Where Will the Next Axie Infinity Be Born?
- rachelbeautybar
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
Key Factors for the Next Axie Infinity
To identify the potential birthplace of the next Axie Infinity, we evaluate ecosystems based on:
Financial resources
Current state of blockchain gaming
Promising projects within the ecosystem
Ronin Network
Built by Sky Mavis
Ronin is a blockchain developed by Vietnam-based Sky Mavis, specifically designed to power NFT gaming. Its flagship title is none other than Axie Infinity.
Financial Strength Despite the Hack
Sky Mavis raised $311M in total funding with a valuation of $4.5B. Despite the infamous $625M Ronin bridge hack (173,600 ETH + 25.5M USDC), Sky Mavis’ $1.2B revenue from Axie Infinity (2021) demonstrated strong financial backing. As of late 2022, Ronin had 200+ employees and continues hiring.
A Closed but Stable Ecosystem
Ronin features key components like Katana DEX, MetaLend, and Ronin Wallet, forming a closed-loop gaming ecosystem. Most games on Ronin are either built or backed by Sky Mavis and listed on Mavis Hub—Ronin’s version of Steam.
Axie Builders Program: Incubates games using Axie IP; accepted projects gain Mavis Hub support.
Axie Land: The next major title, a kingdom-building game expanding the Axie universe, currently in beta.
Ronin’s “slow but steady” strategy ensures stability but limits diversity since most titles revolve around Axie characters. Expanding beyond Axie IP will be crucial for long-term growth.
Immutable X
Layer 2 for NFTs and Gaming
Immutable X is an Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solution focused on NFTs and blockchain games.
Funding & Ecosystem Incentives
Raised $300M+ across multiple rounds.
Launched a $500M gaming fund to attract developers.
Despite the funding, Immutable reported a $56M loss in 2022 and cut 11% of staff, highlighting challenges in scaling operations.
Open Ecosystem & Key Titles
Unlike Ronin, Immutable X is open to any project, attracting a wide range of games. However, most are still in development and transaction volumes remain low.
Flagship titles include:
Gods Unchained: Popular NFT card game with a loyal community.
Illuvium: AAA-quality RPG with $72M raised from NFT land sales, positioned as Immutable X’s crown jewel.
Immutable’s ecosystem still lacks a robust game hub and seamless asset transfer solutions but has strong potential with Illuvium leading the charge.
ApeChain
Powered by Yuga Labs
ApeChain is built by Yuga Labs, creators of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), aiming to connect NFT communities and power its gaming metaverse.
Otherside Metaverse: A massive virtual world where BAYC and other Yuga NFTs serve as in-game avatars.
Early tests showed 10,000+ concurrent players, but building a AAA metaverse economy will take years, even with Yuga’s deep pockets.
ApeChain’s success depends on balancing large-scale social gaming with sustainable tokenomics.
Other Notable Ecosystems
BNB Chain
Partnered with Animoca to launch a $200M GameFi fund.
Growing number of games but lacking breakout hits or a centralized game hub.
Solana
$250M gaming fund via Solana Ventures.
Titles like Aurory and Star Atlas show promise.
Tools like Elixir Game Hub and experimental xNFTs strengthen the ecosystem.
However, NFT trading volume remains low, and no game has achieved mass adoption yet.
Conclusion
Ronin, Immutable X, and ApeChain are the leading contenders for birthing the next Axie Infinity.
Ronin: Financially strong, proven track record, but needs diversity beyond Axie IP.
Immutable X: Open ecosystem with Illuvium poised as a potential AAA breakthrough.
ApeChain: Backed by Yuga Labs’ massive community, but still in early development.
Other ecosystems like BNB Chain and Solana are building foundations, but a true “Axie-level” hit will require AAA-quality gameplay, sustainable tokenomics, and mass user onboarding.
With billions in funding and rapid innovation, the race for the next Axie Infinity is on—and the winner will likely shape the future of blockchain gaming.
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