Aavegotchi Migrates to Base as 93.5% of Community Votes for Ethereum Layer-2

Aavegotchi, a prominent non-fungible token (NFT) protocol focused on Web3 gaming, has decided to transition from the Polygon blockchain network to Base, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling chain. This decision was made following an onchain vote where 93.5% of Aavegotchi’s community members supported the proposal to deprecate the protocol’s smart contracts on Polygon and redeploy them on Base. The vote, held on April 8, was a significant milestone in the protocol’s strategic shift.

The move was driven by several factors, including Polygon's stagnant total value locked (TVL) growth and Base's growing strength among retail users. Aavegotchi’s founder, Dan, cited the close relationship with the Base team and recent developments in the Base ecosystem as key reasons for the decision. Dan emphasized that the migration aligns with Aavegotchi’s efforts to adapt to the current cryptocurrency market downturn, which has been exacerbated by recent economic policies.

The decision also reflects Aavegotchi’s response to the broader challenges faced by the Web3 sector, particularly in the memecoins and NFT segments. Pixelcraft Studios, the developer behind Aavegotchi, has recently made significant team cuts to reduce operational costs and extend its runway. This strategic move is part of a broader effort to navigate the challenging market conditions and ensure the protocol’s sustainability.

Aavegotchi’s migration to Base highlights the ongoing competition among blockchain networks and layer-2 solutions. Polygon, which once boasted a TVL of nearly $10 billion in 2021, has seen its TVL decline to approximately $725 million as of April 8. In contrast, both Base and Arbitrum have surpassed $2 billion in TVL, indicating stronger user adoption and liquidity. TVL is a crucial metric in decentralized finance (DeFi), reflecting user trust, adoption, and available liquidity.

Dan noted that Polygon has not delivered significant updates or features for gaming protocols, which has contributed to its flat growth. In contrast, Base and Arbitrum have demonstrated both performance and longevity, making them more attractive options for Aavegotchi. Base, launched in 2023 by Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the US, has shown stronger retail onboarding, further solidifying its position as a preferred choice for Aavegotchi.

Aavegotchi, created through a collaboration between Pixelcraft Studios and Aave, a decentralized lending protocol, describes its NFTs as digital collectibles that can be customized with various wearables and traded as NFTs. The migration to Base is expected to enhance the protocol’s capabilities and user experience, positioning it for future growth in the Web3 gaming sector.