In a major update, Axie Infinity’s developers at Sky Mavis shared exclusive details with Decrypt about the upcoming “Stage 2” evolution for the game’s monster NFT characters. Set for release on December 14, this update will allow over 250 different Axie “parts” to evolve, enhancing both the character’s combat prowess and visual appearance.
Sky Mavis co-founder Jeffrey “Jiho” Zirlin discussed how they’re transforming Axies into evolving digital collectibles, a concept integral to their vision for over five years. The game, revolving around players battling Axies using cards, launched in 2018. Since then, it’s witnessed a massive player base, faced a substantial hack, and recovered a portion of the lost funds.
Comparing Axies to CryptoKitties, Zirlin highlighted their animated and lively nature. The Axie team plans to unveil a 20-page comic and an animated video that delves into the lore behind the Axie upgrades. The comic follows characters Ema and Bing in their quest to find “spirit shells” in the world of Lunacia and discover the Atia Temple, a pivotal place for Axie evolution.
To upgrade their Axies, NFT owners will use crafting materials or “burn” other Axies, essentially removing them from the blockchain to enhance the chosen Axie.