu, Giacomo Lauritano, Jaakko Peltonen

Abstract: Online trading of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and online gaming have recently been integrated as NFT-based games. We conducted a comparative study of online discussions of two prominent NFT-based games: CryptoKitties and Axie Infinity. Topic modeling is employed to analyze the large collected data. Key findings are: 1) The games carry functions of education and gamification for blockchain technology adoption. 2) Motivations are mixed between fun and earning money. 3) Players reflect their playful experiences in the community. 4) We discuss connections between the Axie Infinity scholarship program, players with poor financial status, and issues of modern crypto-colonialism. We outline future research directions for NFT games based on our findings.