The Ethereum-based arena battler game Moonray has achieved a milestone on OpenSea, completing the platform’s largest free gaming NFT mint to date. Over a 48-hour period, users minted 220,629 “Jadeon Adam” character skins.
This giveaway provided players with a unique earthy green in-game character skin, designed for use during battles. The NFTs were minted on Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, Base, and were available for free between November 19 and November 21.
Moonray, Airdrops and NFTs
Moonray, a PC combat arena game accessible via the Epic Games Store, has previously run a play-to-airdrop campaign. This initiative rewarded players’ in-game progress with allocations of the soon-to-launch MNRY token. The game has also released NFTs offering perks and bonuses, enhancing player engagement.
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NFT-based items and skins offer players true ownership of their digital assets, making them a powerful tool for mainstream crypto and digital collectible adoption. According to OpenSea’s Head of Gaming, Oliver Maroney, this approach represents one of the most effective ways to bring blockchain technology to a broader audience.
The game is scheduled to launch on the PlayStation 5 next year. However, due to Sony’s restrictions on cryptocurrency features, these NFTs will only be usable in the PC version.
Originally introduced as the “first Bitcoin metaverse,” Moonray initially focused on action role-playing elements and was built on the Bitcoin layer-2 network Stacks. However, the project shifted its focus to combat gameplay and migrated to Ethereum. This transition enabled the launch of NFTs on OpenSea, which does not support Bitcoin-based NFTs. The move has significantly increased the game’s player base, particularly through this large-scale giveaway.
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The team behind Moonray were over the Moon about the success of the mint, stating that the reception from the community and the number of players who participated were overwhelmingly positive. Hans Andersson, founder and Chief Business Officer of Moonray, highlighted the exceptional support provided by OpenSea, which he credited as instrumental to the mint’s success.
Why Moonray Chose Coinbase’s Base Network
Moonray’s choice to mint its 220,000 “Jadeon Adam” NFTs on Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, Base, was a deliberate and strategic decision. Base offers several advantages that align with the needs of blockchain games aiming for scalability and accessibility.
One of the primary reasons is Base’s low transaction costs. Minting hundreds of thousands of NFTs on Ethereum’s mainnet would have incurred prohibitively high gas fees, especially during periods of network congestion. Base’s layer-2 architecture significantly reduces these fees by bundling transactions and processing them off-chain before finalizing them on Ethereum.
Scalability was another crucial factor. A mint of this scale requires a network that can handle a high volume of transactions efficiently and without disruptions. Base, which uses Optimistic Rollups to process and verify large numbers of transactions simultaneously, ensured that users experienced smooth and fast minting.
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Base’s integration with the Coinbase ecosystem also played a key role. As a product of one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency platforms, Base benefits from being closely tied to Coinbase’s wallet and infrastructure. This made it easier for players, including those new to blockchain gaming, to participate in the mint without needing advanced technical knowledge. The ease of onboarding likely helped Moonray reach a wider audience.
From a developer’s perspective, Base offers robust tools and support for deploying blockchain applications. Its user-friendly infrastructure and extensive documentation streamlined the NFT minting process for Moonray’s team, reducing potential technical hurdles and ensuring a successful campaign.
