The truth that many people do not realize about YGG: it's not just about games and 'Play to Earn'. It's about building digital communities with a human core.
I tried to follow YGG since 2021, and I witnessed the transformation myself. They started with simple 'scholarships': we give you an NFT, you play, we share the profits. But the real challenge was: how to manage 50,000 players from 50 countries with different languages and cultures?
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The intelligence in dividing SubDAOs:
Each region has its own nature:
· India (IndiGG): They focus on mobile games, as mobile internet is predominant.
· Latin America (Ola GG): Sports games and team competitions.
· Southeast Asia (YGG SEA): Adventure and story games.
The brilliant idea:
They didn't make a branch of the center, but gave each SubDAO:
· Independent treasury
· Local decisions
· Local partnerships
· But with connection to the parent network
Result: A player in Mumbai can play in his language, pays in rupees, and participates in local tournaments... At the same time, if he wants to play with players from the Philippines, the system allows him.
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The seasons (Seasons): are not events, but a life cycle
I tried the seventh and eighth seasons myself:
· Season 7: The focus was on traditional NFT games.
· Season 8: They moved to light mobile games.
· Season 9: They entered strategy games.
Each season they learn from the past. The player who follows from the first season has:
· Participation record (every task, every achievement)
· Digital reputation (allows new projects to trust it)
· Network of relationships (connecting players, developers, organizers)
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The shift from "player" to "builder":
Here is the unique thing. In 2021, your role was: play and earn.
Today, in YGG you can be:
· Quest designer: creates challenges for new players
· Content translator: helps in transferring games to your language
· Tournament organizer: manages local competitions
· Game lab: tests new games and provides evaluation
A true story:
I met a player from Indonesia, started as an ordinary player in 2022, today he is responsible for translating 3 games into Indonesian, and manages a team of 10 translators.
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YGG Play: from "we play others' games" to "we create our own games"
Here is the boom. Instead of waiting for a successful game to participate in, they became:
1. They produce their own games (like LOL Land)
2. They help independent developers in publishing
3. They build sustainable internal economies
The advantage:
The player who helped develop a game from the beginning, his profit will be tied to the long-term success of the game, not just a quick reward.
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The challenges I saw with my own eyes:
1. Emotional volatility:
· 2021: Everyone plays Axie Infinity
· 2023: Many left gaming completely
· 2025: The crowds returned but with different perspectives
2. Management complexity:
· Each SubDAO has its own rules
· Coordination among them requires effort
· Internal conflicts occur
3. Dependence on the market:
· If the NFTs market collapses, all games are affected
· Needs real diversification
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The lesson I learned from following YGG:
Technology is important, but communities are what remain.
YGG succeeded because:
1. Respected differences (through SubDAOs)
2. Created a regular rhythm (through the seasons)
3. Provided development paths (from player to builder)
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Comparison of 2021 vs 2025:
The side 2021 2025
Focus on quick profits building skills
The role is just player + developer + organizer
The economy relies on one game with a diverse game portfolio
The community is organized in SubDAOs
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A final word for those wishing to join:
YGG today is not for everyone:
· ✅ Suitable for you if: you build long-term digital skills and believe that "working in the metaverse" will become real.
· ❌ Not suitable for you if: you are looking for quick profits without effort.
Advice from a follower for 4 years:
Start as a participant in one season, see if the system suits you, then think about investing time or money.
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Expectations for the future:
· 2026: The first SubDAO in the Arab world (imagine "YGG Mena" focusing on Arabic games)
· 2027: YGG launches an accredited training platform for digital jobs
· 2028: 10% of their income from non-game sources (training, consulting, publishing)
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In summary:
YGG is no longer a gaming guild...
They became a digital academy building the next generation of workers in the digital economy.
And the beautiful thing is they learn from their mistakes, adapt, and grow...
Slowly,
Steadily,
And with a human heart.
A final note:
These notes are from personal follow-ups since 2021 and interviews with players from various regions, not just reading reports. Each region has its own experience.
