'Pixelmon' Introduces 'Warden's Ascent' Role-Playing Game and Idle Mobile Titles on Avalanche – Exploring the Motivation Behind the Release
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Gaming Gossip: Pixelmon's Mobile-Focused Future on Avalanche
Get the scoop on Pokémon-esque crypto IP, Pixelmon! The creators behind this blockchain-based phenomenon have inked an exclusive partnership with Avalanche for their next big mobile game, "Warden's Ascent," and future titles, marking a shift towards a mobile-first publishing strategy.
Chief Visionary, Giulio Xiloyannis, spilled the beans to us at Decrypt, stating that Avalanche's alignment with their ambition to expand beyond the current Web3 user base was the driving force behind this decision. Warden's Ascent, a thrilling turn-based RPG featuring over 100 unique monsters, is set for a public release in the latter half of 2025.
"During Pixelmon's experimental phase, we unleashed a trio of casual games on various networks to test mechanics and user engagement," Xiloyannis revealed. "Avalanche seems to be the perfect fit for our games in terms of scale, ambition, and audience."
A series of intensive talks with multiple leading blockchains ultimately led Pixelmon to a strategic partnership with Ava Labs, developers of Avalanche. This partnership will see all upcoming Pixelmon projects launch on the network. What sealed the deal? The ability to launch a dedicated layer-1 for Pixelmon, coupled with Avalanche's proven gaming track record.
Aside from Warden's Ascent, Pixelmon has plans to launch several more games on Avalanche, including an idle role-playing mobile game called Nova Thera Chronicles and a real-time battler called Warriors of Nova Thera. On the other hand, Monster Tycoon, previously launched on the Immutable zkEVM blockchain, will remain there due to a contractual agreement. However, the team will continue maintaining the game's servers and player services, though no new expansions are planned.
Pixelmon's journey hasn't been a walk in the park. In 2022, a controversial NFT art reveal led to widespread mockery and a staggering $70 million spent on subpar artwork. But, three years and a leadership change later, this franchise has bounced back, launching multiple games, raising millions, and dropping a token.
As a result, the team has re-prioritized their efforts, focusing on mobile-first titles. "Mobile is the future, and we're all-in," Xiloyannis announced. "Warden's Ascent and Nova Thera Chronicles will take center stage for now."
In Warden's Ascent, players will embark on a engaging adventure, discovering, hatching, and evolving more than 100 unique monsters as they progress through the campaign. Aiming to extend the franchise's reach beyond Web3, Pixelmon is betting big on this blockbuster release.
"Starting on the Avalanche C-Chain lets us hit the market fast, while positioning ourselves for an eventual transition to a dedicated Avalanche layer-1 as we scale," Xiloyannis explained. "This move unlocks full control over performance, fees, user experience, and governance—key elements in crafting a mobile-first title designed to onboard millions of players worldwide."
Pixelmon was drawn to Avalanche by its successful launches of games like Off the Grid and MapleStory Universe. Off the Grid has been gradually transitioning from testnet to mainnet since early May, demonstrating a track record of processing over 700,000 transactions.
"Avalanche isn't just tech-driven, it's marketing and brand-savvy too," Xiloyannis emphasized. "We're thrilled to partner with a team that shares our player-first vision for games like Warden's Ascent."
Stay tuned as Pixelmon continues to fine-tune Warden's Ascent, rolling out pre-launch campaigns to build anticipation and onboard new users. Once the game goes live in the second half of the year, the team plans to provide regular updates and long-term content to keep players engaged.
- Pixelmon, the blockchain-based gaming phenomenon, has partnered exclusively with Avalanche for their upcoming mobile game, "Warden's Ascent," and future titles, making a shift towards a mobile-first publishing strategy.
- The CEO of Pixelmon, Giulio Xiloyannis, revealed that Avalanche's ambition to expand beyond the current Web3 user base was the driving force behind this decision.
- In addition to "Warden's Ascent," Pixelmon also plans to launch several other games on Avalanche, including "Nova Thera Chronicles," an idle role-playing mobile game, and "Warriors of Nova Thera," a real-time battler.
- The team chose Avalanche over other leading blockchains due to its potential for scalability, ambition, and audience suitability, as well as the ability to launch a dedicated layer-1 for Pixelmon.
- Pixelmon believes that Avalanche's successful launches of games like Off the Grid and MapleStory Universe, combined with its marketing and branding expertise, will help extended Pixelmon's reach beyond the Web3 community.
