Meta Apes Explores The BNB Application Sidechain To Merge Web2 and Web3 Gaming Functionality

The Purpose of The BNB Application Sidechain

Announced a few months ago, the BNB Application Sidechain provides potential for projects looking to explore Web3 opportunities. The sidechain is part of a broader initiative by the BNB Chain team to improve network scalability. These sidechains can host decentralized applications compatible with the BNB chain, including blockchain games. Although BNB Chain has a solid track record as a Layer-1 network, there are still improvements to be made on costs and transaction speed.

Through the BNB Application Sidechain, developers can move data and assets from the BNB chain to avoid the Layer-1 network’s limited transactional output. Moreover, every sidechain built through this architecture will focus on specific use cases, creating a new sandbox for individual projects. Having a native blockchain for a project introduces more internal value to any number of users and maintains a close connection with the BNB Chain. 

The first major project to explore the opportunities presented by the BNB Application Sidechain is Meta Apes. The free-to-play and play-to-earn MMO strategy game offers a mobile-first experience to gamers worldwide. Players can explore a post-apocalyptic world where Apes rule the lands. However, these Apes are not content with just living on Earth, as they are space domination. Meta Apes players need to collaborate with their Gang to form strong Clans and win the race to space. 

By integrating the BNB Application Sidechain, Meta Apes gains full use of in-game cryptocurrencies, NFT characters, and true digital ownership. All game-related data will exist on the blockchain forever, removing the need for centralized servers. More importantly, players can trade or sell any of their in-game assets and earn rewards by playing the game and progressing further. 

Meta Apes Has Big Web3 Plans

The team behind Meta Apes has always envisioned a future where Web2 meets Web3. The game’s mobile-first approach caters to the current needs and preferences of Web2 gamers. Incorporating blockchain technology and its broader functionality – through Ankr´s Gaming SDK – will enable a pivot to Web3. It offers the best of both worlds while giving the developers more freedom to experiment with data-intensive features and aspects. 

Meta Apes Business Lead Taylor Shim explains:

“Meta Apes was born out of this idea of creating a community-oriented game that offers both audiences something valuable – 1) an opportunity for the traditional gamers to earn & truly own their in-game assets and 2) a much more interactive and enjoyable experience to the blockchain gamers who are primarily looking to earn. Building on an application-focused sidechain helps us avoid a lot of the common issues seen in blockchain gaming like network congestion and giving us a lot more flexibility in terms of game design & tokenomics.”

Meta Apes has been constructed with the Ankr Gaming SDK to combine fun gameplay with incentives and monetization. Ankr is also a contributor to the BNB Application Sidechain’s development process, making the addition of a sidechain and its benefits rather straightforward for the Meta Apes team. Furthermore, the team was able to convert from a Web2 to a Web3 approach in less than a month, all thanks to Ankr’s Gaming SDK.