The gaming landscape has shifted dramatically since Town Star first launched - and if you're still searching for "Town Star earnings" in 2026, you need to know the game has evolved into something entirely different. Originally a Play-to-Earn farming simulator by Gala Games, Town Star has rebranded to Common Ground World, discontinued its native TOWN token, and restructured its entire reward system.
⚡ Quick Answer
Town Star is now called Common Ground World. The TOWN token was discontinued in January 2023 - all holders had to exchange for GALA at a 2:1 rate. You can still earn crypto rewards ($GALA and $SOIL) through weekly competitions and daily challenges, but NFT ownership is required for earning. GALA currently trades at ~$0.007, down 99% from its ATH of $0.82.
Whether you're a newcomer exploring P2E opportunities or a returning player wondering what happened to your TOWN coins, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about Common Ground World in 2026 - including realistic earning expectations, the new token ecosystem, and whether it's still worth your time.
What is Common Ground World (Formerly Town Star)?
Common Ground World is Gala Games' flagship farming simulation game, originally launched as Town Star in 2020. Created by Eric Schiermeyer, the co-founder of Zynga and the mind behind FarmVille's massive success, the game combines strategic town-building mechanics with blockchain technology and Play-to-Earn rewards.
The gameplay revolves around building and managing a town, optimizing production chains, harvesting crops, managing workers, and competing for leaderboard positions. Players earn points (Star Points) by crafting and selling goods, with top performers receiving cryptocurrency rewards.
Why the Rebrand Matters
In 2024, Gala Games transformed Town Star into Common Ground World with several major changes including new tokenomics, guild systems powered by Node Workload NFTs, cross-game integration with other Gala titles like VEXI Villages, and enhanced play-to-earn mechanisms. The transition wasn't just cosmetic - it fundamentally changed how players earn and what tokens they receive.
The TOWN Token Discontinuation - What You Need to Know
⚠ Critical Update
In January 2023, Gala Games officially discontinued the TOWN token. All TOWN holders were required to exchange their tokens for GALA at a 2:1 ratio within 180 days. If you missed this window, those tokens are now worthless. The decision was made to consolidate the ecosystem under GALA and improve long-term sustainability.
The TOWN token was originally the primary reward for Town Star daily challenges. At its peak, TOWN traded around $0.76, allowing dedicated players to earn substantial income through the game. However, as the broader crypto market declined and P2E economics proved unsustainable, Gala Games made the strategic decision to sunset TOWN entirely.
Today, the game uses two tokens for rewards: GALA (the main ecosystem token tradeable on major exchanges) and SOIL (a new game-specific token for Common Ground World that can be used to upgrade NFTs and access premium features).
Current Token Economics: GALA and SOIL
🔢 GALA Tokenomics (January 2026)
Current Price
~$0.006 - $0.007
Market Cap
~$330M
Circulating Supply
~47 Billion
All-Time High
$0.82 (-99%)
GALA Token Utility
GALA serves as the primary ecosystem token across all Gala Games products including Games, Music, and Film divisions. Within Common Ground World, GALA is used to purchase NFTs from the store, serve as gas fees on GalaChain, provide weekly competition rewards for top performers, and enable burn-to-mint mechanics for node operators.
SOIL Token - The New Reward Currency
SOIL is a game-specific token exclusive to Common Ground World with a maximum supply of 1 billion tokens distributed daily through multiple channels. The distribution model allocates 80% to players completing Daily Challenges with eligible Reward NFTs, 15% to Common Ground World V2 Node operators who log in at least 6 hours daily, and 5% to Founder's Node operators meeting the same activity requirements. SOIL can be used to upgrade your NFTs for better performance, access exclusive content and promotional items, and gain unique abilities within the game.
How to Earn in Common Ground World (2026)
The earning model has evolved significantly from the original Town Star system. Here are the current ways to generate cryptocurrency rewards.
Weekly Competitions
Each week, a new competition begins with a specific "meta" (favored craft or product family) and biome combination. Players build towns optimized for that week's requirements and compete for leaderboard positions. Top performers receive GALA rewards distributed based on their Star Point rankings. Competition information is announced on Discord every Wednesday for the following week.
Daily Challenges
A relatively new feature that provides daily objectives for NFT owners. Complete challenges using eligible Reward NFTs to earn a share of the daily SOIL distribution pool. Your reward is proportional to the Town Points you contribute - more points means a larger percentage of the pool.
🎯 Key Requirements for Earning
- NFT Ownership Required: You cannot earn crypto rewards without owning eligible Reward NFTs
- Active Participation: Passive income from NFTs was reduced - you must actively play and complete challenges
- Guild Membership: Joining a Guild can provide access to shared NFT libraries and competitive advantages
- Time Investment: Competitive play requires significant daily time commitment (1-4+ hours)
Guilds and Node Ownership
In 2024, Gala Games introduced Guilds powered by Node Workload NFTs - the first tokenized node licenses in the ecosystem. Guild leaders can create groups of up to 20 members, and the Guild Library feature allows members to "check out" NFTs from the leader's collection for use in competitions. This creates opportunities for players without expensive NFT portfolios to still participate in reward-earning activities.
Game Modes and Features
Common Ground World offers three distinct gameplay experiences designed to accommodate different player types and skill levels.
Casual Mode
Perfect for beginners, this mode provides a pre-built town that changes weekly. You get a taste of core gameplay without building from scratch, giving you the opportunity to learn production chains, worker management, and basic strategies before committing to competitive play.
Competition Mode
The main earning mode where you build a town from scratch each week. Towns reset at the end of each competition, forcing strategic adaptation to the weekly meta and biome requirements. Top performers on the leaderboard receive GALA rewards.
Common Ground Mode
A persistent mode where your town doesn't reset. You start with limited land surrounded by "Spoiled Soil" that can be cleared as you earn in-game currency. Production timers are slower but pollution and other negative effects don't impact growth as heavily. This mode enables offline progression, making it more casual-friendly.
Land Types and Biomes
Understanding biomes is crucial for competitive success. Each biome offers different starting resources and challenges.
Forest biomes provide abundant woods, ponds, and natural craftable materials, making them the best starting point for beginners. However, clearing forest land is expensive, limiting expansion opportunities.
Plain biomes suit intermediate players with few trees and ponds but plenty of grassland. Most plain locations are heavily populated due to their balanced nature.
Desert biomes present the most challenging scenario with no trees, grass, or ponds. However, desert locations offer unique resources like oil seeps for petroleum products and sand for glass bottle manufacturing needed in wine production.
NFTs in Common Ground World
NFT assets remain central to the Common Ground World experience, providing both gameplay advantages and earning eligibility.
NFT Bot Assistants
Automated helpers that improve efficiency beyond standard in-game tools. Examples include Cranebot (3x movement speed for building, replacing the Builder House) and Elfbot (helps farmers and harvesters pick crops faster).
Resource Stands
NFTs that provide passive resource generation to surrounding buildings. Wheat Stands deliver wheat while Sugar Stands supply sugarcane to nearby production facilities, ensuring consistent crop availability.
Storage Upgrades
Silo augmentations that increase crop storage capacity. NFT Grape Storage exclusively stores grapes at various rarity levels, while NFT Sugarcane Storage provides dedicated sugarcane capacity.
Realistic Earning Expectations in 2026
Let's be honest about what you can realistically expect from Common Ground World today.
📈 Bullish Factors
- Active Development: Gala Games continues releasing new NFTs, features, and events regularly (as of late 2025)
- Cross-Game Integration: Town Star events now connect with other Gala games, increasing ecosystem value
- GalaChain Expansion: The proprietary blockchain opens doors for DeFi features and broader token utility
- Experienced Team: Leadership includes FarmVille creators and AAA game industry veterans
📉 Bearish Factors
- Token Price Collapse: GALA is down 99% from ATH - rewards in USD terms are minimal
- Co-Founder Lawsuits: 2023 legal battles between Gala Games co-founders created uncertainty
- NFT Required: Unlike 2021, free players cannot earn meaningful crypto rewards without NFT investment
- P2E Market Downturn: The entire play-to-earn sector has contracted significantly since 2021-2022
Then vs Now: Earning Reality Check
| Metric | 2021-2022 (Peak) | 2026 (Current) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Earnings (Active) | $200-1000+ | $5-50 (at current prices) |
| NFT Entry Cost | $50-500+ | Varies widely |
| Time Required Daily | 2-4 hours | 1-4 hours |
| Token Price (TOWN/GALA) | TOWN: $0.76 / GALA: $0.50+ | GALA: $0.007 |
| Primary Motivation | Income Generation | Entertainment + Speculative |
The fundamental economics have shifted. In 2021, players in developing countries like the Philippines could earn life-changing income from P2E games. Today, Common Ground World is better viewed as entertainment that happens to offer crypto rewards, rather than a primary income source.
How to Get Started (Step-by-Step Guide)
Create a Gala Games Account
Visit games.gala.com and register for a free account. Connect your wallet during setup to enable NFT and token transactions.
Start with Casual Mode
Launch Common Ground World from the Games tab and select Casual Mode. Learn production chains, worker management, and basic strategies without risk.
Join the Discord Community
The Common Ground World Discord channels provide weekly competition details, strategy discussions, and Guild recruitment. Essential for competitive play.
Evaluate NFT Investment
If you want to earn crypto rewards, research NFT options in the Common Ground World store. Consider joining a Guild for shared NFT access before making purchases.
Enter Weekly Competitions
Once comfortable, join Competition Mode to build towns from scratch, optimize for the weekly meta, and compete for leaderboard rewards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Town Star still available to play?
Town Star has been rebranded to Common Ground World but the core gameplay remains similar. The game is still actively developed with regular updates, new NFT releases, and weekly competitions. You can play it directly in your browser through games.gala.com.
What happened to my TOWN tokens?
TOWN was discontinued in January 2023. All holders had a 180-day window to exchange TOWN for GALA at a 2:1 ratio. If you missed this deadline, those tokens cannot be recovered. Going forward, all rewards are paid in GALA or SOIL.
Can I play Common Ground World for free?
Yes, you can play Casual Mode and Common Ground Mode completely free. However, to earn cryptocurrency rewards through Daily Challenges and Weekly Competitions, you need to own eligible Reward NFTs.
How much can I realistically earn?
This depends heavily on your NFT portfolio, time investment, and skill level. With GALA at current prices (~$0.007), even top players are earning minimal USD value. The game is better approached as entertainment with potential upside if token prices recover.
Is Common Ground World a scam?
No, Gala Games is a legitimate company with a large team, multiple games, and transparent operations. However, like all crypto investments, there are risks. The GALA token has lost 99% of its value from ATH, and P2E economics have proven unsustainable for most players seeking primary income.
What other P2E farming games should I consider?
If you enjoy the farming simulation genre, explore titles like My Neighbor Alice or check out the broader Play-to-Earn landscape. Each game has different economics, communities, and earning potential.
Are there similar games in the Gala ecosystem?
Yes, Gala Games operates multiple titles including Spider Tanks (multiplayer battle arena), VEXI Villages (coming soon with cross-game events), Superior, and several other games in development. GALA serves as the ecosystem token across all these titles.
Final Verdict: Is Common Ground World Worth It in 2026?
🎯 Our Assessment
- ✅ Try if: You enjoy farming/town-building games and want crypto exposure with entertainment value
- ✅ Try if: You're willing to learn complex game mechanics and participate in community
- ❌ Skip if: You're looking for reliable income - current USD earnings are minimal
- ❌ Skip if: You can't afford to lose any money invested in NFTs
Common Ground World represents an evolution in blockchain gaming - more polished than early P2E attempts, with deeper gameplay mechanics and a development team with proven track records. However, the economic reality of 2026 is fundamentally different from the 2021 P2E boom.
Approach this game as entertainment first, potential investment second. The free-to-play elements let you explore without financial risk, and the community provides genuine social value beyond pure economics. If token prices recover, early participants may benefit - but building a strategy around that outcome would be speculative.
For those interested in the broader NFT gaming ecosystem, Common Ground World remains one of the more established options with active development and a committed player base.
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Start Trading on Zipmex →⚠ Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not intended to provide investment or financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on the individual's financial needs, objectives, and risk profile. We encourage readers to understand the assets and risks before making any investment entirely. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to high market risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Play-to-Earn economics have proven volatile, and token values can decrease significantly.
