Major Update Brings “Stage 2” Evolution to Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity, the popular play-to-earn game, is set to receive a major update that introduces a “Stage 2” evolution for every Axie monster. This exclusive information has been shared by Sky Mavis, the game’s developers, with Decrypt.
Starting December 14, players will be able to evolve over 250 different parts of their Axie NFTs, enhancing their battle capabilities and visual appearance. According to Jeffrey “Jiho” Zirlin, co-founder of Sky Mavis, this evolution feature has been a core part of their vision for over five years.
Achievements and Challenges Faced by Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity first launched in 2018 and has since attracted millions of players within its Ronin blockchain ecosystem. However, the game also faced significant challenges such as a $622 million hack. Fortunately, the team managed to recover approximately $30 million of the stolen funds six months later.
Zirlin compared Axies to CryptoKitties, highlighting their animated and living characteristics. To further enrich the game’s lore, the Axie team will release a 20-page comic and an animated video explaining the backstory behind the Axie upgrades.
The Evolution Process and Waiting Time
To upgrade their Axies, NFT owners will need to use crafting materials or “burn” other Axies, permanently removing them from the blockchain. Only one part can be evolved at a time, and players must reach level 10 and be “ascended.” The evolution process takes 36 hours to complete.
If players wish to expedite the waiting time, they can choose to pay an additional 200% in materials cost to instantly evolve their Axie parts.
Evolving NFTs for Continuous Content
Zirlin emphasized the advantage of evolving NFTs, which allows developers to introduce new content without flooding the market with entirely new collections. Axie Infinity currently boasts over 11.9 million unique Axie NFTs distributed across 1.9 million crypto wallets.
The artist Masamune hand-drew all the evolved Axie parts, ensuring a unique and visually appealing experience. It’s important to note that Axie parts can only be upgraded within their specific part category and will retain their level-two form in all Axie games.
Integration and Expansion of the Axie Brand
Sky Mavis has been actively expanding the Axie brand this year by bringing more game developers onto Ronin. The migration of the Pixels browser game to Ronin generated renewed interest in the title. Additionally, Sky Mavis has loosened commercial use restrictions on certain rare Axie NFTs, enabling owners to launch their own projects using their NFT IP.
Hot Take: The Evolution of Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity’s upcoming “Stage 2” evolution update is set to revolutionize the play-to-earn game by enhancing the battle capabilities and visual appeal of players’ Axie monsters. This major update aligns with Sky Mavis’ long-term vision and commitment to continuously improve the gaming experience. By introducing evolving NFTs, Axie Infinity sets itself apart from other projects in the market, offering a dynamic and ever-evolving gameplay environment. With millions of players already immersed in the world of Lunacia, this update is sure to captivate existing enthusiasts while attracting new players to join the vibrant community.
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