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Axie Infinity is a game universe filled with fascinating creatures, Axies, that players can collect as pets. Players aim to battle, breed, collect, raise, and build kingdoms for their Axies. The universe has a player-owned economy where players can truly own, buy, sell, and trade resources they earn in the game through skilled-gameplay and contributions to the ecosystem.

All art assets and Axie genetic data can be easily accessed by 3rd parties, allowing community developers to build their own tools and experiences in the Axie Infinity universe. While still in early access, Axie is ranked the #1 Ethereum game by daily, weekly, and monthly active users. Players have spent over 1M ETH (3B+ USD) so far to progress in the game.

Decentralized Organization

Through AXS, Axie Infinity will gradually evolve into a community-owned Decentralized Organization

This process occurs as AXS is distributed among players and stakers, with the Sky Mavis ownership becoming less concentrated over time.

The Sky Mavis team will be able to vote with the locked Play to Earn and Staking rewards allocations. This will prevent hostile actors from disrupting the ecosystem during the early and crucial phases of development. We estimate that Sky Mavis will no longer have the Majority vote by October 2023.

The road to becoming a Decentralized Organization

Version 0 – October, 2020 / Token generation event

No voting possible

Version 1 First half 2021 / Staking dashboard released

AXS holders can stake their tokens through the staking dashboard and participate in governance votes brought forward by the Sky Mavis team.

These votes will revolve around which teams should receive funding from the ecosystem fund, and how the Community treasury should be distributed.

Version 2 – Early 2022

More on-chain votes about smaller issues.

Potentially changing the way votes are being counted from 1 token 1 vote to Quadratic voting.

Version 3 – September 2023 / Decentralized Organization

AXS holders determine which governance framework should be used and how much should be voted on. Some decisions will not be up for debate such as token supply which is iron-clad in smart contracts.

Potential things that can be voted on:

Should Axie Infinity Limited continue to pay Sky Mavis to develop Axie Infinity?
Should Axie Infinity use the marketplace created by Sky Mavis?
How should the Community Treasury be used to reward AXS holders and the broader Axie community?

Non-fungible token (NFT) crypto collectibles like artwork and videos exploded in popularity in early 2021, but several blockchain-based video games had already been building in the space before most people took notice.

When NFTs hit the mainstream, the promising crypto game Axie Infinity by indie studio Sky Mavis took off. And when the wider NFT market cooled a bit after all of that hype… well, Axie Infinity got even bigger.

Axie Infinity is inspired by Nintendo’s beloved Pokémon series, and sees you collect and pit adorable monsters against each other in cartoonish combat. Getting started isn’t simple or cheap, however, and there’s a vastly larger upfront investment needed than your average PlayStation or Xbox game. The upside, however, is that you own your Axie NFTs and can resell them, plus its “play-to-earn” approach rewards you with crypto tokens that can be exchanged for money.

It’s a bold new vision for gaming—and it’s catching on. Here’s how to get started.

Axie Infinity is a monster-battling game where you pit teams of cute monsters called Axies against each other in battles.

Axie Infinity screenshot — Axie Infinity sees you collect cute monsters to battle with. Image: Axie Infinity

The game runs on the Ethereum blockchain with the help of Ronin, a sidechain that helps minimize fees and transaction delays. It’s primarily focused on turn-based battles, either against computer-controlled Axie teams or live opponents over the Internet.

n-game items are represented by NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. These cryptographically unique tokens can be linked with digital content; in Axie Infinity’s case, the Axies and land plots that populate the game. Unlike conventional in-game items, the NFT confers ownership on the buyer; you can trade Axies on the game’s marketplace for real money.

You can also breed Axies, which lets you build potentially more powerful teams and yields additional NFTs to sell on the marketplace. Some Axie NFTs have sold for as much as 300 ETH apiece, or more than $600,000 as of this writing.

How does Axie Infinity work?

As mentioned, Axie Infinity is built entirely around NFT items—and right now, there’s no way to play unless you buy the three Axie NFTs needed to create your first team.

They can be purchased from the official Axie marketplace via your Ronin wallet, which you’ll connect to the game. You can play on PC, Mac, Android, or iOS and take your Axies into battle to win rewards.

What’s so special about it?

Axie Infinity takes the fun and alluring premise of Pokémon and adds the element of ownership into the mix. These Axies belong to you and yield tangible rewards: Smooth Love Potion (SLP) crypto tokens that can be exchanged for money. The upfront costs will be a major roadblock for many players, but it’s a game that rewards players the more time and effort that they put into it.

“Play-to-earn” might sound like a marketing phrase or a gimmicky hook, but we’re already seeing evidence of a player-owned economy taking shape around the game.

For example, there are thousands of “Axie scholars” through programs like Yield Guild Games and others, in which Axie owners loan their NFTs to other players to use and earn with. The profits are divided amongst the parties, and in countries like the Philippines and Indonesia, people are playing Axie to support their families. Whether that proves to be a sustainable model remains to be seen, but it’s a potentially powerful and revolutionary idea that is already being put into practice.

How to get started with Axie Infinity

Here’s the hang-up: you will need three Axie NFTs to start playing Axie Infinity, though it’s become more affordable to play in recent months; where prices for individual Axies on the marketplace once hovered around $225-$250 apiece, now the cheapest Axies available cost just $28. Keep in mind that your Axies can be resold, plus they generate rewards through gameplay.

You’ll need to buy three Axies to get started. Image: Axie Infinity

Now that Axie Infinity has migrated assets from Ethereum to its Ronin sidechain, you will need to create a Ronin wallet and have an Ethereum wallet (like MetaMask) as well. Once you have a Ronin wallet set up, you can use the Ronin bridge to transfer ETH over to Ronin, where it becomes WETH (Wrapped ETH). You can then use this to purchase Axies.

Create an account on the Axie Infinity website and download the game to your PC or Mac. You can download an Android APK to install on a smartphone or tablet, as well. The game has also been available for iOS via a beta release through Apple’s TestFlight program, but is currently unavailable as of this writing.

Whichever version you choose, you’ll need to pair your Ronin wallet to your account, and then sync your Axies from the wallet to the game to start playing.

What is the AXS token?

Axis Infinity Shard (AXS) is the native governance token of Axie Infinity. Currently, you can use AXS to pay for breeding fees. In the future, AXS holders will be able to vote on decisions regarding the game and its future development, as well as stake AXS tokens to earn rewards within the game.

Over time, Axie Infinity plans to gradually shift into a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to allow for community governance.

Did you know?

You can’t even use Axie’s land in gameplay yet, but it’s in demand: a single plot of Genesis land sold for a record-breaking $2.48 million in November 2021.

Where can you buy AXS?

AXS is available from cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance, FTX, and Huobi Global, although it is not currently sold by Coinbase or Binance.US, for example. Decentralized exchanges like Uniswap and SushiSwapoffer it, however.

Here’s how you can purchase AXS from Uniswap. You will need a crypto wallet with ETH or another Ethereum-based ERC20 token to trade at Uniswap. If you need ETH, you can purchase it with fiat money at Coinbase or Binance and then transfer it to your wallet.

Uniswap screenshot — Buying AXS on Uniswap. Image: Decrypt

Connect your wallet at Uniswap, select AXS from the list, and then choose which asset you want to swap for it. Enter the amount you want to trade and Uniswap will tell you how much AXS you will receive in return. If the numbers square up to your liking, click “Swap” and the transaction will go through.

The future

Axie Infinity blew up in a big way in late June 2021, not long after the Ronin transition and the announcement of a $7.5 million Series A funding round featuring Mark Cuban and Alexis Ohanian, among others. Sky Mavis also has support from major game publisher Ubisoft, which mentored the team in its Entrepreneur’s Lab accelerator program and aided the Ronin launch. A Series B funding round in October 2021, led by Andreessen Horowitz, saw Sky Mavis reportedly valued near $3 billion.

With user numbers surging, by September 2021, Axie Infinity had already hit a total NFT transaction volume of over $2 billion. Long-term players were rewarded with a $60 million airdrop of AXS tokens in September 2021, followed a month later by the introduction of a staking service for AXS.

In November 2021, Axie’s Ronin sidechain added its own decentralized exchange (DEX), Katana, making it easier for Axie players to swap tokens without having to bridge to Ethereum.

Next up on the game’s expansive roadmap is the addition of gameplay based around its land NFTs, which let players customize the terrain and develop shareable experiences. It’s another aspect that will help expand Axie Infinity beyond simply battling and breeding monsters. Interest in the game’s virtual land is already high; in November 2021, a single plot of Genesis land in the game sold for a record-breaking $2.48 million.

Decentraland is a decentralized virtual reality platform powered by the Ethereum blockchain. Within the Decentraland platform, users can create, experience, and monetize their content and applications.

The finite, traversable, 3D virtual space within Decentraland is called LAND, a non-fungible digital asset maintained in an Ethereum smart contract.
Land is divided into parcels that are identified by cartesian coordinates (x,y). These parcels are permanently owned by members of the community and are purchased using MANA, Decentraland’s cryptocurrency token.
This gives users full control over the environments and applications that they create, which can range from anything like static 3D scenes to more interactive applications or games.

Some parcels are further organized into themed communities, or Districts. By organizing parcels into Districts, the community can create shared spaces with common interests and uses.
You can find a list of the original District Proposals on GitHub.
The content that makes up Decentraland is stored and distributed via a decentralized network while ownership and transactions are validated on the Ethereum blockchain.

FAQ

What equipment or software do I need to play in Decentraland?

A PC or Mac running Chrome, Firefox or Brave.

Can I play on a mobile device?
For the moment we don’t support mobile devices. But please stay tuned!
Can I log in from multiple computers?
Yes, you can run Decentraland from multiple computers as long as you have your digital wallet installed on each machine.
Can I use a different browser?
While it may be technically possible to use another browser, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Brave to ensure optimal performance.

Do I need a wallet to play in Decentraland?

If you want to fully enjoy the Decentraland experience, we recommend you get yourself a digital wallet. Digital wallets work as your personal account, keeping all your digital assets (such as names, collectibles, LANDs) and in-world progress safe.

If you choose to experience Decentraland Explorer without a wallet, the information will only be locally stored: you will be able to walk around, customize your Avatar and chat with others in-world, but you won’t have the chance to receive daily rewards, participate in events or log in with a different device using the same Guest ID and Avatar.

If this is the first time you’re hearing about digital wallets, we recommend reading Get a Wallet – Beginners Guide.

I lost my digital wallet! What happens with my account?

If you lose access to your wallet you will lose your Avatar, name, any of the wearables or NFT items stored within. Please remember to always keep your wallet recovery pass phrases in a safe and secure location.

What is MANA?

MANA is Decentraland’s fungible, ERC20 cryptocurrency token. MANA is burned, or spent, in exchange for LAND parcels. For a current summary of critical stats like total and circulating supply, please visit our MANA Token Information transparency dashboard. See the Glossary for more information.

Will I be able to buy things other than LAND with MANA?

Yes! In addition to burning MANA in exchange for LAND, users will be able to trade MANA with other users in exchange for goods and services hosted within Decentraland.

Some players have fancy wearables. How can I get them?

The Avatar editor provides a big selection of wearables and accessories – all for free. You can also buy exclusive wearables in the Decentraland Marketplace or earn them by participating in different events.

What do the collectibles colors mean?

Each collectible is assigned a rarity category, represented by a different name and color and denoting supply of collectible.

Their maximum issuance is:

Common: 100000
Uncommon: 10000
Rare: 5000
Epic: 1000
Legendary: 100
Mythic: 10
Unique: 1

Can I claim my Avatar name later?

Yes. Visit the Names page in the Builder to claim it. All you need is an installed digital wallet and at least 100 MANA to burn. Another alternative is to buy a name in the Decentraland Marketplace.

How can I block or report a player?

Click on another player’s Avatar to see their card, then click on the tab block to view options. By blocking a player you will still see them on screen but they won’t be able to write to you on the chat window. If you report a player, you will be able to bring a player’s conduct to the attention of Decentraland’s Community.

What is LAND?

LAND is a non-fungible digital asset maintained in an Ethereum smart contract. LAND is divided into parcels that are referenced using unique x,y cartesian coordinates. Each LAND token includes a record of its coordinates, its owner, and a reference to a content description file or parcel manifest that describes and encodes the content the owner wishes to serve on his or her land.

How large is a tile of LAND?

Land parcels are 16m x 16m, or 52ft x 52ft. Height is restricted based on these limitations.

What is an Estate?

Like LAND, an estate is a non-fungible digital asset. An estate is an association of two or more directly adjacent parcels of LAND. These parcels must be directly adjacent and cannot be separated by a road, plaza or any other parcel. By connecting parcels to form Estates, you can more easily manage your larger LAND holdings. Estates are especially useful when building larger scenes that span more than one parcel.

How can I buy LAND or Estates in Decentraland?

You can visit the Decentraland Marketplace to browse through all of the available LANDs or Estates of LAND that are currently for sale. On December 15th, 2017, we held our first LAND auction, called the Terraform Event, to distribute the first parcels of LAND to the community. The auction concluded in January 2018 and LAND tokens have been distributed to participants.

What does ‘owning’ virtual LAND mean and how does it work?

LAND within Decentraland is represented by non-fungible LAND tokens (meaning that each is unique and cannot be replicated) that track ownership on the Ethereum blockchain. Owning LAND within Decentraland is akin to owning any other unique, crypto asset like CryptoKitties or CryptoPunks, however you will be able to use your LAND within Decentraland to build three dimensional spaces and applications. LAND is built on our ERC721 standard, making it a digital asset that can be traded with other users, like other digital assets.

Why is LAND scarce?

Like CryptoKitties and CryptoPunks, LAND is a non-fungible digital asset. To ensure that the value of LAND parcels remains stable, the amount of land in Decentraland corresponds to the fixed, total amount of MANA.

Without LAND scarcity, many parcels would likely be left abandoned, negatively impacting the quality of content in Decentraland and the user experience.

Does Decentraland run on top of its own blockchain?

Decentraland uses the Ethereum blockchain to store and verify information about LAND ownership and LAND content. It does not run on its own independent blockchain. Content within Decentraland is hosted and served to users via a network of community-owned content servers.

Who validates transactions?

The Ethereum LAND smart contract registers any changes to the state of a parcel of LAND, such as a change in the contents of the LAND or a transfer of ownership. These changes are recorded and verified by the Ethereum blockchain.

How is content distributed?

The visual, audio and three dimensional content of Decentraland will be stored in a network of content servers. Anyone can submit a server to join this network, but it must be voted on by the community. This is handled by a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). When you visit Decentraland, the content needed to render your location will be pulled from the content servers. Each LAND token, stored on the Ethereum blockchain, is associated with an x,y location within the world and links to the content for that location.

What tools should I use to start building in Decentraland?

There are two ways to create 3D content for Decentraland:

The Builder is an easy drag and drop visual tool. You have access to a large library of pre-made items, including interactive items that react to player feedback. You can also import and use your own custom 3D models.
The SDK is for creating scenes writing code, which gives you much more power and flexibility.

Both tools can also be combined. You can create a scene visually with the Builder, then export it and work with its code to add interactive functionality. You can also use the SDK to create custom smart items and place these using the Builder.

You will be able to use tools like SketchUp, Blender, and Maya to create 3D models that you can then import into Decentraland, these models must be in .gltf or .glb format.

Will I be able to control who can see content on my parcels?

Yes. You will be able to control how certain content on your parcel is served to other users within the Decentraland platform. For example, you could make 3D models, images, video, or sound content only visible to a player in Decentraland after they have submitted a payment or fulfilled some other requirement.

However, remember that by uploading content to the content servers you are essentially making it publicly available since the content servers are a distributed file system. While we intend to make it possible to limit how that content is served to players through a Decentraland client, the content itself will always remain discoverable on the content servers.

You will be able to control who you can see and interact with (and who can see and interact with you) within Decentraland. For example, imagine that you have a house on your parcel and you only want to invite certain friends into your house. You will be able to specify which players you can see (and which players can see you) within your house, but you won’t necessarily be able to prevent anyone from seeing your house or its contents since the assets required to render your house reside on the content server.

Can I monetize my content?

Yes. You are free to decide whether you will charge other players to access your content and how you will implement said charge. Decentraland is in no way involved in the monetization of your content and does not guarantee any return, profit or income. The success of the platform depends entirely on the efforts of the users. Your fate, your success, and eventually your journey, depends on you, your efforts, your imagination.

I need support! Where can I contact you?

Join our Discord and visit our #help channel to ask whatever questions you have. We’ll answer as soon as possible. Our friendly community members can help too. While you’re there why not check out some of the other channels to learn more about Decentraland?