Singapore – Today, Matter Labs and iCandy joined forces to usher in a new era of Web3 gaming with the development of zkCandy, a dedicated zkSync gaming and AI-focused hyperchain.
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Matter Labs, a leading software development, engineering and cryptography company, is at the forefront of developing software for the zkSync protocol. This Layer2 trustless protocol is designed to address scalability issues on the Ethereum network.
On the other side of this partnership is iCandy Games, the largest independent game developer in Southeast Asia, with more than 700 full-time employees and operating from seven independent studios. This strategic partnership brings together Matter Labs’ expertise in cryptography and software development with iCandy’s extensive experience in the gaming industry.
The partnership aims to address a gap in the Web3 gaming industry, as highlighted by Game7’s 2023 State of Web3 Gaming Report, which reported a significant decline in the number of Web3 games launched annually. With this collaboration, Matter Labs and iCandy aim to pave the way for the next generation of interactive gaming experiences on the blockchain.
The newly formed company, zkCandy Limited, will see joint investments from Matter Labs and iCandy to build an ecosystem around the zkCandy Hyperchain. Matter Labs will contribute its technology expertise, technical support and resources to ensure zkCandy is optimized for Web3 gaming.
Michael Lee, former director of Activision Blizzard and current SVP of Growth at Matter Labs, expressed optimism about the partnership. “iCandy Interactive is one of the largest independent video game developers in the world with an impressive track record of producing games for iconic franchises.”
“Together they leverage zkSync’s revolutionary zero-knowledge (ZK) technology to unlock a new category of Web3 games, powered by new business models; this could potentially change the way hundreds of millions of people play games.”
Michael Lee, SVP of Growth at Matter Labs
zkCandy will begin its mission by developing and deploying three casual-player Web3 games on zkSync in the first quarter of 2024. The games include:
Choo Choo ghosts
Blaster Rush 3×3 shooter
Future girls
This joint effort marks an important step toward advancing the Web3 gaming industry, and zkCandy is poised to play a critical role in shaping the future of interactive gaming experiences on the blockchain.
