Derrick Cariño, a certified chef based in the Philippines, has recently gained attention for using his earnings from the blockchain-based game Pixels to pay his university tuition. After earning a diploma in International Culinary Arts, Derrick managed to cover the entire cost of his schooling with in-game rewards earned through the Play-to-Airdrop campaign on the Ronin network. In addition to tuition, he also used part of his earnings to purchase a secondhand scooter to ease his daily commute.

Derrick’s involvement with web3 gaming began in early 2021 when he joined the growing community of Axie Infinity players. He started as a scholar, borrowing Axies from other players and sharing the in-game rewards. At the time, Axie Infinity was introducing many new users to the concept of Play-to-Earn gaming, especially in the Philippines where the game quickly became popular. This early experience laid the foundation for Derrick’s continued engagement with blockchain-based games and his belief in the potential of the Ronin ecosystem to provide real economic opportunities.

Pixels Pays University Tuition with Game Earnings

Pixels Pays for University 

In October 2023, Derrick learned about Pixels, a new game that had recently migrated to the Ronin blockchain. Encouraged by his brother and motivated by previous success with Axie Infinity, Derrick decided to try Pixels. He joined an informal guild and participated in the Play-to-Airdrop campaign, a program designed to reward active players with $PIXEL tokens. Over the following months, Derrick accumulated over 6,000 $PIXEL tokens through consistent gameplay and participation in community events.

Using these tokens, Derrick was able to exchange his in-game earnings for fiat currency. The process involved transferring his $PIXEL rewards from Pixels into his Ronin wallet, swapping them for RON tokens via Katana, and then converting these to stablecoins on Binance. He finally withdrew the funds to his GCash account, a popular mobile wallet service in the Philippines. This streamlined process allowed Derrick to convert his in-game rewards into usable cash, which he then applied toward his tuition fees and other expenses.

Pixels Pays University Tuition with Game Earnings

Derrick's Web3 Journey and Community Impact

Beyond financial gains, Derrick highlighted the community aspect of his journey within the Ronin ecosystem. He described the friendships and collaborations formed with fellow gamers worldwide, as they shared strategies and supported one another in navigating the evolving web3 space. Derrick has also expanded his activities by becoming a creator in the Ronin game Fishing Frenzy, continuing to engage with the platform both as a player and content creator.

He remains active in promoting awareness about Ronin and web3 gaming, encouraging new users to explore the available opportunities by setting up a Ronin wallet and trying different games. According to Derrick, the ecosystem today offers a wide range of opportunities including NFT mints, token launches, and new game migrations, which were less accessible during the early days of Axie Infinity.

Pixels Pays University Tuition with Game Earnings

Ronin's Role in Play-to-Earn Gaming

Looking ahead, Derrick remains optimistic about the future of Ronin and its role in offering economic opportunities through gaming. As a creator in Fishing Frenzy and an active participant in the Ronin ecosystem, Derrick continues to explore new avenues for growth and innovation. He advises aspiring gamers to leverage Ronin's dynamic platform for NFT mints, token launches, and community-driven events, highlighting the platform's accessibility and potential for financial independence.