Ancient8

Ancient8 operates a gaming-focused Ethereum Layer 2 network, marketed as "The Super Gaming Chain" and described as a modular blockchain for Web3 games built with the Superchain. The chain hosts categories of titles including fully on-chain games, games distributed on X and Telegram, IP-infused games and AI-powered games, with listed titles such as PokeyQuest, Onchain Clash, Zone Nine, Pirate Clash, Pirate Frenzy, Stellar Forger and Master Duel.

The company began as a blockchain gaming guild and GameFi infrastructure developer in Vietnam. Earlier materials describe Ancient8 as a Web3 gaming infrastructure protocol building a GameFi Identity product, token and NFT launchpads (Dojo Launchpad), the Space3 Web3 gaming loyalty platform, a research content portal and guild management software, alongside operating what it called Vietnam's largest blockchain gaming guild. More recent products include the Ancient8 Wallet (powered by the Coin98 wallet engine) and the Ancient8 Bridge, which supports moving the $A8 token between Ethereum and Ancient8 Chain.

Founding story

Ancient8 was founded in July 2021 by Howard Xu, Nathan L and William Phan, with a stated mission to reach, educate and empower the next 100 million metaverse citizens. Co-founders Nathan and William had previously worked in Vietnam's crypto ecosystem from 2017 at Coin68, a blockchain media outlet, and Kyros Ventures, an incubator.

Business model

Ancient8 supplies infrastructure, distribution and community services to Web3 game studios: chain infrastructure for deploying games, launchpads and identity/loyalty products for user acquisition, and, in its earlier guild model, lending play-to-earn game assets to "scholars" who play and share rewards. Sources describe Web3-native targeted advertising to gamers through its GameFi Identity product and launchpads as a service offered to GameFi studios.

Traction

As of mid-2022 the company reported a community of more than 200,000 members, over 3,500 guild scholars, partnerships with 25+ GameFi projects (including Axie Infinity, CyBall, Phantom Galaxies, Bigtime, Tatsumeeko, Delysium, Blast Royale, Apeiron and Angelic), and products used by 100+ Web3 games and 200,000+ users; TechCrunch reported support for more than 10,000 blockchain game players in January 2022. More recently the chain lists multiple live games and an ecosystem of infrastructure partners, and the Builder Jam hackathon offered over $200,000 in prizes.

Latest developments

Recent activity reported on the company blog includes a 500,000 $OP grant from Optimism's Governance Fund and a subsequent Season 1 Grant Program for Web3 gaming projects, full $A8 token support and bridging on Ancient8 Chain, the Ancient8 Odyssey airdrop campaign phases, the Ancient8 Builder Jam hackathon with Kyros Ventures, ZKP Labs and Orochi Network, the Dæmons on-chain companion game, and partnerships with Zone Nine, Nakame, Supra, IQ Protocol, Particle Network, Desig, StreamNFT, Hyperlane and ARPA.