Why Ethereum Layer-2 Arbitrum Is Built to Power AAA Games: Offchain Labs CEO

The flexibility of Arbitrum’s tech stack may be gaining traction on Wall Street through Robinhood and its stock tokenization push, but the Ethereum layer-2 scaling network’s qualities should eventually make it a go-to hub for game developers, according to Offchain Labs CEO Steven Goldfeder.

In an interview, Goldfeder said that companies like Xai Games and Proof of Play are leveraging Arbitrum’s architecture to create custom blockchains for gaming, showcasing how the Nintendos of the world may one day use Arbitrum for crypto-powered experiences.

“Gaming is super strong on Arbitrum,” he told Decrypt. “We’re seeing top game builders building on-chain, which is a marked difference from what we saw […] years ago, where the games were pretty bad, to be honest.”

Robinhood is developing its own Ethereum layer-2 scaling network using Arbitrum’s tech stack, underscoring how fintech firms are tapping blockchains to augment existing business models.

But in 2025, AAA game studios like Activision and Electronic Arts have yet to release titles that use blockchains to track the ownership of in-game assets, whether they be skins or currency. Gaming giants like Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft and Final Fantasy creator Square Enix have launched blockchain games, but they’re outliers among traditional publishers.

Most AAA games are built using C++, a general-purpose programming language that’s far more adaptable than Ethereum’s Solidity, which was specifically designed for smart contracts.

Arbitrum’s tech stack supports a tool called Arbitrum Stylus. Launched last year, it allows developers to write smart contracts in different languages, including C++ and Rust.

“One of the best things you can do to attract all types of builders is actually give them developer tooling that’s familiar to them,” Goldfeder said. “That really is only offered on Arbitrum chains.”

Rumors have been swirling around Grand Theft Auto 6 for years, despite no such mention of integrating crypto from Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two. The game publisher has banned the use of NFTs and cryptocurrencies on player-run Grand Theft Auto 5 servers, mirroring developer Mojang and publisher Microsoft’s crackdown on NFTs’ use in Minecraft.

Sony’s Ethereum layer-2 scaling network Soneium, which debuted in January, was built using scaling technology from Optimism, an Arbitrum competitor. Last month, Soneium unveiled a gaming app incubator backed by Astar Network and Startale Cloud Services.

Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, an initiative from the Arbitrum DAO, began investing in projects in May, including Xai Games and Proof of Play. Arbitrum Gaming Ventures’ first cohort of investments received $10 million in commitments, according to a press release.

Proof of Play has already released the role-playing game Pirate Nation, which debuted on Arbitrum and then migrated to its own Arbitrum-powered network as it matured.

Goldfeder said the dynamic mirrors Robinhood’s plans to migrate tokenized stock trading to its own blockchain, while highlighting the flexibility that developers have in being able to start off in a “neutral environment” and progressively build toward custom arrangements.

“It’s gaming first, blockchain second,” Goldfeder said. “That’s similar to what we’re seeing with Robinhood, where they’re delivering their Web2 experience on Web3 rails. So, the crypto part is additive, but it’s actually accessible to everyone.”