Square Enix, the renowned video game developer known for iconic franchises like Final Fantasy, is making a move. The company has announced that it is switching Symbiogenesis blockchain game to the Ethereum Layer-2 network Arbitrum. This shift aims to reduce gas costs and improve user experience for the next wave of NFT character mining in the game.
Reducing gas costs
The decision to adopt Arbitrum follows the first issuance of 500-character NFTs on the Ethereum mainnet in December. This initial process involved high gas costs, challenging the project’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness.
By switching to Arbitrum, Square Enix expects to dramatically reduce these fees, to approximately 1.3 yen (approximately $0.01) per bid. The substantial reduction, approximately 1/1000th of the previous cost, aims to make the NFT mining process more affordable for users.
Symbiogenesis is a story-driven adventure game that integrates NFTs for characters and various in-game items. The game features a branching storyline that evolves based on players’ choices and interactions, influencing the direction of the story.
Social elements are integral, allowing players to collaborate, compete, or betray each other to achieve their goals. Importantly, while owning NFTs can improve the gaming experience, players can still enjoy the main storyline without purchasing NFTs.
Improve accessibility
By taking advantage of Arbitrum’s capabilities, Square Enix aims to address the high transaction costs that are a barrier for many users. The lower costs will likely increase adoption and engagement, allowing more players to participate in the minting process without being deterred by prohibitive fees. This move aims to democratize access to the game’s blockchain features, potentially attracting a wider audience.
Upcoming NFT auction
The next major event for Symbiogenesis is the public auction of 1,500 new NFT characters, which will take place over three days starting May 31. Square Enix will release the characters in small batches throughout the auction period.
In addition, to facilitate this transition, Square Enix has provided detailed information DIY guide for users to transfer their assets to Arbitrum One so they are prepared for the auction.
While the shift to Arbitrum is a notable development, Square Enix has yet to clarify whether it will continue to use Polygon, another Ethereum sidechain scaling network, for future in-game NFT assets. Overall, the company’s decision may depend on user feedback and Arbitrum’s performance in the upcoming auction. This ongoing evaluation will determine the long-term strategy for integrating blockchain technology into their games.