# Crypto’s Gaming Hubs 🕹 *Author: William M. Peaster* *Published: Dec 14, 2023* *Source: https://www.bankless.com/read/crypto-gaming-hubs* --- Dear Bankless Nation, As we near the new year, there are six scaling solutions in crypto whose gaming scenes I’m watching closely right now. Let’s take the pulse of these projects and give you some things to look out for in case the gaming sector swells in crypto in 2024! -WMP --- # **A Look at Leading Crypto Gaming Chains 👾** ## **1. Arbitrum** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f75bc82e8-15c1-4293-89a3-d736548e8b26_1600x800-jpeg.jpg) ### **Tech overview**: - [Arbitrum](https://arbitrum.io/) is the largest and most popular L2 today ([Arbitrum One](https://l2beat.com/scaling/projects/arbitrum)). - It also boasts a tech stack, like [AnyTrust chains](https://arbitrum.io/anytrust) and [Arbitrum Orbit](https://arbitrum.io/orbit), that lets projects create their own L2s and L3s, the latter of which are highly-customizable rollups that settle to an L2 rather than directly to Ethereum. - For example, [Xai](https://xai.games/) is a purpose-built gaming L3 currently being developed atop Arbitrum. - Additionally, the Arbitrum team has released [Arbitrum Nova](https://l2beat.com/scaling/projects/nova), their own AnyTrust-style rendition of an L2 optimized for gaming. - The liquidity and universal app scene of Arbitrum One, the Arbitrum Nova gaming sandbox, the aforementioned Rollups-as-a-Service (RaaS) offerings, and the [Stylus](https://arbitrum.io/stylus) development environment (which lets smart contracts be written in mainstream programming languages like C, C++, and Rust) have made the wider Arbitrum ecosystem increasingly attractive for crypto game devs as of late. ### **Games overview**: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f7afc39c3-3c45-4e59-9027-b2ada016bf46_800x350-jpeg.jpg)- The most recognizable project in the Arbitrum gaming scene today is [Treasure](https://treasure.lol/), a decentralized publisher and ecosystem of titles, including [Smolverse](https://app.treasure.lol/games/smolverse), [The Beacon](https://app.treasure.lol/games/the-beacon), and [Bridgeworld](https://app.treasure.lol/games/bridgeworld). - The most successful standalone game on Arbitrum so far has been [Pirate Nation](https://piratenation.game/), an adventure-themed fully onchain RPG deployed on Arbitrum Nova that uses a [mirroring system for compatibility](https://piratenation.medium.com/mirroring-trade-on-l1-play-on-l2-3f53068a6a44) with its Founder’s Pirates NFTs on Ethereum. - As for upcoming game launches to watch, keep an eye on [Battle for Goblin Town](https://twitter.com/GoblinTown_Game) by the Forgotten Runes Wizard’s Cult team and [BattlePlan!](https://twitter.com/pixelvault_/status/1689003405447139330) by the Pixel Vault team. - [*See the full Arbitrum ecosystem hub here*](https://portal.arbitrum.io/projects/gaming). --- ## **2. Optimism** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f89d6a520-6903-4bba-992e-c03018b92316_1600x905-png.jpg) ### **Tech overview**: - [OP Mainnet](https://www.optimism.io/), a.k.a. Optimism, is the [second-largest L2 today](https://l2beat.com/scaling/projects/optimism). - Similar to Arbitrum, Optimism offers its own “[Superchain](https://app.optimism.io/superchain)” tech stack that’s designed to help projects readily launch their own L2s. - The Optimism ecosystem has also notably become a hotbed for frontier crypto gaming research and innovations. For instance, the Lattice team has introduced [MUD](https://mud.dev/), an [onchain game engine](https://bankless.ghost.io/onchain-game-engines/) framework, and [Redstone](https://lattice.xyz/blog/introducing-redstone), a new Plasma-based OP Stack L2 for games and [autonomous worlds](https://bankless.ghost.io/autonomous-worlds/). ### **Games overview**: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2ff948105f-a645-4358-8252-8ec4113b54bf_1600x871-png.jpg)- [Sky Strife](https://twitter.com/skystrifeHQ), Lattice’s in-house game, is a real-time strategy (RTS) battler that’s gaining steam and gearing up for a full launch. Also watch out for other games that are coming to Lattice’s new Redstone L2, like [Gaul](https://twitter.com/engine_study) and [Primodium](https://twitter.com/primodiumgame). --- ## **3. Ronin** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f2711ffb3-4122-494b-9bb0-4fb0da7bd405_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ### **Tech overview**: - [Ronin](https://roninchain.com/) is an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain created by the Sky Mavis team to provide scaling, i.e. cheaper and faster transactions, for the Axie Infinity gaming universe. - In having facilitated more than $4.25 billion USD worth of all-time NFT sales to date, Ronin currently reigns as the most prolific gaming chain activity-wise in the cryptoeconomy. - There’s previously been some chatter about Ronin potentially migrating from a sidechain network into an L2, but there’s nothing official on that front for now. ### **Games overview**: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f8e0d5ea5-dce6-4f24-bf8f-3aeba131935a_1367x769-png.jpg)- Ronin is home to the main [Axie Infinity: Origins](https://hub.skymavis.com/games/origins) game and the ever-expanding universe of related Axie titles like [Homeland](https://hub.skymavis.com/games/homeland), [Raylights](https://hub.skymavis.com/games/raylights), [Defenders of Lunacian Land](https://hub.skymavis.com/games/doll), and [Project T](https://hub.skymavis.com/games/project-t). - Furthermore, Ronin is increasingly attracting non-Axie franchises to its network, like [Apeiron](https://apeironnft.com/), [Pixels](https://www.pixels.xyz/), and [the CyberKongz games](https://decrypt.co/149925/cyberkongz-mint-genkai-nfts-ronin-migrate-game-axie-infinity-chain). At this point, it seems that more than a few projects will be following suit in the months ahead in order to tap into the network’s highly-active gaming community. - [*See the full Ronin ecosystem hub here*](https://roninchain.com/ecosystem). --- ## **4. Base** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f189a25e2-7c7f-4ef3-880e-c81239919b02_1200x675-jpeg.jpg) ### **Tech overview**: - Developed by Coinbase, [Base](https://base.org/) is an optimistic-style rollup built via the OP Stack, making it an L2 within Optimism’s Superchain. In the Ethereum scaling scene, the network’s currently the third-largest L2. ### **Games overview**: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f1b550558-773f-438e-b3b4-0782e01078ad_1472x816-png.jpg)- The largest franchise that uses Base today is the [Parallel](https://parallel.life/) trading card game (TCG), which emits [in-game $PRIME rewards](https://twitter.com/ParallelTCG/status/1628813437781389313) on the L2 and has deployed some [starter decks](https://opensea.io/collection/parallel-on-base) on the network. Base has also become home to a burgeoning experimental gaming scene, typified by projects like [Fren Pets](https://www.bankless.com/how-to-adopt-a-fren-pet) and [Draw Tech](https://www.draw.tech/). - [*See the full Base ecosystem hub here*](https://base.org/ecosystem?tag=gaming). --- ## **5. Immutable** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f5a3d8e9e-4d8f-403d-9eea-6c3fc1997882_1200x630-jpeg.jpg) ### **Tech overview**: - [Immutable X](https://www.immutable.com/) is an NFT-centric chain designed as a [validium](https://l2beat.com/scaling/projects/immutablex), a type of scaling solution that executes transactions offchain *and* maintains data offchain via zero-knowledge proofs. It’s currently the sixth-largest L2 in the Ethereum scaling scene. - The Immutable team is also presently collaborating with Polygon on the development of the [Immutable zkEVM](https://www.immutable.com/products/immutable-zkevm), an L2 being custom-tailored for gaming use cases. Going forward, Immutable X and Immutable zkEVM will live side by side in complementary fashion. ### **Games overview**: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f7fc99e9f-b4ef-4944-a8b4-682645928ddc_1239x555-png.jpg)- While there are currently many games in development atop Immutable’s infra, the most recognizable franchise in the Immutable ecosystem today is [Illuvium](https://illuvium.io/), which is working on multiple titles like [Illuvium Arena](https://illuvium.io/arena) and [Illuvium Overworld](https://illuvium.io/overworld). Immutable’s also home to [Gods Unchained](https://godsunchained.com/), one of the longest-living NFT games in the cryptoeconomy. - [*See the full Immutable ecosystem hub here*](https://www.immutable.com/play). --- ## **6. Starknet** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f4744358b-172c-43c9-af63-396530a41858_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ### **Tech overview**: - [Starknet](https://www.starknet.io/en/) is a zk-rollup L2 that supports smart contracts written in its native programming language, Cairo. An early rising pillar in Starknet’s gaming community right now is Dojo, a [provable game engine built using Cairo](https://book.dojoengine.org/). ### **Games overview**: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2fb927c602-b235-4a36-80e0-b88b67200d6e_1600x600-png.jpg)- Starknet is currently the ninth-largest Ethereum L2, though the network already boasts a teeming experimental gaming scene. Some of the main projects of note here today include [Influence](https://www.dappland.com/influence), a grand strategy space MMO, and [Realms](https://www.dappland.com/realms), an onchain multiplayer game set in the Loot universe. - [*See the full Starknet ecosystem hub here*](https://www.dappland.com/category/games).