It may seem biased but it is true that splinterlands’ game module is not fit for profit earning. Before arriving on any conclusion, we should examined its gameplay and the game assets module.

What is splinterlands?

It is a card based game in which every card has certain properties and the properties of the card increases with the level of the card. For example let’s consider this card:

(Shilvershield Assassin)

Shilvershield assassin is a rare card of the earth splinter. It’s a melee attack monster which has sneak and double attack ability in the first level itself. However, its melee attack is only one at an each time. It means it can damage two life of a back rank enemy monster in one round. When we combine three cards, it become level two card and it gets one armor as well. For a level 5 card we need to combine 21 level one cards which means it takes 21 BCX to get a level 5 cards of it. Level 5 card’s attack is two, its speed become 4 and it gets poison ability as well. Now it become a more powerful card. But, there is a tiny problem associated with it. At present the lowest price of the level one card is $1.4 while the lowest price of the level five card is $28.874. It means if the price of one BCX is $1.4, price of the level 5 card, i.e. 21 BCX should have been 1.4x21=$29.4. But, it is just $28.874 which is less than $0.526 than the single 21 level one cards. The lowest Price of a level 8 (115 BCX) card should have been $161 but is just $131.999 which is too low compared to the value of total cards that were used to level up this card to the top level.

(These screenshots are taken from the respective dapps)

This is just an example. In many cases the price of the cards sharply decreases with the level of the cards. It means low level cards are more expensive than the high level cards. For using the upper level cards in the gameplay one also need a suitable summoner of the high level. High level summoner requires more cards to be combined to reach desirable BCX. So, it gets more and more expensive to level up cards and to use them in the game. On the other hand the value of these cards decreases respectively. So, it becomes impossible to even get the amount which one had invested on buying and combining to get a high level card. Overall it’s a great loss for the person who combines cards to make them a higher level card. Apart from it, it also take labor to buy and level up cards. It is also very possible that one may get a 1 BCX card at $1 but in the open market price of the second 1 BCX card may be $1.1 and so on. So, it become more and more expensive to increase the level of the cards. So, it’s a failed model of maximizing one’s wealth. Despite of this failed model, splinterlands is enjoying a great profit. Even the cards holders are enjoying profit from it. It was possible because the overall price of the cards has increased with the time and the players also used to get good return for the gameplay as they were rewarded with bonus cards, free card packs and other crypto assets for winning.

However, this situation has also changed. As I already have mentioned above, Splinterlands used to distribute bonus cards, free card packs and other crypto assets for winning the game or completing the tasks, it has changed its policy. Now players are getting soulbound cards as rewards which are not possible to burn, trade in free market or put on rent to other players. It is giving merits, SPS as reward for gameplay. Merits can be used to purchase gladiators cards but these cards are identical to new reward cards which are not possible to trade. Value of SPS has declined too sharply. So, the possibility of earning profit from the splinterlands are very low at this time. This is the result of poor policies, lots of greed and no clear vision of the game developers. They are ruining the whole system just for reaping profit and ignoring the reality. I hope this post may help them to consider for their own mistakes.

Thanks for reading!

Note: My aim is not to criticise anyone but to discuss the business module of splinterlands and the way its business module suffers from the inherent shortcomings.