Polygon and Immutable have teamed up to create a new network designed specifically for Web3 gaming. As a result, it’s anticipated to help bring gaming to the mainstream by providing a fast and secure solution that’s natively compatible with Ethereum.
This partnership aims to develop Immutable zkEVM, a new Ethereum scaling network that will utilize Polygon’s zkEVM technology and Immutable’s platform for blockchain-based games. The announcement was made during the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC).
Although Polygon and Immutable X are Ethereum scaling networks that have previously competed against each other, they’re not merging and will continue with their respective projects and initiatives. Polygon’s zkEVM mainnet network is set to launch in beta on March 27, whereas the existing Immutable X scaling network will run alongside the new Immutable zkEVM network.
An “obvious move” to help speed up Web3 adoption
The partnership between Polygon and Immutable is seen as an “obvious move” that allows developers behind both networks to work together and try and speed up Web3 video game adoption. Immutable co-founder Robbie Ferguson said that the collaboration is “how the next billion users will be onboarded into Web3.”
A zkEVM solution like Polygon’s and others should take Ethereum scaling to the next level. The initiative pairs transaction rollups based on zero-knowledge proof cryptography, utilizing Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) support. It is touted as a fast and secure solution that is natively compatible with Ethereum smart contracts.
The goal is to make Ethereum more useful for gaming, large-scale NFT projects, and other dApps by maximising the transaction throughput and ultimately bringing down costs and time.
Developers can start today
Immutable zkEVM is slated to start rolling out towards the end of Q2 2023, which is when Immutable is “aiming for usable things to go live,” but developers can start building on software development kits (SDKs) today to explore the tech.
The network will use Immutable’s IMX token for gas fees and transaction payments. The current Immutable X network will continue operating, and Ferguson said his team’s goal is ‘to develop cross-rollup liquidity between the networks.’
An Immutable zkEVM as a network will utilize Polygon’s next-generation scaling tech while tapping into the gaming infrastructure that Immutable has built. This should provide an attractive place for developers to work on as the Web3 gaming market expands.
Web3 gaming is inching closer to mainstream adoption, according to Polygon Labs President Ryan Wyatt. He pointed to this weekend’s live event for the Polygon-powered shooter Deadrop as an example of Web3 games that can appeal broadly. Wyatt reiterated that he’s determined to “abstract away a lot of the crypto and tech jargon” around Web3 games, and just focus on “really fun games where I own assets that I pay for, I can trade them easily, and I can have this really seamless experience.”
Web3 gaming needs this to take it to the next level
The collaboration between Polygon and Immutable to develop Immutable zkEVM is an exciting development for Web3 adoption, particularly for the gaming industry.
The integration of Polygon’s zkEVM technology with Immutable’s platform for blockchain-based games is expected to speed up development, provide a seamless gaming experience, and make Ethereum more useful for large-scale NFT projects, video games, and other decentralized apps.
With its fast and secure solution that is natively compatible with Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities, and it’s clear that the partnership between Polygon and Immutable has the potential to be a real game-changer.
