Do you remember those crazy days? In front of the screens in the Philippines, countless people were scrolling through their phones day and night, clicking, trading, upgrading—like they had discovered a new gold mine in the digital age. The wave of blockchain games swept in, and virtual assets within the games suddenly became a major source of household cash flow. Many people truly tasted success, with incomes far exceeding traditional jobs; this "play-to-earn" model felt like a modern-day gold rush, making people smile even in their dreams.

Unfortunately, this dream woke up very quickly. When the tide of the crypto market recedes, those high expectations also collapse. The underlying logic of the game economy itself has loopholes—an infinite inflation of token supply, and new players constantly wanting to cash out, this model was already on shaky ground. Coupled with that infamous cross-chain bridge security incident, a large amount of assets evaporated in an instant, and the price of game tokens fell like free fall. Once, the "digital gold diggers" left the battlefield one after another, filled with disappointment and exhaustion.

But the story of Web3 does not end here. After failure often comes transformation—just as sailors learn to seek new directions in a storm. Web3 enthusiasts in the Philippines are beginning to reflect and are also starting to look for more stable and vibrant ways to participate. Their focus is gradually shifting to a new direction: from the "play-to-earn" model of participating in games to the "operation and maintenance to earn" paradigm that supports the entire network's operation.

This is not just a simple way to make money. Node operations connect to the core of Web3 infrastructure—maintaining network stability, ensuring transaction security, and supporting ecosystem operations. Compared to the quick monetization model of blockchain games that is unsustainable, operational income represents a deeper and more resilient economic participation. It requires continuous technical investment and network contributions, but the returns are also relatively stable and long-term.

From the unreal amusement park to tangible infrastructure construction, from the pursuit of getting rich overnight to participating in ecological building—what else could this be but a mature transformation for Web3 participants? This wave of change in the Philippines may well be a rational return for the entire industry after experiencing the baptism of a bubble.