Good Day Manager! Exploring Social Relationships in NFT-based Play-to-Earn Games

Play-to-Earn (P2E) crypto-games recently emerged as a gig opportunity despite the absence of regulations. As these platforms continue to grow, there is a need to understand the interactions involved to protect vulnerable stakeholders. This paper describes how an unintended social dynamic became a strategy guiding players to navigate an unregulated space. First, we inquired through surveys (N = 69) and interviews (N = 9) to understand stakeholder motivations and practices in this space. Second, we analyzed data and then conceptualized eight themes (e.g., Management, Social, Gaming). Then, we uncovered four types of relationships (e.g., ManagerScholar, Manager-Investor-Scholar, Coach-Mentee, Scholar-TurnedManager) that shaped the behaviours of the different users on the platform. Lastly, we present design implications and recommendations to guide the design of P2E crypto games and the gig-focused communities that thrive around them. Our results contribute to ongoing discussions in designing digital gig economies and crypto-based games.