Ronin, a blockchain platform focused on gaming, has announced the upcoming launch of Ronin zkEVM, a zero-knowledge (ZK) Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) layer-2 chain created using a modified version of the Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK) by Sky Mavis.
The team unveiled plans on June 18 to introduce the dedicated ZK chain to accommodate more users and support the growth of game studio partners. This move is expected to improve the open environment, making it easier to integrate various gaming experiences into the network.
Moreover, the team intends to integrate a specialized Polygon ZK prover into Ronin, enabling game studios to develop their own zkEVM blockchains without needing to establish their own security and consensus protocols.
Preparing for high transaction volumes
Initially designed for the popular play-to-earn game Axie Infinity, the Ronin blockchain now serves a wider gaming ecosystem. According to data from the Ronin blockchain explorer, the network already boasts 1.4 million daily active addresses.
Jeff Zirlin, co-founder of Sky Mavis, explained to Cointelegraph that the network is gearing up to handle billions in transactions with the enhanced scalability of Ronin zkEVM. Zirlin believes that partner studios will be able to continue innovating and expanding with this new development.
The network has successfully onboarded major blockchain games that have benefited from its player base. For example, web3 game Pixels has seen over 4.4 million users since migrating to Ronin in October 2023.
Zirlin also highlighted other advantages of the new zkEVM chain, such as a seamless cross-chain experience and potentially higher staking rewards. He emphasized that this step in their permissionless journey will allow third-party builders to launch their own layer-2 blockchains on Ronin, opening up opportunities for more games and players.
Creating a cohesive Web3 gaming ecosystem
Trung Nguyen, CEO and co-founder of Sky Mavis, shared their vision of creating a unified gaming ecosystem that enables asset transfers, token swaps, and non-fungible token (NFT) trading between layer-1 and layer-2 games. Nguyen emphasized the importance of this unified approach.
Meanwhile, Polygon Co-founder Sandeep Nailwal praised the impact of the Polygon CDK, stating that Ronin is at the forefront of combining technology with distribution power and user engagement. Nailwal expressed confidence that their Polygon CDK will support Ronin’s gaming ecosystem and make the network a more appealing destination for game studios.
In related news, SocialFi is boosting game revenue, while the creator of Axie Infinity is considering moving away from Discord in the Web3 gaming world.