Immutable, Polygon ethereum-based gaming to take Web3 mainstream

By Alexander Chiejina

• To drive decentralised game development

Immutable and Polygon Labs are partnering to build a dedicated gaming blockchain using zero-knowledge technology to accelerate decentralised game development and bring Web3 a step closer to mass adoption.

Immutable zkEVM, a new EVM-compatible ZK-rollup powered by Polygon technology and with full Immutable platform support, is slated for launch in the coming months. Game developers can get their hands on early documentation to begin early integration with Immutable zkEVM. Building on Immutable zkEVM with the Immutable Platform will make developing Web3-enabled games faster, easier and less risky for large game studios and independent developers alike.

Polygon Labs and Immutable, crowned by Delphi Digital as the undisputed champions of Ethereum gaming, are coming together at an important juncture for Web3. Half of all blockchain activity in 2022 came from games and three-quarters of game developers expect to work on Web3 games in the future. The partnership simplifies the decision-making process for developers, providing the fastest route from concept to launch, and opening up the largest and most liquid ecosystem for end users.

“Partnering with Immutable is a monumental step forward in our mission to empower developers and enable users to truly own their in-game assets. By leveraging Immutable’s top world-class gaming platform, game development becomes seamless, allowing for the creation of rich and unique gaming experiences,” Ryan Wyatt, president of Polygon Labs said.

Known as “the Holy Grail of Ethereum scaling,” zkEVM technology massively increases transaction speeds and reduces prohibitive fees while remaining compatible with Ethereum and retaining its robust security model. This scaling potential can unlock numerous new use cases that were simply untenable before — including the scope for multiplayer online games.

Some of the biggest blockchain gaming projects and publishers are already building on the Polygon network, including Ubisoft, Atari, Animoca, Decentraland, Somnium Space, and The Sandbox. With over 220 million unique user addresses, the Polygon ecosystem is home to tens of thousands of decentralised apps and major global enterprises like Robinhood, Stripe and Adobe.

Immutable has been at the forefront of Web3 gaming with its one-stop-shop gaming platform. Developers can easily and quickly create and launch Web3 games with built-in blockchain mechanics. The Immutable tech stack has been leveraged by many native-Web3 and legacy game projects alike, including Gods Unchained, Guild of Guardians, Illuvium, Delysium, EmberSword and GameStop, which selected the Immutable network for its gaming platform.

“By combining the #1 web3 gaming platform – currently serving hundreds of game studios and millions of players – with Polygon’s best-in-class zkEVM technology, we are building an Ethereum-centric gaming ecosystem that is poised to take Web3 mainstream and bring digital ownership to millions of people around the world,” said Robbie Ferguson, Immutable president and co-founder.

“Billions of dollars of skins are sold each year with no rights for players – we’re changing that so players are in control, and ownership is the expectation,” Ferguson added.