In a move that underscores the evolving landscape of blockchain gaming, CyberKongz, a prominent NFT franchise, is set to migrate its Play and Kollect NFT game from the Polygon network to Ronin, the blockchain developed by Axie Infinity’s creator, Sky Mavis. This strategic shift is accompanied by the launch of Genkai, an anime-inspired NFT collection, which will also be available on both Ronin and the Ethereum mainnet this week.
The Genkai collection will comprise 20,000 NFTs in total. Of these, 16,000 will be minted on the Ethereum mainnet, while the remaining 4,000 will find their home on Ronin. Ethereum NFT holders will also have the flexibility to migrate their Genkai NFTs to Ronin in the future.
The public mint on Ethereum is priced at 0.25 ETH (approximately $460) per Genkai NFT and is slated to commence on July 27. Sky Mavis will also be rewarding all Mystic Axie NFT holders with a complimentary Genkai NFT. For those invested in the CyberKongz universe, there’s more good news. Existing holders are set to receive a Genkai airdrop upon the collection’s sell-out, with a vesting period of 180 days.
Expansion into Japanese markets
The CyberKongz franchise, which boasts an impressive $210 million in total volume traded across its primary collections, is focused on a complete expansion of its IP, with the introduction of Genkai making a significant milestone for its franchise. The founder and artist behind CyberKongz, known pseudonymously as Myoo, expressed his excitement about the project’s growth and the collaboration with Ronin to develop a game centered around Genkai.
“Genkai is the first non-pixel artwork I have created for CyberKongz, and will represent our growth as a project to expand our IP into the Southeast Asian and Japanese markets,” Myoo said in a statement. “Additionally, CyberKongz will be working with Ronin to develop a game featuring Genkai.”
This collaboration between CyberKongz and Sky Mavis is not merely a business transaction. It’s a union rooted in shared community values and history. As Henry the Grape, an anonymous council member of CyberKongz, pointed out to Decrypt, the bond between Axie and CyberKongz enthusiasts runs deep. “We were really born out of the Axie community,” Henry remarked, emphasizing the organic nature of their decision to build on the Ronin network.
Kathleen Osgood, Sky Mavis’ Director of Business Development, expressed her optimism about the future of blockchain gaming to Decrypt, recognizing CyberKongz as “one of the greatest IPs in Web3.”
She believes that the key to rejuvenating the blockchain gaming space lies in creating experiences that resonate with the motivations driving users to Web3. Instead of merely replicating successful web2 models, the focus should be on leveraging the unique offerings of Web3 to captivate audiences.
As the blockchain gaming ecosystem continues to evolve, partnerships like these between CyberKongz and Sky Mavis are pivotal. They not only push the boundaries of what’s possible but also pave the way for a more interconnected and vibrant gaming community.