CryptoKitties is a game based on breeding and collecting unique cats with Ethereum as currency.
Everyone has their own display of objects they enjoy collecting, whether it be Pokemon cards, tea spoons, or comic books. While some do it as a fun hobby or past time, others do it in hopes of monetary gain. And now, CryptoKitties has become the newest craze in the blockchain world with the highest sold cat, Kitty 18, at the price of 253 Ether (worth $110,707.16 at the time but is now worth $280,697.15 at the time of this blog post)!
If someone boiled down their time collecting CryptoKitties into just one word, it would be investment. But to the general public, that would seem crazy. They would probably think of stock markets and weird lines going up and down sporadically on charts without making any sense the moment they hear the word. So how could someone actually have fun dealing crazy numbers and unpredictable markets?
Similar to the time of Beanie Babies, CryptoKitties collectors buy the designs they like best or ones that are rare and worth more.
With CryptoKitties, there is an element of gamification, the application of including elements of playing a game to other areas of activity. In this case, CryptoKitties has included factors of collecting and customization to the world of investing. With cute and colorful kitties, most players have a casual time buying and selling kitties while also having fun looking at the crazy visual combinations of their newly owned cats. Players don’t feel the pressure of responsibility or taking things seriously. The kitties don’t actually have any monetary value and are only worth what players believe they should be worth.
Ether (ETH) is a form of currency created by Ethereum, a platform that helps move value around and represent the ownership of property.
If you also want to join the craze and have some kitties of your own, you’ll need to follow a couple of steps (more than just creating an account) to ensure that your CryptoKitties are safe and secure.
- Have a laptop or desktop
- Download MetaMask, a digital wallet, to keep your kitties safe
- Invest in some Ether, CryptoKitties’ only form of acceptable payment
- Create a CryptoKitties account
Now you’re all ready to start breeding and collecting your own CryptoKitties!
