The idea of fusing cryptocurrency into video game economies is an idea that has been tossed around very frequently in the online gaming and cryptocurrency communities. Many players dream of their hours spent in game translating to a healthy profit once they are ready to withdraw, but this idea hasn’t reached many games.

Bitquest, however, does just that. Launched in December of 2014, Bitquest boasts the only public Minecraft experience out there that is directed by bitcoin. The in game economy on the server is emeralds. Players can obtain emeralds through a variety of tasks, primarily by killing mobs, looting dungeon chests, and trading with other players. Every emerald is worth one bit, or one millionth of a bitcoin. Each player has a custom deposit address that they can be use to send in bitcoin and receive emeralds in game. When ready to turn their emeralds back to bitcoin, players can simply put emeralds into an enderchest, which functions as a bank on the server. The bank destroys the emeralds, and convert their value into bitcoin, which then get sent out to the address of the player.

Right now, the server has three ways of generating bitcoin to distribute to the player: mining, sponsorship, and donation. A majority of the emeralds come from the hardware of the server itself, which doubles as a miner to create a steady flow of BTC that is converted into emeralds. Emeralds get distributed through mobs, who occasionally drop emeralds on death. The server is also sponsored by Xapo. Xapo is an online wallet that specializes in fast and easy microtransactions. Xapo is the service the server uses for all transactions, both withdrawals and deposits. In exchange, Xapo helps pay for the hardware and putting emeralds into circulation. They also hold serverwide contests, their last being a building contest with a 1 BTC grand prize.

Bitcoin definitely makes Bitquest unique, but the gameplay is also one you won’t find anywhere else. Bitquest is an RPG server, players can level up by killing mobs. Leveling up gives players more health and strength, which allow them to fight higher level monsters, who also drop more emeralds. Everything on the server is custom coded, and there are many other unique features. Dungeons with custom loot chests, private player plots, and other features enrich the gameplay without taking away from the authentic feel of vanilla Minecraft.

Many players, however, play for a different reason. Bitquest hosts a very friendly and helpful community that can’t be found on other Minecraft servers. A lot of players come on to the server with the desire to have success and acquire bitcoin. However, many stay because of the welcoming playerbase. The server is driven by community projects, contests, and adventures.

Bitquest is constantly growing, and they desire to one day become the major choice for all bitcoin gamers. Bitcoiners and Minecrafters alike come together to live in perfect harmony on this server driven by the popular cryptocurrency. This server is a great home to anyone interested in earning bitcoin or simply looking for a server to call home.