Sky Mavis, the creator behind the popular play-to-earn NFT game Axie Infinity, has recently launched a version of its brand-new game on the App Store. Dubbed Origins, it is a card game that doesn’t require players to purchase NFTs compared to the original Axie Infinity. The newest version provides them with non-NFT “starter characters” that are available for free.
The Origins game has been available on Malaysia’s Google PlayStore and Sky Mavis-owned Mavis Hub since last year. During that time, the team behind the project seized the opportunity to “optimize gameplay before expanding to other markets.”
After the launch on the App Store, users from Latin American and Asian countries got access to the game. These countries include Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
With non-NFT holders in mind, the Axie Infinity: Origins allows players to engage in the game with free non-NFT in-game characters known as “starter axies.” As it’s stated in the game’s official Twitter account, players will have a choice in this iOS version of Origins, ‘whether to use their own NFT axies or upgradeable starter axies to play.’ Both options will work in Adventure and Arena Modes.
Despite a major setback from last year over a $625 million security breach, Axie Infinity has stayed committed to growing its ecosystem. Aside from its game launch in the App Store, the company is also set to debut a marketplace dubbed Mavis Market. Collectibles from third-party games or dApp developers who deploy on Ronin will be available on this trading platform.
By bringing its products to iOS users and making them available for everyone to engage with, Axie Infinity has positioned itself at the frontier of attracting more gamers to its play-to-earn gaming ecosystem.