#2 in Rise of the Pixels Season 21

I recently started playing Rise of the Pixels, and I’m thrilled to share that I managed to come in second place during Season 21—my very first season! (Congrats to @sharker for first place!) As a reward, I received 200 $PXL tokens, and now I’m trying to decide how best to use them. I’d love to hear advice from the community, while also offering newcomers a bit of insight into this fascinating game and its ecosystem.

Rise of the Pixels is a game studio simulation game that runs on the Hive blockchain. Players manage developers, designers, and accessories to build and grow their in-game projects. The gameplay combines resource management and tactical decision-making, and it’s deeply rewarding, especially for folks who enjoy optimizing systems. What makes the game even more engaging is its integration with the Hive blockchain, a decentralized platform that powers not just games but also communities and applications. Rewards like PXL tokens, the in-game currency, can be staked to earn additional rewards, traded on exchanges, or reinvested back into the game itself.

As a new player, I’m still building my in-game resources. Right now, I have two developers, but I don’t have enough liquid $HIVE to purchase more developers, designers, or accessories just yet. The gameplay itself has been fantastic, and I’m thoroughly enjoying figuring out how to best allocate my resources. That’s where the 200 PXL tokens come in.

After some thought, I’ve identified three main ways to use my reward:

• Staking: By staking PXL tokens, I could boost my in-game influence and earn additional rewards over time. Staking is similar to locking up your tokens as a form of investment, and it’s a solid long-term strategy if I want to benefit from having played, without continuing active play.

• Liquidity Pooling: TribalDEX is a decentralized exchange (or DEX) built on the Hive blockchain, where players can trade PXL tokens with other cryptocurrencies. Adding my PXL to the liquidity pool means pairing it with $SWAP.HIVE, to allow others to trade between them. In return, I’d earn a share of the trading fees. This option doesn’t just benefit me—it helps the game’s ecosystem by improving the token’s liquidity and making it easier for new players to join.

• In-Game: Spending PXL on research or training could enhance my developers’ skills and make them more effective. This option appeals to me because it directly improves my gameplay experience and positions me better for the next season.

Since I’m still in the early stages of the game, and plan on playing actively, I’ll probably use some of the tokens for research and training to make my developers more effective. The improved performance should help me earn more rewards in future seasons, which I can then reinvest. With the remaining tokens, I’m leaning toward adding them to the liquidity pool on TribalDEX. I like the idea of contributing to the game’s ecosystem by making it easier for new players to acquire PXL tokens. The extra yield from liquidity pool rewards doesn’t hurt, either! (Though, there isn't much volume trading the token, so that may be more of a symbolic application of the tokens than anything, for now.)

To the seasoned Rise of the Pixels players out there: How do you balance using PXL tokens in-game versus staking or adding them to the liquidity pool? Are there strategies you’d recommend for a newer player trying to build their studio without a lot of liquid Hive?

I’m excited to continue my journey in Rise of the Pixels and explore everything the game has to offer. If you’ve got tips or want to share your own experiences, drop a comment. And if you’re curious about trying the game, I’d be happy to answer any questions!

Let’s keep building—both in-game and as part of the broader Hive community.