Treasure Launches New Ethereum Gaming Chain with ZKsync and Leaves Arbitrum

Treasure’s recently launched Ethereum layer-2 network is part of ZKsync’s Elastic chain—a network of interoperable zero knowledge rollup chains – and will use the project’s MAGIC token by default. As a result, more than 15 games, hundreds of thousands of NFTs and tokens need to be migrated Arbitrationwhere users can do this using the Hyperlane Bridge.

The project bills itself as a “decentralized gaming console,” as it powers video game titles using the blockchain. In February, Honey doubled down on building on Arbitrumannouncing plans to launch a web of ‘Infinity Chains’. But Treasure shifted gears in recent months after reconsidering its priorities.

“We need gaming-specific features, and cultivating a specific culture and distribution flywheel that generic tier-2s don’t prioritize,” said Treasure co-founder Karel Vuong told Declutter. “That requires a gaming-first approach from the bottom up.”

Namely, the creation of the gaming-specific layer 2 network allows projects to leverage gasless transactions and social account creation, and introduces “specialized infrastructure for gaming economies,” Vuong said.

For example, the move will strengthen Treasure’s Game Exchange system, which allows players to trade assets, provide liquidity and earn rewards within a game client by reducing costs and improving overall speed.

A selection of games in the Treasure ecosystem. Image: Honey

Also, the Treasure Development Kit aims to enable games to implement blockchain functions seamlessly, reducing direct smart contract information and allowing AI agents to enter the gaming world. In addition to crypto wallets, players can also log in via email and social accounts, via ZKsync’s native account abstraction features.

Interestingly, Treasure received a proposal from ZKsync in February when it unveiled plans to build on Arbitrum, but turned its nose up at the offer due to its perceived lack of traction among users.

Since then, Vuong says, Treasure’s technical needs have evolved. Now, ZKsync’s capabilities, specifically around native account abstraction, ZK-based scalability, and Elastic Network interoperability, have made it the right choice this time.

“After extensive evaluation prior to our layer 2 launch, we found that ZKsync’s technology perfectly aligns with our vision to fundamentally transform the gaming industry,” Vuong said. Declutter. “This shift is not about what was wrong before, but rather about what is right for the future of Treasure as we grow.”

Fortunately, this move won’t delay Treasure’s timelines, as Wednesday’s mainnet launch is already ahead of schedule. With this, the project expects “several” games to appear on the new network by the end of the year, with more to follow in the first quarter of 2025.

Vuong confirmed that action roguelite game Wanders launches exclusively in Treasure, a monkey-themed massively multiplayer online game Bitmates is working on getting fully involved in the chain with the network and role play Zeevers already uses the Game Exchange system.

“We are already in discussions with other games about a possible migration,” Vuong said, adding that action role-playing game Calamity moves from Ethereum Layer-2 network base. “Our momentum is strong, with both existing partners and new games excited about building on Treasure’s infrastructure.”

To coincide with the mainnet launch, Treasure will be launching a campaign called Decentralized Entertainment System: Cartridges. In a nod to retro cartridge-based gaming systems, free NFT coins will roll out daily based on games from the Treasure ecosystem, turning the assets into collectibles.

Next, staking using the Ethereum protocol EigenLayer for Treasure’s MAGIC token will be revealed in the first quarter of 2025, as well as “other use cases” that will take the decentralized gaming console to the next level.

“The coming months will be very exciting,” concludes Vuong.

Edited by Andrew Hayward