NFT Standards that You Can Use for Creating Games

NFT (non-fungible tokens) stands as one of the primary driving forces behind GameFi innovation, fundamentally reshaping how the world perceives and engages with gaming. In blockchain-based games, NFT ownership represents the possession of game items such as digital lands, creatures, weapons, helmets, magical potions, and character skins. The smart contract mechanisms underlying NFTs enable sophisticated reward systems where players earn valuable assets through gameplay—for instance, equipping a limited-edition skin on a digital creature during battles can unlock additional rewards upon victory, including in-game tokens or other NFTs.

The blockchain industry has developed numerous NFT standards specifically designed for game development. Currently, ERC-721 and ERC-1155 are the most widely adopted standards. Since major public blockchain networks maintain Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, all NFT standards deployed on Ethereum can seamlessly operate across compatible blockchain ecosystems, attracting hundreds of diverse games to robust decentralized gaming environments.

NFT Standards You Should Know

This section explores the most significant NFT standards employed in blockchain gaming, providing developers and enthusiasts with comprehensive understanding of their functionality, advantages, and application scenarios.

ERC-721 - The Most Common NFT Standard That Proves the Ownership

ERC-721 emerged in 2018 as a critical response to ERC-20's limitations. While ERC-20 tokens are functionally identical, interchangeable, and unsuitable for proving ownership of individual game items, ERC-721 introduces a paradigm shift through unique and indivisible tokens. Each ERC-721 token serves as an authentic certificate of ownership for digital goods or real-world assets intended for limited distribution, making it the preferred choice for game studios seeking to establish definitive ownership of game items.

Cryptokitties exemplifies the transformative potential of ERC-721 adoption. As the first blockchain game to implement ERC-721, Cryptokitties allows players to own and breed digital kittens, with each kitten represented by a unique token that proves ownership and distinguishes it from others. Each kitten possesses individual marketplace pricing, demonstrating how ERC-721 creates differentiation and value discovery within game ecosystems.

The introduction of ERC-721 catalyzed blockchain gaming innovation, inspiring thousands of developers to create games like the renowned Axie Infinity. However, widespread adoption revealed significant limitations. High transaction costs and constrained data storage capacity became evident obstacles. To address these challenges, developers created advanced extensions like ERC-721A, introduced by the Azuki project, enabling users to mint multiple NFTs at substantially reduced costs compared to traditional minting, dramatically reducing gas fees during batch minting operations.

BEP-721 - The Modification of ERC-721

BEP-721 represents a blockchain-specific adaptation of the ERC-721 standard, enabling non-fungible token creation within compatible ecosystems. Like its predecessor, each BEP-721 token maintains absolute uniqueness and cannot be interchanged with any other token. BEP-721 token transfers require network gas fees paid in the respective blockchain's native currency. Multiple platforms within various blockchain ecosystems support BEP-721 token creation, facilitating broader accessibility for game developers.

ERC-1155 - Another Common NFT Standard That Minimizes the Cost and Time of Transaction

ERC-1155, developed by the Enjin Project Team, extends ERC-721 functionality to overcome critical shortcomings. The traditional ERC-721 architecture requires each token to operate under a separate smart contract, necessitating individual transactions that incur substantial fees during minting or transfer. ERC-1155 revolutionizes this approach by consolidating multiple tokens under a single smart contract, enabling efficient batch transfers. For example, a developer wishing to sell hundreds of gaming items can execute all transfers in one transaction, substantially reducing costs and processing time.

MOBOX exemplifies strategic implementation of ERC-1155. The project employs ERC-1155 for Common, Uncommon, and Rare MoMo NFTs—categories with higher quantities that frequently require bulk transfers—while reserving ERC-721 tokens for scarce Unique, Extraordinary, and Legendary MoMo NFTs. Game developers additionally utilize ERC-1155 for mystery box mechanics, optimizing the efficiency of multiple item distribution scenarios.

Other NFT Standards That Could Overcome the Limitation of ERC-721

While ERC-721 dominates blockchain gaming adoption, its limitations have spurred innovation in advanced NFT standards. Beyond ERC-1155, specialized standards address specific gaming requirements and enhance NFT utility throughout various applications.

ERC-998 - Transferring Multiple ERC-721 and ERC-20 Tokens in One Transaction

ERC-998 introduces a compositional token model enabling ERC-721 tokens to possess other ERC-721 tokens and ERC-20 tokens simultaneously. In this framework, the parent ERC-998 token maintains references to "child" contracts and tokens, creating hierarchical ownership structures. When purchasing an in-game character under ERC-998 smart contracts, players acquire not only the character but also associated wearables, accessories, and in-game tokens as a unified asset bundle. Selling or trading the character automatically transfers all child assets, streamlining complex multi-item transactions. This standard also provides elegant solutions for implementing mystery boxes, where multiple assets are transferred as a single composable unit.

BEP-129 - A NFT Standard Created for GameFi Specific NFT on Compatible Blockchain Networks

BEP-129 extends ERC-721 by introducing streamlined data structures for storing attributes directly on-chain. This architecture empowers players to customize digital assets according to personal preferences—game characters can modify clothing colors, while NPCs can adjust skill sets. By eliminating the dependency on external URIs for metadata storage, BEP-129 enriches player experiences with customizable game items. Unlike traditional ERC-721 implementations that store metadata off-chain through fragile URI links, BEP-129 maintains metadata on-chain and permits verified NFT owners to modify their asset metadata, enhancing both functionality and security.

ERC-4610 - Allowing Players to Borrow Their NFTs From Other Players While Earning Rewards

ERC-4610 establishes a non-custodial lending protocol specifically designed for gaming NFT assets. This standard democratizes play-to-earn mechanics by enabling direct, collateral-free NFT lending and borrowing without requiring centralized intermediaries. ERC-4610 standardizes scholarship program structures into composable NFT protocols, allowing asset owners to delegate other players directly for earning opportunities while maintaining asset security. Players can lend magic wands or other gaming equipment to fellow players, earning rewards when borrowers deploy these items successfully in battles.

The protocol implements refined permission structures where delegators lack transfer authority over lent NFTs. The delegator functions strictly as an operator under the owner's authorization, with transfer permissions reserved exclusively for asset owners. This architecture preserves asset security while enabling flexible economic incentive structures in gaming ecosystems.

EIP-3754 - Strengthening the Right of Players Who Own an NFT

EIP-3754 prioritizes enhancing owner rights by granting exclusive options to purchase additional ERC-721 tokens—rights without corresponding obligations. This standard enables on-chain subscription business models previously impossible within standard NFT frameworks, improving conceptual clarity regarding NFT ownership rights and enabling sophisticated economic relationships between players and game developers.

EIP-1948 - Scaling Data Storage of an NFT

EIP-1948 extends ERC-721 with dynamic data storage capabilities, addressing the immutability limitations of standard tokens. While conventional ERC-721 tokens accept data only during initial minting with no subsequent modifications possible, EIP-1948 introduces a 32-byte data field with write functions enabling owners to update NFT information throughout the token's lifecycle. This enables persistent game item customization—digital creatures could modify colors dynamically, and game weapons could evolve based on player progression or achievements.

EIP-2615 - Allows Players to Rent Out Game Items in Games

EIP-2615 proposes comprehensive rental and mortgage functionality extending ERC-721 while maintaining full backward compatibility. This standard crucially distinguishes usage rights from ownership, designating the active user rather than the owner as the operational authority. Game developers integrate EIP-2615 seamlessly with existing ERC-721 implementations. Players can rent NFTs to other players while retaining ownership or collateralize NFTs for financial services, applying to diverse assets including virtual in-game items, virtual properties, intellectual property rights, and DAO membership tokens.

EIP-2981 - A Weapon to Robust the NFT Game Marketplace

EIP-2981 empowers NFT marketplaces by enabling smart contracts to signal royalty amounts to creators and rights holders each time NFTs are sold or resold. This standard supports ongoing creator funding mechanisms, ensuring artists and developers receive proportional value from secondary market transactions. Royalty payments remain entirely voluntary for marketplace operators. Envisioning scenarios—if major gaming platforms launched NFT-based gameplay, players could sell in-game creations like castles through marketplaces while earning perpetual royalties upon resale, creating substantial incentives for producing extraordinary in-game content.

Conclusion

NFT standards represent foundational infrastructure determining the functionality, efficiency, and sustainability of blockchain gaming ecosystems. From ERC-721's revolutionary ownership verification to ERC-1155's cost-efficient batch transfers and emerging standards addressing lending, customization, and creator compensation, the NFT landscape continues evolving to meet sophisticated gaming requirements. As these NFT standards mature and cross-chain interoperability advances, blockchain gaming will unlock unprecedented possibilities for players and developers alike. The future of GameFi depends upon continued standardization innovation, ensuring gaming assets remain secure, transferable, and economically vibrant across interconnected blockchain networks.

FAQ

What are NFT standards?

NFT standards are technical rules for creating, managing, and transferring unique digital assets on blockchain networks. ERC-721 and ERC-1155 are the most common standards, ensuring interoperability across platforms.

What are the ERC standards for NFT?

ERC-721 and ERC-1155 are the primary Ethereum standards for NFTs. ERC-721 creates unique, non-fungible tokens, while ERC-1155 supports both unique and fungible tokens, enabling diverse digital asset creation and trading on blockchain.

What does NFT stand for exactly?

NFT stands for non-fungible token, representing unique digital assets that cannot be replaced or exchanged with other identical tokens, distinguishing them from fungible cryptocurrencies.

What is ERC-20 and ERC-721 standards?

ERC-20 is a standard for fungible tokens on Ethereum, enabling interchangeable digital assets. ERC-721 is a standard for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), representing unique digital assets. Both standards provide essential frameworks for token creation and exchange on the Ethereum blockchain.