Aavegotchi Community Makes Bold Move to Migrate to Base Blockchain
Apr 10
2 min read
Aavegotchi, a prominent player in the NFT gaming space, has made a significant decision to migrate from the Polygon blockchain to Base, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution. This move, driven by overwhelming community support, aims to enhance the platform's performance and user engagement amidst a challenging market environment.
Key Takeaways
Aavegotchi community voted 93.5% in favor of migrating to Base.
The migration is part of a strategic shift to improve liquidity and user experience.
Pixelcraft Studios, the development team, has made significant cuts to extend operational runway.
The transition is expected to take four to six weeks, including an audit period.
Migration Details
On April 8, 2025, Aavegotchi's decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) voted decisively to deprecate its smart contracts on Polygon and re-deploy them on Base. The proposal, titled "Make Aavegotchi Based Again," received a resounding 93.5% approval from community members, reflecting a strong consensus on the need for change.
The decision to migrate comes as Aavegotchi faces a challenging landscape in the NFT and gaming sectors, which have been significantly impacted by a downturn in the cryptocurrency market. The founder of Aavegotchi, known as coderdan, highlighted the importance of aligning with a blockchain that offers better liquidity and user engagement opportunities.
Reasons for the Migration
Market Conditions: The NFT market has been struggling since the peak of the pandemic-era bull market, prompting Aavegotchi to seek a more stable environment.
Polygon's Performance: Aavegotchi's leadership noted that Polygon's total value locked (TVL) has stagnated, dropping from nearly $10 billion in 2021 to around $725 million. In contrast, Base and Arbitrum have seen more robust growth, each holding over $2 billion in TVL.
Development Support: The close relationship with the Base team and the support from Coinbase, which operates Base, were significant factors in the decision. The integration with Coinbase Wallet and other platforms was also appealing to the community.
Transition Process
The migration process will involve several key steps:
Sunsetting Polygon Contracts: Aavegotchi's existing smart contracts on Polygon will be upgraded to prevent any transfers or state changes during the transition.
Minting on Base: All Aavegotchi assets, including NFTs and wearables, will be minted on Base at a 1:1 ratio, ensuring that users retain their holdings.
Audit Period: The entire migration is expected to take four to six weeks, during which an audit will be conducted to ensure security and functionality.
Future Outlook
Despite the current challenges in the NFT and gaming sectors, Aavegotchi's leadership remains optimistic about the future. The move to Base is seen as a strategic step towards long-term growth and sustainability. The community's overwhelming support for the migration indicates a strong belief in the potential of Aavegotchi to thrive in a more favorable environment.
As the migration unfolds, Aavegotchi aims to solidify its position in the competitive landscape of Web3 gaming, leveraging the advantages offered by Base to enhance user experience and engagement.
Sources
Gaming NFT maker Aavegotchi votes to ditch Polygon for Base, StartupNews.fyi.
Aavegotchi NFT gaming community votes to migrate to Base, sunset Polygon deployment, The Block.
Gaming NFT maker Aavegotchi votes to ditch Polygon for Base, Cointelegraph.