Main Earning Models in GameFi

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For Developers
To wrap your head around GameFi works, you need to understand some of the different earning models that are out there. The sky is the limit here because you’re only held back by technology, which has virtually limitless potential. Here are a few of the main options.

Free to Play (Donate)
This model is similar to the old shareware model that was popular amongst video game developers in the 1990s. The game itself is free in this model, but players can donate to support its continued development. Examples: 

Apex Legends.
Doki Doki Literature Club.
Dota 2.
Game Subscription
Subscription-based games can be useful for developers because they can set up a model by which they have predicable recurring income. It can also be a great way to ease people in because you’re not asking them to make a larger purchase upfront. Instead, they pay a smaller amount but pay it monthly for as long as they want to continue playing.

Examples: 

Amazon Luna.
Apple Arcade. 
Google Stadia.
Microsoft Xbox Game Pass.
Nintendo Switch Online.
Buying a Game
This is close to the traditional way of making money as a game developer. Here, the players pay an up-front cost for the game and then access all of its features in return.

Examples: 

Witcher 3.
GTA V.
Far Cry 6.
Red Dead Redemption 2.
Freemium
The freemium model is free in which the core game itself is free, but players can spend money to unlock additional content or gain in-game power-ups such as extra energy or reduced cool-downs. Many game developers are also offering up skins and other digital assets that people can pay to purchase.

Examples: 

Hearthstone.
League of Legends.
Maplestory.
For Gamers
The other thing to bear in mind is that for GameFi games, the players themselves can typically make money by playing. This is profitable for both sides, benefitting both players and the company when done well. Here are a few of the most common models for that.

Play to Earn
In this model, players are given financial rewards (usually in the form of cryptocurrency) in exchange for completing in-game tasks. Sometimes, this is combined with a proprietary cryptocurrency created by the game’s developers.

Asset Ownership
In games where players can own digital assets, they can often sell or lease those assets to other players, with the developers taking a cut from it.

More about this in original resource - newbie deactivated link:https://www.zfort.com/blog/NFT-Business-Model-in-Game-Industry-GameFi-Play-to-Earn [nonactive]