# Crypto’s Gaming Hubs 🕹 By [William M. Peaster](https://paragraph.com/@wmp-2) · 2023-12-16 --- [**✨ _This post originally appeared in Metaversal on Bankless_ ✨**](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/crypto-gaming-hubs) * * * **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** * * * Arbitrum -------- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/cf04957b4b039ec8e29c6b7bf6b06851bebf8cbaee935490f6daf78a34e39d5c.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. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/cbb5c9d7265970e1a68a370adb8cb94cf5bb59f491db20758211286f8ea1ac09.jpg) ### Games overview * 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). Optimism -------- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/4e90e7c8f418424039bafa6f5da4df387a0d0d926e6544d7f79df7752d898d89.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://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/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://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/autonomous-worlds). ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/594c0c294b39fc2c5ed5f3c4f81f6f89290b861319952976f7a42ff6869d1c10.jpg) ### Games overview * [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). Ronin ----- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/9633db6fc8d72bb33252cef96ae1948af0e66eb69b7586b94b37fead5754e730.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. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/6e004ae90201accce9441860b7324e952dd37f27ce5d3fe6ce3fc3dc1434bb56.jpg) ### Games overview * 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). Base ---- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/cb3bea7c211a5905b5b11590943195491919615c19c73b77dd2db127367192af.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. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/95d06417a212597db078d3dcd8552f13aaef99c5ad0713a527e196ee03a78cfb.jpg) ### Games overview * 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). Immutable --------- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/854ac0f76bdd97f5ac9a242ed40c6b028a255ebf4a161e01a54e6c57c6c7ae82.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. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/8ddeffdebd6226904cd70a93b22a940c960df572add0c9fcf496f1c7eb4ab815.jpg) ### Games overview * 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). Starknet -------- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/be1fc08db027e6e6de9034e5d924004fea0f87e6cb32e8b188454fa1c94eadc8.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/). ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/0e99df166953a833fd5375c19615f62175cf83e24f0f00beb78489b385b10347.jpg) ### Games overview * 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). * * * ### Action steps: * 🏦 **Catch up on my previous write-up**: [Earning on MetaStreet](https://mirror.xyz/wmp.eth/gEPRCFSd3zkgNC5ihbQ22HdMUmnlSb1KXDgzqDvpKEk) * 📚 **Collect this post**: [Mint it on Mirror](https://mirror.xyz/wmp.eth) --- *Originally published on [William M. Peaster](https://paragraph.com/@wmp-2/crypto-s-gaming-hubs)*