When you think of GameFi airdrop 2021, a wave of free token distributions tied to blockchain-based games that exploded in popularity during the crypto bull run of 2021. Also known as Play-to-Earn airdrops, these were more than just free coins—they were invitations to be part of something new: games where your time and skill could earn you real value. Back then, if you played a simple game on your phone or browser, you might get tokens like SPIN, AXS, or GALA just for signing up, completing quests, or inviting friends. No deposits. No upfront cost. Just play and earn.
These airdrops weren’t random. They were tied to blockchain gaming, a movement that merged traditional video game mechanics with decentralized finance, letting players own in-game items as NFTs and trade them freely. Companies like Splinterlands, Axie Infinity, and Spintop used airdrops to bootstrap communities. The goal? Get real people playing before the token launched, so the game had users—not just speculators. And it worked. Some players earned hundreds, even thousands, in early tokens that later traded for real money. Others got nothing but a forgotten wallet address.
But here’s what most people don’t talk about: crypto airdrop, the method used to distribute tokens to early adopters, often as a marketing tool to build hype and liquidity. In 2021, it was easy to join. You’d connect a wallet, follow a Twitter account, join a Discord, maybe complete a few tasks. Today? Most of those projects are dead. Tokens dropped 90% or more. Liquidity vanished. Exchanges delisted them. The ones that survived? They didn’t win because of the airdrop—they won because they kept building. They turned players into stakeholders, not just token hoarders.
The lesson isn’t about chasing free coins. It’s about recognizing which GameFi projects were serious from the start. Some had real gameplay, real teams, real revenue. Others were just memes with a token attached. The 2021 airdrops exposed the difference. And if you look at the posts below, you’ll see the same patterns repeating: airdrops tied to music NFTs, decentralized exchanges, IoT tokens—each with the same mix of promise and risk. Some delivered. Most didn’t. But the ones that did? They changed how people think about games, ownership, and earning online. What you find here isn’t a list of past winners. It’s a map of what actually worked—and what to watch for next time.
The THG airdrop by Thetan Arena on Binance Smart Chain in 2021 was one of the first major GameFi token distributions. Learn how it worked, who benefited, and why it still matters today.