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The crypto world is always full of challenges, such as the one between Solana and Polygon. For a long time, the two platforms have been competing over Non-Fungible Token (NFT) platforms and projects.
Today’s case concerns Fractal, a Web3-based game platform. It was announced not long ago that it will come to Polygon, although its journey began in 2021 on Solana.
In fact, the platform was founded in 2021 by Justin Kan, co-founder of the popular streaming service Twitch, Fractal helps game developers with tools to solve their most pressing blockchain and infrastructure needs.
Whereas, F Studio is a suite of development tools to incorporate Web3 technology into projects quickly and easily, with features such as a gamer-friendly wallet and account management system, in-game marketplace APIs, on-ramp fiat, and NFT minting on demand.
Fractal: from launch on Solana to expansion on Polygon
Fractal‘s product platform, F Studio, will be available on Polygon, including the NFT (Non-fungible token) launchpad, marketplace, tournaments, developer SDK, game launcher, and Sign-in with Fractal service.
Functionality with Polygon is live and available in three games, with more in the coming months. Polygon will also make a strategic investment in Fractal, deepening the partnership and enabling the team to better serve Web3 game developers and players.
Creator Justin Kan, was very enthusiastic about the news, and in several interviews was ambitious in saying that Fractal should be everywhere, in any NFT game platform:
“Our goal is to support game developers, and part of that is to be wherever game developers want to be.And a lot of them want to be on Polygon, to be honest.”
Or at least that’s the plan.
As far as Polygon is concerned, credit must be given to the platform, which in recent months has managed to make its mark and gain a lot of attention in the Web3 world. Entering into agreements with really big brands such as Starbucks, Nike, Reddit and Meta, which have used the network for their platforms.
The gaming world is also growing, and Polygon is ready, courtesy of its new partnership with Fractal. Justin Kan’s platform will support 30 games on Polygon alone at launch.
Notable games include Sunflower Land, Aether Games, Life Beyond, and Phantom Galaxies. Fractal’s work will be coordinated with Polygon Labs, and they will promote the games through tournaments and web events, straddling the annual GDC (Game Developers Conference) in March.
“Inspired by Justin’s learnings from founding Twitch, Fractal’s mission has been to relentlessly support Web3 game developers with everything they need to build the future of gaming. From user acquisition to blockchain tooling to financial infrastructure, we put the framework in place so they can focus on successful game development,”
said Robin Chan, co-founder of Fractal.
Does Solana remain empty-handed?
Fractal was launched on Solana in December 2021, during a period when SOL was in one of its best moments. Indeed, the cryptocurrency was near its highest price and the NFT market had now materialized and was growing exponentially. SOL started 2021 at a modest price of $1.52 and has since risen an astonishing 11,150%.
At that time, Sino Global Capital CEO and Solana investor said:
“In early 2021, Solana was virtually unknown to the broader crypto/blockchain community: the prevailing view at the time was that it would be nearly impossible to break Ethereum’s network effect and developer moat.”
Fractal and Solana thus entered into a collaboration in December 2021. Although the beginning was a bit turbulent, Fractal and Solana already seemed to be reaping profits in early 2022.
Indeed, in April 2022, Fractal and Solana announced the seed round led by Paradigm and Multicon Capital. Justin Kan, with his startup Fractal, had raised as much as $35 million. Fractal’s seed round includes funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Solana Ventures, Coinbase, Animoca, Paradigm and many others.
Everything seemed to be going well, but of course 2022 brought the NFT market to decline rapidly. Very quickly, Solana also took the hit, losing about 91% from its peak price in November/December 2021.
Over time, Solana has changed a lot, now most NFT markets no longer require royalties to be paid to creators. Despite this, though, Fractal has continued with royalties for NFT sales.
The co-founder of the Twitch platform, describes royalties as the very essence of Web3. They are indeed the features that make it so compelling for game makers:
“This is your incentive to maintain the game, update the game and create this ecosystem. If creators and game studios in particular don’t have the incentive to do that, then there will be no longevity in these games. There has to be funding for them at the end of the day. People have to eat. Royalties are not tips.”
Despite the dark period for Kan, Solana remains a truly compelling technology, but Fractal needs to expand and grow. It needs new games, new challenges, and new steps to overcome.
Kan’s idea is to bring Web3 models inside the whole industry:
“I am so optimistic about open economy games. I think it’s still a future business model of the game world. We just need to see more games created along those lines, then eventually one of them will be the next Fortnite or Free Fire that will change the world.”
Justin Kan is undoubtedly someone who knows a thing or two about online games. His predictions about the future of gaming may turn out to be quite true.