I never thought I would have anything to do with 'blockchain.' Two years ago, I was working as a security guard in a mall in Manila, working 12 hours a day. One day, my cousin suddenly asked me, 'Do you want to try earning some money while playing games?'
This is the beginning of everything.
The first NFT I got was rented.
What my cousin was referring to was the scholarship from YGG. At that time, I didn't even know what an NFT was; I only knew that through them, I could 'borrow' three little monsters called Axie without having to spend my own money to buy them. The conditions were simple: I would share a portion of the tokens I earned from playing the game with the guild.
Two weeks ago, I was just playing around until the 'captain' in the guild pulled me into a voice channel. It was a group of newbies like me, but there was an experienced player patiently teaching us: how to form teams, when to attack, how to gather resources. For the first time, I felt like I was not 'doing odd jobs', but learning a craft.
Turning point: After the game came to a halt
Unfortunately, good times didn't last, and the game token price plummeted, and the earnings became less and less. Our group was quite frustrated at one point. But just then, a new section appeared in the guild app, showcasing several seemingly completely different new games—some were strategy games, some were pet-raising games, and there was even a pixel-style farming game.
"Give it a try, no guarantee of making money, but there might be airdrops," the captain said. Our group, with the mindset of 'we have nothing else to do anyway', dove in.
I chose that farming game. Because I grew up in the countryside as a child and have some feelings for farming. I had no idea what a 'testnet' was; I just logged in every day, watered, and harvested according to the guide. Three months later, I received an email saying I had earned the early NFT reward for the game because I had submitted the most feedback about the soil mechanics.
—Feedback? I have only complained a few times in the community channel in Filipino about 'the rain mechanism being too unrealistic'.
From 'tenant' to 'neighbor'
That NFT later sold for a sum that was neither large nor small. But more importantly, it seems I have unlocked a new way of living.
I no longer focus on just one game. Through the YGG app, I have become a 'jack-of-all-trades': I play strategy games to help the guild with tasks, collect decorative items in casual games, and occasionally act as a substitute in esports games. My sources of income have diversified, but rather, they have become more stable. The 'skill profile' page in the app records my game time, preferred types, and community contributions; it is like a resume of the game world.
The most amazing thing is that last year, a pirate game made by a small European team wanted to expand into the Southeast Asian market. Their community manager directly contacted our guild, asking if there was someone who understood both the game and local culture to help with translation and event design. Because I had written in my profile that I had 'participated in the localization testing of three games,' I was unexpectedly chosen.
I used my mom's storytelling tone to help them rewrite a line from the pirate dialogue in the game. They liked it very much.
Now: I am no longer just a player
Today, I still don't consider myself a so-called 'cryptocurrency expert'. The coins in my wallet are mostly managed by the guild tools. I also don't understand what 'SubDAO' means; I only know that I belong to a local group called 'YGG Pilipinas', where partners share which games have interesting new activities and which tasks are worth doing.
But I clearly know two things:
First, my income no longer relies on the fluctuations of any single game. A portion comes from game earnings, another part comes from guiding new games, and yet another part comes from sporadic projects like the pirate game. In the words of the president, this is called 'income diversification'. For me, this means 'sleeping soundly'.
Second, I have become closer to those who develop games. My feedback is genuinely heard. My culture is truly valued. This makes me feel that I am not just consuming a product; a part of me also remains in that game world.
So what exactly is YGG?
If you had asked me two years ago, I would have said: 'A place that rents out game equipment to me.'
If you asked me now, I would think for a moment and then say:
"Like a... 'human cooperative' in a game world?"
It is no longer just giving me a fishing rod (NFT) and letting me fish by myself. It feels more like being given a map in a forest with many ponds, a group of companions who can support each other, and various tools. Some like fishing, some find mushroom picking more skilled, and others are good at guiding newcomers—and all of this is seen and can be exchanged for a livelihood.
This year, with the money I saved, I signed up for an online graphic design course. I loved drawing as a child, and maybe in the future, I can not only play others' games but also participate in creating something.
All of this started two years ago with a simple question from my cousin about 'making money from playing games'. And the answer is far broader than we imagined back then.
