Just a Casual Player ☕ in Splinterlands

I'm a *casual* **[Splinterlands](https://splinterlands.com/)** player... Just like that. I play because I *enjoy it*, because I find it **fun**, because I like the **game’s universe** and enjoy being part of the **community**. I don't play out of obligation, nor with that mindset of “I must maximize every penny per minute invested.” I'm also not one of those who spend hours and hours trying to farm the highest possible amount of **GLINT** or burn out trying to reach the **highest league** every season. To be honest, just thinking about that *tires* me. The truth is that it's been a while since the **profitability for casual players** in the game went downhill without brakes. Before, even by playing just a little, you could accumulate decent rewards, climb a few leagues, get some nice cards, and maybe even earn a little bit on the side. But today? Nowadays, between **card rentals**, **SPS rentals**, **energy burn**, and this whole ecosystem of *financial micromanagement*, those without a highly planned strategy or unwilling to invest real money are simply balancing on a *tightrope*.  And I'm not here to walk a tightrope. I prefer something more **straight to the point**, more *relaxed*, that fits better into my routine. I'm not interested in entering a spiral of constant optimization. I don’t want to turn *Splinterlands* into a **walking Excel spreadsheet**. I want to **play and enjoy**. I want to look at the game and see a *game*, **not a second job**. That’s why I don’t stress about climbing since day one of the season. I’m not anxious to play every possible match, to farm every last drop of **GLINT**, or to treat the game like a mining system. These days, my main goal within the **Splinterlands** ecosystem is simply to stay **active** enough to follow the news, play when I feel like it, and occasionally produce some interesting content about my journey. Of course, that also requires some care. I can’t just write anything, dump a bunch of empty words or substance-less content, and expect the community to embrace it. **Content creation**, even when casual, demands a certain level of *responsibility* especially in such a connected environment like **Hive**. Still, I prefer this more *laid-back* approach than diving headfirst into a hypercompetitive model. And now, with the recent addition of the [**FRONTIER FORMAT**](https://support.splinterlands.com/hc/en-us/articles/39639033353748-Frontier-Format-FAQ), that desire to keep participating in the ecosystem has grown even stronger. The new cards are *interesting*, look cool, and seem to offer good strategic possibilities especially for those who enjoy thinking in *creative synergies*. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll go deep into them or just watch from a distance, but what I do know is that it genuinely rekindled my interest. Maybe I’ll scale up my involvement a bit more, maybe not. I’m still thinking about it. I'm also very curious about the **second part of the Campaign Mode**. The first part, although simple, already added some depth to the game universe. And if more *cutscenes*, more *lore*, and more narrative elements are coming, even better. I enjoy that **immersion**. I like to feel like I'm part of a **living world**, with stories that intertwine with the battles and characters. That captivates me more than any reward system. The truth is, unlike many **hardcore** players who spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on cards, SPS, and meticulously planned strategies, I prefer to be a player who **enjoys the game in a healthy way**. A player who knows how to *balance*. Who respects their own **time and energy**. Who plays when they want to, not when the **algorithm commands**. Sure, if there are **earnings** opportunities here and there, I won’t complain. Getting a rare card, collecting some potions, maybe even turning a few rewards into something useful all of that is welcome. But **that’s not the main focus**. For me, **Splinterlands is, above all, a game**. And if I wanted to spend my day crunching numbers, analyzing markets, projecting returns... I’d open a **brokerage**, not a player account. And this *casual* model works **very well for me**.  For most of the season, I just take it **slow and steady**. I play one or two matches a day, just to stay sharp. Then, when I’m feeling motivated or simply have some free time, I sit down, play for about 30 minutes, and see how far I can go. I’ve managed to stay between the **Gold** and **Silver** leagues playing like this. Lately, it’s been more towards **Bronze**, I admit. Seems like each day it gets harder... or maybe I’m just getting worse at the game... *who knows?* At the end of the day, **Splinterlands is still a fun game**. But we can’t ignore that it has *changed* especially for players like me. The reward system **isn’t as generous anymore**, competition is tougher, and many people have already quit the game because of it. I, on the other hand, **adapted my playstyle**. I decided I want to enjoy the best of the experience, without sacrificing too much of my time or my wallet. Because at the end of the day, even though the game is deeply rooted in **Web3**, the current **Play2Earn** landscape is far from the paradise many once imagined.