Is Axie Infinity Free To Play?

Axie Infinity NFT character
Credit: Sky Mavis

Axie Infinity NFT character
Credit: Sky Mavis

As one of the top NFT games on the market, prospective Axie players are often left wondering if Axie Infinity is free to play?

New Axie players will often ask how much it costs to start Axie Infinity or how to earn Axie Infinity SLP when playing the play-to-earn game.

So, let's take a look at if Axie will join the list of the best free NFT games, or if you'll have to splash out on Axie Infinity.

Is Axie Infinity Free-To-Play?

To lay it out bluntly, Axie Infinity is not a free play-to-earn game. However, there are a few ways through which users can play this game for free.

Axie Infinity comes with its own set of pricing. The game requires users to purchase a maximum of three Axie NFTs to engage in gameplay. Looking at the Axie marketplace, the cheapest Axie are around $8 (or 0.004 ETH). This means with the most basic team, it could cost $24 to play, alongside Axie gas fees.

As such, you cannot start playing Axie Infinity without first purchasing a team of Axies. However, there are still a few things you can do to play Axie for free.

How To Apply For An Axie Scholarship?

A popular process called the Axie Infinity Scholarship allows experienced Axie Infinity players to lend their Axies to other players, in exchange for rewards.

A user can always ask experienced trainers who have collected hundreds of NFTs to lend you some. They will often agree to this, splitting the SLP rewards earned between the the scholar and trainer.

To enroll yourself in an Axie Scholarship Program, a user must:

  • Approach trainers through Discord or Twitter.
  • Contact managers via the Axie community hosted on Discord and Twitter. Ask them to take you as a scholar (a novice player).
  • Once selected, you get to access free Axies and in-game resources to begin the game.

However, the Axie Infinity Scholarship program can be incredibly competitive, so don't be surprised if this takes some time.