Unlike other NFT games that generated massive hype in the past only to end up with nothing, the team behind Axie Infinity decided to create a blockchain network specifically for gaming: the Ronin Blockchain. The game, which started on the Ethereum network, decided to build its own chain and gradually migrated its marketplace, transactions, and other features to the new network; curiously, however, assets continued to be traded in Ethereum...
After a long period of developing and operating a separate network, the team behind Ronin decided to return to Ethereum. The difference this time is that, rather than hosting their games directly on the Ethereum mainnet—with its high fees and slower transaction speeds—they retained their own blockchain network but reconfigured it as an Ethereum Layer 2 network.
As I understand it, the technical aspect of this integration is powered by the OP Stack ecosystem from Optimism. This creates a bit of confusion: is Ronin acting as a direct Ethereum L2, or is it actually an Optimism L3? They state that they are now an Ethereum Layer 2, so I believe the OP Stack is simply a technical tool facilitating the creation of Layer 2 networks.
According to the team, this decision ensures greater security for transaction processing, as all changes made to L2 blocks are eventually stored on the Ethereum network, which is renowned for its security. For those already accustomed to Ronin, the upside is that the network continues to operate just as it did before, but now benefits from a more robust underlying structure that guarantees Layer 1-level security. The point is, after focusing on building a proprietary network separate from Ethereum and inviting projects to develop on it, has this shift had an impact? Who actually benefited from this return to the Ethereum network? What is the current status of Ronin, the games that were on Ronin as a Layer 1, and Ethereum itself following Ronin's arrival? Let’s take a look at what is happening with the Ronin ecosystem!
I'll be much appreaciated if you Votes, Reblogs or give any Tips. Thanks and have good reading! 🍀
Ronin – An Ethereum Gaming Layer 2
On the Ronin Network's official X page, you can view a pinned post detailing this entire migration; it recounts Ronin's history and the milestones achieved in recent years as a leading network focused on Web3 gaming. An interesting aspect is how they address the situation from Ethereum's perspective.
The Ethereum Foundation mentioned that its vision for Layer 2 networks has shifted completely—a change that proved perfect for Ronin. Initially, the idea behind L2s was simply to scale Ethereum: transactions would be processed on the L2, and a batch of them would then be submitted as a single request to be stored on the Ethereum L1. This approach avoided congestion and increased overall processing capacity.
While that functionality remains valid, the focus has shifted. From the Ethereum Foundation's perspective, the primary goal for L2s is to function as distinct networks—each offering unique services, pursuing specific objectives, and possessing its own characteristics. Their greatest strength lies in differentiation; in a market crowded with fast, secure, high-throughput networks, a unique selling point is what captures attention, given that most networks share similar underlying structures.
Ronin positions itself precisely as that Ethereum Layer 2 focused on gaming. This is its key differentiator, backed by successful projects like Pixels, Axie Infinity, and Moku. Their aim is to capture market share within the $200 billion gaming industry.
Ronin x Crypto Games
However, there is a factor in this equation that raises a question... Will the projects that moved to Ronin—back when it was expanding, offering plenty of incentive programs, attracting new projects, and riding a wave of hype—actually be happy with this migration?
What sparked this doubt for me is that one of the projects attracting a lot of users to the Ronin network was Fishing Frenzy. It was a very simple fishing game; until recently, many creators were making videos and posts about it, highlighting new updates and showing no signs of trouble.
They had recently been running a group event, but unexpectedly, it was announced that their economy was unsustainable and the game was shutting down. This caught everyone off guard, as it was one of the key games on the Ronin platform with a solid active player base. The shutdown announcement came on June 15th; in the days that followed, a pool was distributed to players, and the project came to an end.
Could this indicate that Ronin is now focusing more on the company's own projects, like Axie? There are various tests underway for Atia's Legacy, and the Axie land-based game—formerly known as Homeland—has undergone a complete overhaul and is now called Terrariums... Are we witnessing a shift in the direction of this gaming network?
