  Blockchain games introduce unique gameplay and incentive mechanisms by
allowing players to be rewarded with in-game assets or tokens through financial
activities. However, most blockchain games are not comparable to traditional
games in terms of lifespan and player engagement. In this paper, we try to see
the big picture in a small way to explore and determine the impact of gameplay
and financial factors on player behavior in blockchain games. Taking Aavegotchi
as an example, we collect one year of operation data to build player profiles.
We perform an in-depth analysis of player behavior from the macroscopic data
and apply an unsupervised clustering method to distinguish the attraction of
the gameplay and incentives. Our results reveal that the whole game is held up
by a small number of players with high-frequent interaction or vast amounts of
funds invested. Financial incentives are indispensable for blockchain games for
they provide attraction and optional ways for players to engage with the game.
However, financial services are tightly linked to the free market. The game
will face an irreversible loss of players when the market experiences
depression. For blockchain games, well-designed gameplay should be the
fundamental basis for the long-lasting retention of players.
