Eurogamer’s coverage of BR1: Infinite boiled down to a three-word pitch: pay to slay. Bravo Ready’s extraction shooter charges real money per spawn and pays exactly the entry fee for every kill, with the whole economy running on Solana. Players have reportedly won over $100,000 in a single month, and yes, plenty have lost more than they won. Seven crypto shooter and pay-to-earn PC games on desktop below cover the space if BR1’s pitch caught your attention, plus a note on what to actually expect before wiring money into a game launcher.
What to look for in a crypto shooter
The category is young and messy. The apps worth trying share a few traits:
- Real gameplay first. A game that plays badly is not a shooter, it is a slot machine with recoil. Filter for titles that look playable without the wallet layer.
- Transparent tokenomics. Read the whitepaper. If entry fees and payouts don’t add up mathematically without new users paying to spawn, that is the definition of an unsustainable model.
- Custodial or non-custodial. Some games hold your funds in an internal wallet; others expect you to bring your own on Solana, Ethereum, or an L2. Non-custodial is safer but takes more setup.
- Payout friction. Some let you withdraw dollars in seconds; others gate withdrawals behind minimums, cooldowns, or NFT ownership.
- Regional legality. Real-money gaming has different rules in the EU, UK, US, and Asia. Verify legality before depositing.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Wallet | Free entry | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR1: Infinite | Third-person extraction PvP | Solana (custodial) | No, $0.10 min spawn | Dollar-pegged kill payout |
| Off The Grid | AAA-scale battle royale | Avalanche | Yes (free-to-play tier) | Playable without crypto involvement |
| Shrapnel | Extraction shooter, mod support | Ethereum L2 | Yes (early access) | Mod creation earns tokens |
| MetalCore | Mech shooter with land ownership | Immutable | Yes (open beta) | Territory-based economy |
| Blast Royale | Top-down battle royale | Ethereum L2 | Yes | NFT weapons with real utility |
| Undead Blocks | Zombie survival wave shooter | Ethereum | Yes (limited) | Weekly tournaments with prize pools |
| MixMob Racer | Racing (not shooter but crypto-adjacent) | Solana | Yes | Kart-racer with card mechanics |
| Nyan Heroes | Hero shooter with cat mechs | Solana | Yes | Solana-native hero economy |
The games
1. BR1: Infinite, best for extraction PvP with cash on the line
BR1: Infinite is the game the Eurogamer piece was about. Bravo Ready, Krafton, and Solana Ventures back a third-person extraction shooter where every spawn costs money (from ten cents to ten dollars per tier), and every kill returns the entry fee in a dollar-pegged Solana stablecoin. Withdraw at will.
Character rentals let you play without owning a Bravo NFT operative; owners rent theirs out for a cut of your kills. The game’s math works when you are good; it does not when you aren’t. Weekly invites gate access.
Where it falls short: the barrier for casual players is real. Losing $10 in five minutes is normal for a first session. Not everywhere legal.
Pricing:
- No free entry; $0.10 minimum spawn.
- Weekly access invites; $10/hour play cost historically.
Platforms: Windows via a proprietary launcher; Epic Games Store wishlist.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick if the pay-per-kill hook is exactly what you want, and you can afford to lose your deposit.
2. Off The Grid, best for AAA production values
Off The Grid is the crypto shooter for players who want a real AAA shooter first and the token economy second. Gunzilla Games (backed by ex-Crysis leads) built a battle-royale with tight movement, real weapon variety, and a free-to-play tier that requires no crypto interaction at all. Progression drops assets that live on the Avalanche subnet if you opt in.
Where it falls short: the AAA polish comes with AAA download size and hardware requirements.
Pricing:
- Free tier available.
- Paid: cosmetic and asset purchases.
Platforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series X/S.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for anyone who wants to try the space without a wallet.
3. Shrapnel, best for mod creation earning
Shrapnel is the extraction shooter for players who like tinkering as much as shooting. Neon Machine’s game lets creators mint weapon skins, maps, and cosmetics as NFTs and earn a cut when others use them; the shooter side is a first-person extraction PvP in the Escape from Tarkov mold.
Where it falls short: still in early access; matchmaking pools are thin at off-peak hours.
Pricing:
- Free early access; access nodes as NFTs.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for creator-players.
4. MetalCore, best for mech-and-land economy
MetalCore ships a mech shooter with a land ownership layer built on Immutable. Owning territory generates in-game resources; combat happens in vehicles, mechs, and infantry classes. The game is playable in open beta, and the crypto layer sits behind the scenes.
Where it falls short: the land model recreates real-estate speculation, which some players find off-putting. Balance updates are frequent.
Pricing:
- Free open beta.
- Paid: land NFTs and cosmetics.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for MechWarrior fans open to the token economy.
5. Blast Royale, best for browser-friendly quick sessions
Blast Royale is the top-down 60-player battle royale that runs in short 10-minute sessions. Weapons and characters are NFTs, and daily tournaments have real cash prize pools. It runs on desktop and mobile; the desktop version is where competitive players play.
Where it falls short: the top-down camera is not for everyone. Depth of gameplay is intentionally shallow.
Pricing:
- Free entry to most tournaments.
- Paid: entry NFTs for high-stakes brackets.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for short sessions and low commitment.
6. Undead Blocks, best for tournament wave-shooters
Undead Blocks is a first-person zombie wave shooter with weekly prize-pool tournaments. Weapon NFTs boost payouts if you own them; you can also rent them for a cut. The gameplay loop is straight Call of Duty Zombies, and it plays well without the token layer if you’re just there for the shooting.
Where it falls short: the game is only interesting during tournaments. Off-schedule play is dead servers.
Pricing:
- Free to play.
- Paid: NFT weapons, tournament buy-ins.
Platforms: Windows browser and Steam.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for tournament grinders.
7. MixMob Racer, best for casual crypto-adjacent play
MixMob Racer is closer to a Mario Kart derivative than a shooter, but it fills the “Solana-native game with real gameplay” role. Card-based ability drafts before each race, weapons on track, and an economy that rewards weekly participation with tradeable cards.
Where it falls short: not a shooter. Included here because it is the most playable Solana-native game with no crypto knowledge required.
Pricing:
- Free.
- Paid: card packs.
Platforms: Windows, browser.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for a break from the shooters.
8. Nyan Heroes, best for hero-shooter fans
Nyan Heroes is a Solana-native hero shooter with cat mechs (yes, cats in mechs). Overwatch mechanics with a token economy layered on for hero and skin ownership. It looks silly and plays surprisingly well.
Where it falls short: small player base outside launch windows. The cat-mech aesthetic is polarizing.
Pricing:
- Free-to-play.
- Paid: hero NFTs, cosmetics.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Site
Bottom line: the pick for hero-shooter fans who want a crypto layer without the drama.
How to pick the right one
- If you actually want to make money: BR1: Infinite is the most direct payout structure, but the loss risk is real. Bring bankroll management, not vibes.
- If you want the best shooter, crypto second: Off The Grid or Shrapnel.
- If you want free play with optional NFT ownership: MetalCore, Blast Royale, Nyan Heroes.
- If tournaments motivate you: Undead Blocks or Blast Royale.
- If you like the space but not the shooter genre: MixMob Racer.
FAQ
Can I actually earn money from BR1: Infinite?
Yes, mathematically. Every kill returns the tier’s entry fee in USDC. Players skilled enough to net more kills than deaths, minus rake, come out ahead. Most players do not. Treat it as gambling, not income.
Do I need a crypto wallet for these games?
Off The Grid, Blast Royale, MetalCore, Undead Blocks, and Nyan Heroes have free-to-play tiers that require no wallet. BR1: Infinite and Shrapnel require some form of custodial or self-custody wallet setup.
Are crypto shooters legal in my country?
Depends where you are. BR1: Infinite in particular functions as real-money gaming, which is regulated separately in most jurisdictions. Check local law before depositing.
What is the safest crypto shooter to try first?
Off The Grid is the safest entry point, because you can play the whole game without crypto involvement. If you like it and want to opt in, do so gradually.
What happens if the developer shuts down a crypto game?
Non-custodial NFT assets can survive if they were minted to your wallet on a public chain; custodial assets are lost when the platform disappears. This is a real risk for most games on this list. Only spend what you can lose.
