Arbitrum Poised to Become Hub for Game Developers, CEO Says
Offchain Labs CEO Steven Goldfeder highlighted Arbitrum’s potential to become a central hub for game development, leveraging its flexible tech stack to attract both traditional and blockchain-focused developers.
Developer-Friendly Tech Stack
- Arbitrum’s tech stack allows developers to write smart contracts using their preferred programming languages through the Arbitrum Stylus toolkit.
- This feature enables companies like Robinhood, which is building its own Ethereum layer-2 network using Arbitrum’s technology.
- The approach allows game studios to initially deploy on Arbitrum before migrating to custom blockchains as their games mature, exemplified by projects like Pirate Nation.
“One of the best things you can do to attract all types of builders is actually give them developer tooling that’s familiar to them. That really is only offered on Arbitrum chains.”
Steven Goldfeder, Offchain Labs CEO
Gaming Focus and Early Adopters
- Goldfeder confirmed that gaming is “super strong” on the Arbitrum network.
- Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, launched by the Arbitrum DAO, has already invested in projects such as Xai Games and Proof of Play.
- Proof of Play recently migrated its Pirate Nation role-playing game from an Arbitrum network to a custom chain built on Arbitrum technology.
Contrast with AAA Studios
Despite growing interest, major AAA game studios like Activision and Electronic Arts have yet to release blockchain-based games tracking asset ownership. However, the trend for traditional studios to incorporate Web3 elements is acknowledged, albeit cautiously.
Publisher Take-Two has already banned NFTs and cryptocurrencies on its Grand Theft Auto V modding platform.
The shift appears driven by a philosophy centered on accessibility through familiar tools.
“It’s gaming first, blockchain second. That’s similar to what we’re seeing with Robinhood, where they’re delivering their Web2 experience on Web3 rails. So, the crypto part is additive, but it’s actually accessible to everyone.”
Steven Goldfeder, Offchain Labs CEO
While Robinhood is leveraging Arbitrum for finance, Sony’s gaming-focused layer-2 network, Soneium, uses competing Optimism technology.
Despite the cautious approach from traditional giants, Goldfeder believes Arbitrum’s infrastructure offers a practical bridge for next-generation crypto-powered gaming experiences.
