It was the gateway to getting gamers interested in crypto/web3, which resulted in the absurd "play2earn" concept which has been the subject of justified mockery.
I'm always surprised that projects like cryptokitties are referred to as games. I guess saying "game" makes it sound more legitimate, but there's almost nothing to do with your characters besides sell them.
Everything is a game once you look for an equilibrium.
Newsflash: watching paint dry is a game (until the solvents reach an equilibrium with the air).
Wait until you learn about "game theory"!
"Gaming" often refers to gambling. There is a whole world of gaming separate from video games—online slots, poker, etc.. Intentional or not, most crypto games are much closer to traditional gaming than video games.