SINGAPORE, Jan. 18, 2024 – Today, Matter Labs and iCandy announced a strategic collaboration that will see the joint commitment and allocation of resources to the development of a dedicated zkSync gaming and AI-focused hyperchain, to be called zkCandy. The Layer2 hyperchain will have gaming and AI-specific tools, decentralized gaming infrastructure, developer resources, and a general game development ecosystem. Its website is now live at https://zkcandy.io.
- iCandy Interactive is set to develop a Web3 gaming and AI hyperchain based on zkSync technology
- iCandy Interactive to add its extensive gaming expertise for the expansion of on-chain gaming in the zkSync community
- iCandy announces plan to establish zkCandy, a joint venture with Matter Labs, to launch three new games exclusively on zkSync and to build hyperchain infrastructure specifically designed to optimize the deployment of games and for use by gaming companies and developersc
Matter Labs is a software development, engineering, and cryptography company working on and developing software for the zkSync protocol, a Layer2 trustless protocol that provides a scaling solution for Ethereum. iCandy Games Limited (“iCandy”), is a fully owned subsidiary of iCandy Interactive Limited, the largest independent game developer in Southeast Asia with over 700 full-time employees and seven independent studios.
There is a vacancy in Web3 for experienced game developers who can develop quality entertainment for gamers in the Web3 context. According to Game7’s 2023 State of Web3 Gaming Report, the number of Web3 games launched annually decreased by 65% from 2022 and tumbled further in excess of 72% from the industry high in 2021.
As part of the collaboration, Matter Labs’ Zero-Knowledge (ZK) Stack framework will be used to deploy gaming-specific hyperchains, and iCandy will leverage its vast traditional and Web3 gaming expertise, having developed and launched hundreds of traditional and Web3 games. Both parties will work closely to develop the new Layer2 hyperchain. A dedicated company named zkCandy Limited will be set up with both companies jointly investing resources and capital to enable it to build the ecosystem around the zkCandy Hyperchain.
Matter Labs will provide deep technological expertise, engineering, and support to zkCandy to ensure that its hyperchain is optimized for Web3 gaming and the best place for gaming developers to build new and innovative products that take advantage of the benefits that the zkSync ecosystem provides. This marks just the beginning of the possibilities opened up by the zkCandy Hyperchain.
“Web3 gaming needs leadership with a proven record of deliverables. Quality games, developer tools, and further infrastructure are needed to advance this industry forward. The overarching goal of this collaboration will be to pave the way for the next generation of interactive gaming experiences on the blockchain, The technological advancements needed to move the industry forward are made possible by zkSync and with the experts developing the ZK Stack,” said zkCandy.
The partnership between Matter Labs and iCandy will enable zkCandy to:
- develop a gaming-focused hyperchain, through the ZK Stack, specifically designed to optimize gaming on zkCandy.
- establish an operating team located at zkCandy, dedicated to the advancement of decentralized gaming on zkCandy.
- zkCandy will work on the incubation and encouragement of the development and deployment of new Web3 games to the zk Layer2 ecosystem.
- Matter Labs and iCandy will share engineering resources to support zkCandy, including its game deployment, tooling, and optimization for gaming developers, gaming applications, code libraries, decentralization strategies, and mentorship from leaders in the ecosystem.
“iCandy Interactive is one of the largest independent video game developers in the world with an impressive track record of producing games for iconic franchises ranging from Marvel’s Avengers, Spiderman, Mortal Kombat, Need for Speed, and The Last of Us,” remarked Michael Lee, former Activision Blizzard executive and current SVP of Growth at Matter Labs. “Similar to their early shift into the mobile gaming sector to entertain over 370 million players, they are leveraging zkSync’s revolutionary zero-knowledge (ZK) technology to unlock a new category of web3 games driven by new business models; in turn, potentially change the way hundreds of millions of people play games.”
zkCandy Games on zkSync
zkCandy will begin its work by developing and deploying three casual-player Web3 games on zkSync in Q1 2024.
- Choo Choo Spirits
- Blaster Rush 3×3 shooter
- Future Girls
