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- Game-published Nexon plans to build an application-specific Polygon Supernet to power its massively successful MapleStory Universe and expand the in-game economy.
- This way, Nexon will also expand the NFT ecosystem while expanding the in-game NFT utilities.
Ethereum’s Layer-2 scalability platform Polygon has shown exemplary technical prowess while hosting a wide variety of projects like gaming, Web3, and much more. In an interesting development earlier today, March 22, one of the world’s largest game publishers Nexon announced that it has plans to build an application-specific Polygon Supernet.
This will help to power the blockchain ecosystem of its massively successful MapleStory Universe while simultaneously expanding the in-game economy using Utility NFTs.
GAMING HAPPENS #onPolygon 🍁🍄
Polygon Labs is proud to announce @NEXON_KR has selected Polygon Supernets to power the blockchain ecosystem of @MaplestoryU and expand the in-game economy with Utility NFTs ✨
More: https://t.co/tSu4sSRSzC pic.twitter.com/xH92U2lBn4
— Polygon (Labs) (@0xPolygonLabs) March 21, 2023
Through a dedicated Polygon Supernet, Nexon will be able to customize a blockchain in order to meet the complex requirements of the online gaming industry. MapleStory is one of the most successful games by Nexon with more than 180 million registered users. The game also has a broad grassroots community across several forums and social media.
Nexon believes that bringing MapleStory into a dedicated blockchain space will further propel the already robust in-game economy. The existing Web2 version of the game allows users to buy and sell items from one another using MapleStory’s currency.
However, powering the same game with Polygon Supernet will allow players to earn and collect NFT items via gameplay as well as unlock several benefits and utilities across the ecosystem. Speaking on the development, MapleStory Universe group leader Sun-young Hwang said:
“We are looking forward to expanding the NFT ecosystem envisioned by MapleStory Universe by building on Polygon, the top protocol for Web3 gaming. It is the perfect choice to power the ecosystem. We will work closely with the team at Polygon Labs to develop and market the game.”
Polygon Web3, and Gaming
As said, the Polygon blockchain is one of the preferred choices for several Web3 and gaming projects. While the broader crypto market witnessed a massive meltdown, blockchain-based gaming development was on the rise.
Polygon says that half of the blockchain activity in 2022 came through games and a large number of game developers are gearing up to work on Web3 games in the future. Some of the blockchain gaming projects and publishers that have chosen the Polygon Network include Animoca, Ubisoft, Atari, Decentraland, Somnium Space, and The Sandbox.
Also, collaborating with Polygon could be one of the best decisions for Nexon. The Korea-based game publisher has aced the concept of microtransactions and the free-to-play business model. As of date, Nexon operates more than 60 online games across more than 100 countries and has already generated more than 1.3 billion player registrations since its founding.
The latest foray into Web3 with Polygon Supernet will put Nexon into a new trajectory of gaming innovation. Ryan Wyatt, President of Polygon Labs said:
Nexon selecting Polygon Supernets to power MapleStory Universe sends a strong message to the entire gaming industry about the future of blockchain gaming. Korea is a critical market in bringing web3 gaming to the masses, and Polygon Labs is committed to offering multiple solutions to bring their visions to market.
Besides, Polygon is also working on building gaming blockchain infrastructure using zero-knowledge technology. For this, it recently collaborated with Immutable.
