Axie Infinity is a blockchain game inspired by Pokemon and Tamagotchi, as well as turn-based card battles in the spirit of Hearthstone. It operates on a play-to-earn basis: you can earn cryptocurrency while playing the game. All characters and in-game items are represented as NFTs. Let’s take a look at how Axie Infinity works and the opportunities it offers users.
The history of Axie Infinity
The project was launched in 2017 by Sky Mavis studio on the wave of popularity of CryptoKitties, the leader in the GameFi sphere at the time. The uncontrolled transaction turnover, which led to the congestion of the Ethereum network and the subsequent collapse of CryptoKitties, became the starting point for the creation of Axie Infinity. The goal of the project was to correct the flaws of its predecessor and create a sustainable GameFi ecosystem.
Axie Infinity gained popularity around the world and became an example of a successful cryptocurrency project for players, investors, and developers alike. The project’s AXS token is traded on major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance. The price of AXS at the time of writing is $49.68.
Basic principles and tokenomics of Axie Infinity
The game takes place in a fantasy world populated by creatures (pets) called Axies. Players can breed and trade Axies, as well as battle other players’ Axies to earn cryptocurrency rewards. The Scholarships program also allows players to rent and lease Axies.
Initially, the ecosystem was based on the Ethereum blockchain. Now Axie Infinity operates almost entirely on its own Ronin sidechain. The game network is compatible with Ethereum via Ronin Bridge.
AXS and SLP tokens
SLP is a coin used for breeding pets and other in-game transactions. It can also be traded on exchanges. AXS is a governance token used for voting and paying transaction fees. It can also be staked. Both coins can be earned as rewards for winning in the game.
How to play Axie Infinity
In terms of genre, Axie Infinity is a turn-based tactical game where players battle with their own squad of Axies against other players’ pets. Battles take place in a card game format, similar to rock-paper-scissors. During their turn, players attack their opponent’s axi using action cards (Abilities). Pet cards are determined by their class and body parts; several cards can be combined in one turn to create combos with greater damage.
Each axi has two game aspects: basic characteristics and class abilities. The basic characteristics are: Health, Morale, Skill, and Speed. An axi can also belong to one of 9 classes, each with its own distinctive color. Classes determine a pet’s set of action cards.
Each axi has a unique set of 6 body parts: eyes, ears, mouth, horn, back, and tail. The set is determined randomly when creating or breeding a pet, and an axi of one class may have body parts belonging to six others.
Other game features
Buying NFT land in Lunasia is gaining popularity. Lunasia is an open world divided into NFT plots. They can be built on and cultivated, resources (including AXS tokens) can be collected on them, and they can be used as a home base. Players can freely move around the world, fighting either each other or special virtual chimera bosses, for which rare rewards can be earned.
Conclusion
Axie Infinity is a leader in the GameFi industry and one of the prime examples of a self-sufficient and sustainable blockchain ecosystem. Every element of the game and local tokenomics is designed to achieve maximum balance and sustainability. With the transition to its own Ronin blockchain and the introduction of the ability to stake the AXS governance token, the platform has gained great prospects for further growth.
