Unchangeable zkEVM to avoid Web3 game gas charges
Web3 gaming firm Immutable is set to completely waive gas payments for players when its proprietary zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) benchmark platform goes live in early 2024.
Immutable zkEVM provides technology for blockchain-based game developers to remove transaction fees from end users, which is supposed to create a “frictionless onboarding” experience for players.
Web3 games built on blockchain protocols typically require players to pay gas fees to network validators to process transactions. Before the advent of Layer-2 scaling protocols, Ethereum-based decentralized applications (DApps) and services relied solely on validators and miners to process smart contracts and their associated transactions.
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While this mechanism is an integral part of protocols such as Ethereum and plays a role in the blockchain's decentralization and operation, it remains a barrier to common players who use transaction-free gaming experiences.
Invariable CTO Alex Connolly highlighted this aspect in a statement shared with Cointelegraph, explaining that Web3 Games needed to provide players with an “intuitive and streamlined user experience” to make the blockchain foundation anonymous.
“There are two rules that major players in the blockchain space simply don't accept – gas fees fall into that category.”
Connolly says that integrating digital asset ownership with games will continue to be prohibitive, making immutable zkEVM's offering an exciting prospect for the future of Web3 games.
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Game developers can sponsor gas bill payments through Immutable zkEVM, which will cancel transactions for Immutable Passport users. Static also plans to support gas payments for all ecosystem games for a limited time during the mainnet launch.
Studio projections predict that game studios will pay around $500 to $1,000 in gas bills for each of the 100,000 users in their area. Connolly added that Gas sponsorships should serve to increase player adoption and revenue for game studios, and that the provisioning could ultimately cost the same as infrastructure or server costs.
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In the year In an Aug. 14 announcement, Immutable said its zkEVM will provide game developers with lower development costs and access to the security and networking benefits that come with the Ethereum ecosystem. In March, Robi Ferguson, founder and president of Emutable, said zkEVM aims to increase ownership of Web3 players.
More than 20 game studios have pledged support for the beta launch, including GameStop, marketplace TokenTrove, web-based game distributor Kongregate, and game designer iLogos.
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