Axie Infinity is the iconic non-fungible token (NFT) game from Vietnamese studio Sky Mavis, built on the Ronin Network. Players collect and mint NFTs representing axolotl-inspired creatures called Axies, using them in battles powered by an Ethereum-based in-game economy.
The original version launched in March 2018, years before blockchain gaming became mainstream. It started as a simple idle card battler with basic features, far simpler than what exists today.
At its peak in mid to late 2021, the game attracted over 1 million monthly active players. The Philippines alone made up more than 40% of the player base, with $SLP even becoming accepted as payment in certain areas of the country.
That level of real-world adoption shows just how far Axie Infinity pushed web3 gaming into the mainstream. Here's what's new in Axie Infinity: Classic for March 2024.
Guild system arrives after six years
Guilds work like virtual families, bringing players together and adding a social layer to the game. For six years, Axie Infinity lacked a native in-game guild feature. That changes this month with the rollout of Guilds in Axie Classic.
Community and collaboration
Guilds give players a sense of belonging. Members support each other, swap strategies, and celebrate wins together. Guild Chat will be added in a future update to strengthen these connections.
Guild Axie Vault
Joining a guild means sharing Axies, learning new tactics, and working together to climb the Guild Leaderboard. A full support guide for the Axie Vault will be published when the feature goes live, walking players through setup and usage.
Guild Treasury
When a guild succeeds, everyone benefits. During season rewards distribution, 70% will be automatically split among guild members based on their contributions to guild points. The remaining 30% goes into the Guild Treasury, managed by the Guild Leader and Guild Commander.
The Guild Update launches in two phases. Phase one drops on March 7th, with phase two expected by the end of the month if everything stays on track.
Phase 1 (March 7th)
- Players can create and join guilds. Guilds will start earning Guild XP, though leveling up won't be active yet.
- Player achievements go live. Guild leaders and commanders can use these to evaluate potential recruits.
- The Guild Axie Vault becomes available.
- The Classic Portal gets upgraded to support AXS/SLP deposits and withdrawals.
- Grand Tournament registration opens.
Phase 2 (End of the month)
- Season 1 of the Guild Leaderboard begins, with AXS rewards on the line. AXS leaderboard rewards are returning to Axie Classic, starting with the Guild Leaderboard.
- The knockout round of the Grand Tournament kicks off.
Guild XP and Guild Points come from winning matches in both the Grand Tournament and Cursed Coliseum. Guild pre-registration is open now, letting you upload a custom Guild avatar and get access to the Guild Leader Discord.
Visual overhaul incoming
The development team plans to rebuild Origins UI elements using Classic UX as the foundation. This change is necessary to enable part evolution gameplay with the new mixer.
The team knows Classic art holds nostalgic value for many players. To address this, they're considering a toggle feature on app.axie that would let players view their Axies in Classic art style.
Web3 audience comes first
The primary focus is attracting web3 and Ronin gamers first, then expanding to a wider audience. Crypto enthusiasts and web3 players include casual players, competitive players, and collectors. Guilds are designed to serve all three groups:
- Casual players can become competitive by accessing more Axies through guilds.
- Casual players contribute to the guild and earn rewards in return.
- Collectible owners can level up their Axies through the Guild Axie Vault.
Only a small percentage of web2 players make the jump to web3. The team wants to improve that conversion rate significantly. Their approach includes:
- Publishing the game on app stores to boost accessibility.
- Letting web2 players try the game through Axie delegation or the Guild Axie Vault.
- Starting them with simpler modes like PvE before moving to harder content like Arena and CC.
Balance and progression philosophy
Balancing efforts prioritize stability and bug-free gameplay, introducing new experiences through horizontal progression first, then vertical progression.
- Horizontal Progression: Features like the Coliseum, Guild systems, and potential 2v2 modes. (Current phase)
- Vertical Progression: Part upgrade designs that avoid power creep, plus consumable items that won't heavily swing battle outcomes.
Lunacia currently hosts nearly 12 million Axies. The focus is on increasing their utility, not their population.
Token economy shifts toward burning
SLP is moving toward increased burning rather than minting:
- 8.5 million SLP have been deposited through the Portal since the Classic comeback.
- 6.2 million SLP have been burned in Premium Coliseum.
- Axie Classic maintains a 1:2 mint-to-burn ratio: for every SLP emitted, 2 SLP are burned. In 2021, the ratio was 1:6.7 burn-to-mint, meaning for every 1 SLP burned, 6.7 SLP were emitted.
AXS will be distributed as rewards to top performers on guild and individual leaderboards, with additional allocations for esports and tournaments. The individual leaderboard is still in development. AXP and Gold will serve as progression rewards needed to advance in the game.
What this means for Classic
These updates represent a major step forward for Axie Classic. Guilds, the Guild Axie Vault, and the return of AXS rewards in Season 1 of the Guild Leaderboard signal a new chapter. The comeback of Axie Classic has been a long-awaited moment for the community, made possible by the leadership of paladinIII and his team.
Axie Classic remains in an experimental phase. Features may change rapidly as the team iterates and improves. Expect frequent updates to game mechanics and functionality as development continues.
For more details, visit the full post on the Axie Infinity blog.
