Blockchain gaming firm Sky Mavis is working with Korean publisher ACT Games to bring all of ACT’s titles to the Ronin network. At first, the Axie Infinity creator will help ACT migrate its Android and PC trading card game (TCG), Zoids Wild Arena, to the Ethereum sidechain network.
ACT Games is a publisher with a number of licensing deals with Japanese IP like Aggretsuko and Bubble Bobble, according to the company. Zoids Wild Arena draws its IP from Japanese toy company Tomy’s mech models, which have also spawned six different “Zoids” anime series since 1999.
“We’re firm believers in the power of strong IPs implemented by veteran game developers, and ACT Games certainly delivers on that front,” Sky Mavis CEO and co-founder Trung Nguyen told Decrypt via email.
The Zoids Wild Arena TCG, which is still in beta, was initially launched using the Ethereum sidechain Polygon, but will now be moving to the same crypto network as the play-to-earn game Axie Infinity and the upcoming top-down shooter The Machines Arena.
“We are committed to maintaining the high standards of game design and user experience expected by gamers and fans of the IP in our portfolio,” ACT Games Business Development Lead Viggo Chung told Decrypt via email.
“I’m excited to showcase the strengths of both parties in this partnership with ACT Games concentrating on creating fun game content, while Sky Mavis supplies the necessary infrastructure to elevate our gaming experience to the next level,” Chung added.
After Zoids Wild Arena fully launches on Ronin, with the migration scheduled for November 8, a Sky Mavis representative confirmed that ACT plans to migrate its entire gaming portfolio to Ronin. ACT’s current games include an Aggretsuko puzzle game and the Bubble Bobble-themed Bub’s Puzzle Blast.
According to Sky Mavis, ACT Games is also developing casual games around the Hello Kitty and Friends IP for release in 2024, although it is not yet clear whether those games will also utilize Ronin for NFT and/or crypto elements.
As the creator and main developer behind the Ronin blockchain, Sky Mavis has continued to strike deals with game studios this year to entice them to build on its blockchain. Sky Mavis claims that Ronin is “specifically forged for gaming,” according to a statement, and is looking to create a gaming ecosystem around the use of the Ronin crypto wallet and its corresponding Ethereum-compatible blockchain.
As other gaming-focused blockchains like Sui, Oasys, and Immutable see interest from mainstream game publishers, Ronin has also continued to see adoption of its own, signing four game studios and an existing NFT game to its chain earlier this year.
