In 2018, five founders gathered in a small Vietnamese office to build Axie Infinity. Their goal: blockchain games where players genuinely own their assets. Years later, Ronin — a gaming-focused blockchain — launched to support Axie Infinity's explosive global growth.
Last year, Ronin upgraded to Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), opening the platform to a new wave of web3 games. Now the network is taking its next step: scaling through zkEVM technology.
Ronin Logo
zkEVM arrives on Ronin
Ronin currently supports 1.5 million daily active users, making it one of the largest gaming blockchains in the world. That scale comes from prioritizing real players over speculative hype. The network's next phase builds on that foundation using the Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK).
Game developers will soon be able to launch their own Layer 2 blockchains on top of Ronin's mainnet. These new chains will use zero-knowledge proofs to support more games, more players, and more economic activity without clogging the base layer.
The zkEVM integration ties Layer 2 chains directly to the Ronin mainnet's incentive structure. Developers must meet the 250,000 RON validator requirement before launching their chain. Economic activity on these Layer 2 chains can boost staking rewards for delegators. Shared security and shared rewards mean Ronin's scalability, security, and decentralization grow together.
Ronin Introduces zkEVM to Enhance Web3 Gaming
How zkEVM works
zkEVM stands for Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine. It lets a blockchain process more transactions faster without exposing transaction data.
A simple analogy
James has a treasure map, but his friends don't believe it's real. He wants to borrow a magic sword from a wizard who only lends to worthy adventurers. Normally, the wizard would make James complete a series of tests — slay a dragon, rescue a kitten, that sort of thing. These tasks take time.
Zero-knowledge proofs let the wizard confirm James is worthy without making him do the tests. The wizard makes faster decisions. James saves time.
zkEVM in blockchain terms
Validators are the wizards. They confirm whether transactions are valid. Zero-knowledge proofs let them confirm transactions faster by processing less information. Less information means less blockspace, which means validators can handle more transactions in less time and charge lower fees without revealing much data.
zkEVM Explained
Why Ronin needs zkEVM
Ronin can currently handle up to 40 million transactions per day. To reach 400 million or 4 billion transactions, zkEVM is the answer. Think of the Ronin mainnet as it exists now, then imagine an infinite web of chains built on top. That's how zkEVMs will scale Ronin.
zkEVM also expands the types of games Ronin can support. Ronin already handles existing games with low gas costs, but certain games have unique needs. Fully on-chain games, for example, might want to execute most game actions on-chain. Previously, these games could flood Ronin with transactions and make it difficult to support them.
G3 Examples of Fully On-Chain Games
Breaking down zkEVM
The term zkEVM combines two concepts: zero-knowledge proofs and Ethereum Virtual Machines (EVMs). Zero-knowledge proofs verify blockchain transactions without revealing details. Ethereum Virtual Machines are blockchains that use Ethereum's existing infrastructure.
As zkEVM technology rolls out, Ronin's transaction capacity will multiply. More games and users can benefit from its efficient and secure infrastructure. Gas costs stay low. Ronin stays at the front of blockchain gaming scalability.
Zero Knowledge Proofs Explained
What this means for Ronin developers and players
The first zkEVM chains are expected to launch in Q1 2025. At that point, developers will be able to create their own blockchains on top of Ronin. This could lead to game-specific chains: a Pixels chain, an Apeiron chain, a Ragnarok chain.
These dedicated chains will give developers powerful tools to build ownership-driven experiences within their gaming ecosystems. More chains mean more games, but also new responsibilities for users.
Ronin Ecosystem
Ronin currently hosts a limited number of live games. Within a year, the growth of Ronin Forge and the rollout of zkEVMs are expected to bring more developers to the ecosystem. These developers will be able to design games, decentralized applications (dApps), tokens, and entire ecosystems.
Users will be able to transfer and swap tokens and trade NFTs across these chains. However, users need to do their own research and take full responsibility for their on-chain activities. An L2 Innovation Zone will be introduced to flag projects with higher risk profiles. Users remain entirely responsible for their interactions and transactions within the ecosystem.
Ronin Forge Program
Key benefits of zkEVM
Scalability: zkEVM enables infinite blockspace by letting economically aligned Layer 2 chains deploy on top of Ronin.
User experience: Seamless cross-chain experience that lets users tap into applications like Mavis Market and Katana from a zkEVM chain.
Economic alignment: Potentially higher staking rewards since L2 sequencer fees go to the validator running the L2 chain. Starting a zkEVM chain requires 250,000 RON, which could increase demand and utility for RON.
More games: Allows onboarding of game teams with technical needs that require them to run their own distinct chain. Permissionless deployment. Anyone will be able to deploy their games to Ronin, allowing for more competition and faster onboarding.
Ronin developers are looking forward to collaborating with the community on new innovations. One area of interest: refining Polygon's AggLayer, which combines modular and monolithic approaches to blockchain scaling.
Core Benefits of zkEVM
Ronin's strategy: distribution over hype
Since launch, Ronin has partnered with a select group of games positioned for success. This focused approach helped launch the first two web3 games to exceed 1 million Daily Active Users (DAU). Now Ronin is shifting toward streamlining the process for rapid game onboarding without unnecessary constraints.
Blockchain technology promises to democratize economic freedom across the internet. That's a core tenet of crypto's original pitch. But the industry has historically favored technical innovation over effective distribution and user adoption strategies.
Ronin stands out by successfully integrating millions of mainstream users through gaming. Over 17 million gamers now hold crypto wallets, many engaging in decentralized finance (DeFi) and conducting their first crypto transactions on Ronin.
Ronin Analytics
The success of Ronin's strategy is clear: Initially built for a single game (Axie Infinity), Ronin cultivated a strong community foundation that fueled its expansion into broader markets. This approach mirrors the early strategies of companies like Amazon and Apple, which focused on building core products before expanding their offerings.
With zkEVM technology, Ronin aims to evolve from supporting a few high-quality games to becoming a cornerstone of the entire web3 gaming ecosystem. This advancement opens doors for every major web3 game to find a home on Ronin, supported by scalable and efficient infrastructure.
Ronin The Blockchain for Gamers
While these technological advancements are exciting, Ronin emphasizes that in web3, community engagement remains the priority. Technology's true power lies in its adoption and meaningful use by people.
Trung Nguyen, CEO of Sky Mavis, commented: "With the support of Polygon's best-in-class zk tech stack, this collaboration between our two ecosystems will usher in a new era of Web3 gaming. Our ultimate vision is to become the platform where the next billion people will create their first crypto wallet, and we believe that more games will be the gateway to achieving this milestone."
What's next
Ronin has integrated zkEVM and the Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK) into its infrastructure. But there's still work to do before gamers can fully experience the benefits of these innovations. Ronin remains focused on strengthening its community and enhancing distribution as the key factors.
Exciting developments are coming, including upcoming game releases and the recent launch of Ronin Forge. zkEVM represents just the first phase of Ronin's evolution toward greater scalability and permissionless capabilities. As Ronin continues to grow, the focus remains on moving forward.
