Solana’s first gaming SVM surpasses 1M monthly active users
Summary
Sonics testnet has surpassed one million monthly active users in a testament to the growing adoption of Web3 games.Sonic, the first gaming-focused Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) layer 2, generated over 600 million transactions from over one million users during its testnet.The user surge was largely due to the Odyssey testnet campaign, which offered users rewards for playing and transacting on the testnet, according to Chris Zhu, CEO of Sonic SVM.The testnet offered users eight games to play, including the more popular Rage Effect, LowLifeForms and JogoJogo, with the latters prediction-based game receiving over 250,000 registrations.Sonic is part of a new paradigm called play-to-earn or Web3 gaming that aims to reward users for their time and create player-owned economies with real-world value. However, Web3 gaming is struggling to attract mainstream users due to a lack of quality games.Looking at Web3 game development, the lack of soft infrastructure is currently the biggest challenge for builders.Essential soft infrastructure includes go-to-market strategy support, project bootstrapping services, and post-launch marketing tactics, according to Sonics Zhu:Sonic SVM closed a $12 million Series A funding round led by Bitkraft Ventures at the end of June, bringing its total capital raised to $16 million.Web3 gaming adoption: Education is the biggest issue for mainstream gamersThe current Web3 games are often criticized for ignoring the development of quality gameplay for quick financial incentives.However, Sonics Zhu believes education is a bigger challenge for mainstream Web3 gaming adoption. He said:Solanas is shaping up as a top blockchain for Web3 gaming communities, added Zhu.Other popular blockchain networks for gaming include Ronin Network, which is Axie Infinitys blockchain, Immutable X, MultiverX, Oasys and Polygon.