Looking at The Value of SPS Staking and Why HIVE Matters for Splinterlands Players

When I first discovered Splinterlands, it was the gameplay and the promise of earning crypto rewards that drew me in. But as I spent more time in the ecosystem, I realized there was a deeper layer powering the game — a blockchain called HIVE. At first, I didn’t give it much thought. After all, I was here for the cards and battles, not the tech. But as I started exploring HIVE, it became clear just how vital it is to Splinterlands and, by extension, to all of us as players.

Supporting HIVE isn’t just about understanding where Splinterlands runs — it’s about strengthening the foundation that makes the game possible and ensuring its continued success. Let me explain why I believe every Splinterlands player should care about HIVE and actively support it.

HIVE: The Backbone of Splinterlands

HIVE isn’t just the blockchain where Splinterlands is hosted — it’s the lifeblood of the ecosystem. Every transaction you make in the game, whether it’s buying packs, renting cards, or earning DEC, is processed on the HIVE blockchain. This means HIVE provides the speed, scalability, and low-cost transactions that make Splinterlands such a seamless experience.

But HIVE is more than just infrastructure; it’s an ecosystem. Beyond Splinterlands, it supports countless other decentralized apps (dApps), blogs, games, and communities. This broader ecosystem creates a vibrant, interconnected network that directly benefits Splinterlands by attracting users and fostering innovation.

Additionally, as it became very clear when Splinterlands asked for DHF (Decentralized Hive Fund) monetary support there were not enough votes to get it through initially. This means that Splinterlands players are really underweight in HIVE! I found how underweight thanks to a series of posts by @azircon. It also inspired me to start building my Hive Power.

Why Splinterlands Players Should Support HIVE

So why should you, as a Splinterlands player, care about HIVE? Here are a few reasons:

1. A Strong HIVE Means a Strong Splinterlands
   The success of Splinterlands is directly tied to the health of the HIVE blockchain. If HIVE thrives, it attracts more developers, users, and resources, which in turn benefits Splinterlands. Supporting HIVE helps ensure the blockchain remains robust and continues to evolve, providing a stable foundation for the game we love.

2. HIVE Staking = Influence
   Staking HIVE gives you governance power on the blockchain. This means you can vote on proposals, including those that directly affect Splinterlands. For example, the Splinterlands team receives funding from the HIVE Decentralized Hive Fund (DHF), which is sustained by the community’s votes. By staking HIVE and participating in governance, you can help ensure the game gets the support it needs.

3. Diversification of Rewards
   Many players focus solely on earning DEC or SPS within Splinterlands, but staking HIVE offers its own rewards. With a current yield of about 15%, staking HIVE is a low-risk way to grow your investment while supporting the blockchain. Plus, it complements your Splinterlands earnings, giving you another way to benefit from the ecosystem.

4. Community Empowerment
   HIVE is a decentralized blockchain, which means its strength lies in its community. By participating in the HIVE ecosystem—whether through staking, posting content, or engaging with others—you’re helping to build a stronger, more resilient network. A thriving HIVE community translates to more support and visibility for Splinterlands.

The Value of SPS Staking: Is It Worth It?

At first glance, staking SPS (Splintershards) seems like a no-brainer. It’s the governance token of Splinterlands, and staking it not only provides a passive income stream but also unlocks valuable perks like better rewards in ranked battles and tournaments. But as someone who’s also interested in other blockchain investments, I had to ask myself: Is SPS staking the best use of my resources?

Here’s my take, after diving into the numbers, the strategy, and the potential risks.

The Benefits of SPS Staking

Let’s start with the positives. First and foremost, staking SPS provides daily rewards in the form of more SPS. This is essentially compounding your holdings, which can add up significantly over time, especially if the value of SPS increases.

Another big draw is the utility of staked SPS within the game. Staking improves your performance in tournaments, allows you to participate in governance votes, and in some cases, boosts the rewards you can earn in the game. For a dedicated player, this makes staking SPS almost feel like a game-enhancing power-up.

Finally, there’s the speculative upside. If you believe in Splinterlands’ long-term success, staking SPS is essentially a bet on the game’s future growth. As the ecosystem expands and more players join, the demand for SPS could rise, potentially increasing its value.

Comparing SPS Staking to Other Investments

But here’s where it gets tricky. Splinterlands isn’t the only game in town, and SPS staking comes with its own set of opportunity costs. For example:

HIVE Staking: As a Splinterlands player, I can’t ignore the 15% yield offered by staking HIVE. Unlike SPS, HIVE staking strengthens my connection to the blockchain Splinterlands runs on, giving me a say in proposals through my voting power. Plus, HIVE is more than just a Splinterlands token; it powers a diverse ecosystem of apps and communities, spreading my risk across multiple projects.

Liquidity Pools: Providing liquidity on platform like Tribaldex offers potentially higher returns. Yes, there’s the risk of impermanent loss, but for those willing to manage their positions actively, the rewards can exceed SPS staking.

Other Game Tokens: Splinterlands isn’t the only blockchain game I’m interested in. Diversifying into tokens from other games or ecosystems can reduce my exposure to a single platform and potentially yield better returns.

How You Can Support HIVE

If you’re convinced that HIVE matters, here are a few ways you can actively support it:

1. Stake HIVE: Buy HIVE tokens and stake them (Power Up) to earn rewards and gain governance power. This is one of the simplest and most impactful ways to support the blockchain.
2. Vote for DHF Proposals: Keep an eye on proposals that benefit Splinterlands and vote for them using your staked HIVE.
3. Create and Curate Content: Use HIVE-based platforms like Ecency or PeakD to share your Splinterlands journey. By creating or curating content, you earn HIVE rewards and increase your Hive Power as well as contribute to the ecosystem.
4. Introduce Others to HIVE: Help grow the community by introducing fellow players to HIVE and showing them how it connects to Splinterlands.

My Journey with HIVE

For a long time, I thought of Splinterlands and HIVE as separate entities. But once I started staking HIVE and engaging with the community, I realized how interconnected they are.

Also, creating content on Hive might actually be more profitable than playing Splinterlands. For example, here are my earnings on HIVE in the last 30 days:

And that is based on: 4,566 Hive * $0.23 = $1,050

Let's compare it to my earnings in Splintelands playing with maxed out deck and staking 414,106 SPS ($4,046):

We have to double these earnings to get 30 days worth of SPS rewards: 2922.58 * 2 = 5,844 SPS tokens in thirty days or two Splinterlands seasons

To get total dollar value of these tokens we multiply by the value of SPS at one cent and get: $58.44

As you can see earnings playing Splinterlands are about half of those creating content on HIVE! And that is based on over four times the investment in just the SPS, not counting card deck or the license that I also hold or season's pass if you play in Wild!

Is SPS Staking Worth It?

The answer really depends on your goals. If you’re a committed Splinterlands player who wants to maximize in-game rewards and believes in the game’s long-term potential, staking SPS is a no-brainer. But if your priority is maximizing returns or diversifying your investments, you might want to weigh it against other options like HIVE staking, HBD Savings or liquidity pools.

For me, SPS staking is worth it, but only as part of a broader strategy. Splinterlands is my main focus, and staking SPS enhances my experience and rewards within the game. But I also recognize the importance of spreading my investments across different platforms to balance risk and reward.

At the end of the day, it’s not about choosing one investment over another—it’s about finding the right balance for your personal goals and risk tolerance.

Final Thoughts

Splinterlands is more than just a game; it’s part of a larger movement toward decentralization and player empowerment. HIVE is the engine driving that movement, and as players, we have the power to support and strengthen it.

Whether you’re staking HIVE, voting on proposals, or simply spreading the word, every little bit helps. By supporting HIVE, we’re not just ensuring the success of Splinterlands—we’re investing in the future of blockchain gaming and decentralized communities.

So, what’s your take? Have you explored HIVE yet, or are you focused solely on Splinterlands? Let me know—I’d love to hear how other players are engaging with this incredible ecosystem!

If you wonder what is the best way to get involved you can use my link to begin your Splinterlands and HIVE journey.