Web3Port Labs recently announced a strategic partnership with Pioneer Studio, paving the way for new growth opportunities within the Web3 ecosystem. This collaboration signifies a shared commitment to exploring the future of Web3 gaming innovation.

Pioneer Studio, a dedicated blockchain gaming development studio, envisions leveraging ZK (Zero-Knowledge) technology to support decentralized products while expanding the adoption of cryptographic technologies. Its core business focuses on two pillars: Pioneer Studio, a full-on-chain gaming platform, and ZKConnect an infrastructure solution for on-chain gaming.

Background:

Gaming Market Trends

According to the Global Games Market Report 2023 by Newzoo, the global gaming market has reached a valuation of $219.68 billion in 2023, with a player base exceeding 3 billion users. However, the Web3 gaming market remains in its infancy, generating only $5.2 billion in revenue during the same period. Despite this, its growth potential is significant. With the gradual recovery of the crypto market, the user base and market share of Web3 gaming are expected to expand rapidly.

Evolution and Challenges in Web3 Gaming

Web3 gaming (GameFi) is a vital sector within the Web3 industry. Early iterations of Web3 games focused on the Play-to-Earn (P2E) model, emphasizing economic incentives and DeFi revenue. While these games attracted users through financial rewards, their design often needed to pay more attention to gameplay and player experience. This imbalance led to short life cycles and a cycle of unsustainable growth. The rise and fall of pioneering blockchain games such as Axie Infinity and StepN revealed inherent flaws in this finance-centric development model.

As the crypto market rebounds and new technologies emerge, Web3 gaming is transitioning toward a Play-to-Fun model, prioritizing gameplay and user engagement. Full-on-chain games, a novel direction within the space, are revitalizing the industry with their core features of transparency, decentralization, and true asset ownership. These advancements promise to reshape Web3 gaming, fostering innovation and sustainability.

Full On-chain Games: Revolutionizing the Gaming Experience

What Are Full On-chain Games?

Full On-chain Games represent an innovative gaming paradigm where all core game logic, rules, and assets are fully recorded on the blockchain. By leveraging smart contracts to execute game rules, these games achieve true decentralization, granting players greater autonomy and security.

Key Features of Full On-chain Games

Compared to traditional Web2 games and early Web3 gaming models, Full On-chain Games offer distinct advantages:

• Complete Player Asset Ownership: Game assets are stored on-chain, allowing players to trade and transfer freely without relying on centralized servers controlled by game companies.

• Transparency and Trustworthiness: Game rules are enforced by immutable smart contracts, ensuring fairness and complete transparency.

• Decentralized Governance and an Innovative Ecosystem: DAO-based governance models enable true player autonomy by allowing communities to actively participate in the design and decision-making processes of game rules and economic systems.

One of the earliest and most notable attempts at Full On-chain Games was Dark Forest, a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game (MMORTS) that incorporated fog-of-war mechanics. Utilizing ZK-SNARK technology, enabled incomplete-information gameplay by concealing player location data and introducing complex strategic elements. However, due to limitations in blockchain technology and certain design constraints, Dark Forest still needed to achieve widespread mainstream adoption.

Technological Drivers Behind Full On-chain Games

The rapid development of Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) technologies, particularly the widespread adoption of ZK Rollups, has significantly advanced Full On-chain Games in terms of performance, scalability, and user experience. By leveraging Layer 2 scaling solutions, Full On-chain Games can drastically reduce gas fees, achieve high throughput, and deliver smoother user interactions, laying a solid technical foundation for their broader adoption.

The Synergy Between 4X Strategy Games and Full On-chain Games

4X strategy games, known for their depth and complexity, derive their name from four core gameplay pillars: Explore, Expand, Exploit, and Exterminate. These games typically feature expansive maps, intricate resource management systems, and sophisticated strategic elements. Players are encouraged to manage and grow their civilizations or empires through exploration, development, and competition.

The design principles of Full On-chain Games align naturally with the openness and high degree of freedom characteristic of 4X strategy games. By leveraging blockchain technology, 4X Full On-chain Games can deliver Enhanced Asset Ownership, Fair and Transparent Game Mechanics, and Player-Driven Ecosystems: Decentralized governance allows players to influence the creation of rules and economic systems, significantly enhancing engagement and involvement.

0xPioneer: Ushering in a New Era of Full On-chain Gaming

0xPioneer is an innovative 4X strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic civilization revival theme. Featuring the core elements of eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate, it leverages ZK cryptographic technology to create a fog-of-war asymmetric information system. With all game rules and mechanisms calculated entirely on-chain, Pioneer Studio enhances playability, trust, and dynamic interactions, offering players an open and autonomous gaming universe.

Key Features of Pioneer Studio

• High-Freedom Rule Design:

The game’s minimal core rules allow players to freely explore and shape their gameplay experience — building territories, collecting resources, exploring relics, developing technologies, expanding domains, and engaging in strategic information warfare. Players have the power to influence game rules and the in-game economy.

• Open World:

Players shape a diverse and evolving world collaboratively, testing their strategic, social, diplomatic, and survival skills in a dynamic, ever-changing environment.

• Asymmetric Information Gameplay:

By introducing fog-of-war and asymmetric information mechanics, 0xPioneer offers a highly strategic and competitive combat system, where players’ tactics and intelligence determine the outcome, creating an intense and immersive experience.

• DAO-Driven Community Governance:

Through DAO participation, players can vote on key game decisions, propose suggestions, and shape the future direction of the game. This governance model empowers players, enriching the ecosystem with creativity and vitality.

Advantageous Comparison with Traditional 4X and Full On-chain Games

0xPioneer stands out in its open gameplay, strategic depth, player autonomy, and on-chain transparency, offering a superior experience compared to traditional Web2 4X games and other Web3 full-on-chain games.

Game Architecture: Transparent and Efficient Design with ZK Technology

0xPioneer employs cutting-edge ZK (Zero-Knowledge) technology to shift untrusted game computations off-chain, leveraging ZKWASM, a ZK virtual machine that provides verifiable proof of computation. Core rules and strategic settings remain on-chain, ensuring open, customizable, and transparent execution. This hybrid model guarantees the integrity and immutability of game operations, delivering a trustworthy and fair environment for players.

0xPioneer on Off-Chain Computation Process：

1. Player Operation Submission: Players execute actions such as resource collection, building construction, or battle simulations in the game interface, which are then transmitted to the off-chain ZKNode for processing.

2. Off-Chain Logical Computation: ZKNode processes complex game logic (e.g., resource adjustments or combat results) off-chain, significantly enhancing computational efficiency.

3. Proof Generation: After completing computations, ZKNode generates a Zero-Knowledge Proof (Proof) to confirm the legality and accuracy of the operation.

4. On-Chain Verification and State Update: The Proof is submitted to smart contracts on-chain for verification. Once validated, the contract updates game states and player assets, ensuring transparency and immutability.

0xPioneer leverages a Data Availability Layer to store and validate game data. This guarantees Data Security and Real-Time Access and prevents tampering or loss of data while ensuring players have instant access to the latest game states. Also enhanced Transparency and User Experience: Strengthens trust and improves overall gameplay.

Tokenomics: A Dual-Token Economy

0xPioneer employs a dual-token model to support governance and in-game operations:

• PIOT (Primary Token): Governance Token: Enables users to participate in project governance. Use Cases: In-game activities related to value addition and authorization, such as upgrading within the 0xPioneer universe.
• PSY Coin (PSYC): Game Utility Token: Powers the in-game ecosystem and operations. Use Cases: Fuels player actions on the world map. Produces soldiers within military buildings in the main city and upgrades technological buildings for enhanced gameplay.

From the Token Economy Flow diagram, it is evident that PSYC serves as the core value carrier for in-game development and ecosystem operations, while PIOT primarily facilitates the upgrade of key in-game assets and supports DAO governance. This dual-role design ensures the sustainability of an autonomous and open-world game mechanism.

Technical Backbone: ZKConnect

The success of Pioneer Studio is underpinned by its robust technical infrastructure, ZKConnect. Designed as a comprehensive full-on-chain gaming infrastructure, ZKConnect integrates ZKWASM to deliver Layer 2 and Layer 3 services, offering efficiency, security, and a developer-friendly environment.

Key Features of ZKConnect：

• High TPS & Low Gas Fees: Supports up to 100,000 transactions per second (TPS). Gas fees are as low as $0.001, enabling mass user participation.
• Cross-Chain Compatibility: Integrates cryptographic algorithms and consensus mechanisms for seamless cross-chain transactions. Compatible with leading ecosystems, including Ethereum and TON.
• Standardized Asset Solutions: Built-in support for asset definitions and liquidity solutions. Native compatibility with ERC20, ERC721, ERC1155, and other token standards.
• Enhanced Trust and Efficiency: Utilizes ZK-SNARK verification for secure and cost-effective interactions. Layer 3 architecture ensures scalability and low latency.
• Developer-Friendly Environment: Simplifies development with support for assembly scripts and TypeScript. Enhanced by the XVM compiler for seamless execution.
• Multi-Language Support: Offers broad language compatibility to accelerate Web3 application deployment.
• Comprehensive SDK and API Support: Includes tools like the XVM Compiler, L1/L2 Chain API, System/Storage API, and integrations for third-party SDKs, game libraries, and engines.

ZKConnect technological infrastructure：

ZKConnect Layer3:

ZKConnect Layer 3: A Decentralized Service Network for Full On-Chain Gaming

The ZKConnect Layer 3 architecture aims to establish a decentralized service network, providing robust technical support for the seamless operation of full-on-chain games. By combining off-chain computation with on-chain validation, Layer 3 not only enhances performance and scalability but also delivers reliability and transparency for developers and users alike.

Core Architecture of ZKConnect Layer 3

At the heart of Layer 3 lies its off-chain nodes, equipped with an embedded WASM Virtual Machine (VM). These nodes process complex game logic and generate ZK-SNARKs (Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge). The generated proofs are then submitted to specific node types, ensuring security, reliability, and operational efficiency.

• Fast Node: Handles sorting and rapid verification of off-chain operations. Submits operations to Layer 3 for continued off-chain processing. Operates in shard groups for faster feedback loops, optimizing user experience.
• Storage Node: Archives all Layer 3 data, allowing developers to store game asset binaries securely. Provides additional storage services for a Gas fee, ensuring sustainable and efficient operations.
• Verify Node: Validates operations from Fast Nodes and bundles them into ZKConnect Layer 2. Triggers rollback actions for failed verifications and penalizes non-compliant Fast Nodes. Ensures the network’s security, integrity, and trustworthiness through rigorous validation processes.

Pioneer Studio: A Strong Team and Strategic Resources

Pioneer Studio is backed by a dynamic and experienced team from diverse industries, including gaming, traditional finance, blockchain technology, and marketing. This team combines extensive game product development and operational expertise with cutting-edge blockchain technology and marketing prowess, aiming to propel Pioneer Studio’s rapid growth and set a new standard in the Web3 gaming industry.

Key Team Highlights

Founder — Hale: Hale brings over 15 years of game development experience, with a notable track record in Tencent. He led the development of the world’s first mobile SLG game, LORD, showcasing his deep expertise in game design and development. His leadership and successful experience in the gaming industry make him a pivotal figure in Pioneer’s growth.

Technical Advisor — Sinka: Sinka, founder of DelphinusLab and a major contributor to ZKwasm, is a renowned expert in blockchain technology, particularly in zero-knowledge proofs. His technical expertise provides critical support for Pioneer Studio’s underlying infrastructure, ensuring its security and scalability.

Team Achievements: DeFi Products: Led DeFi products with a total TVL surpassing $1B. GameFi Products: Facilitated NFT sales totaling $3M, showcasing the team’s market impact in the Web3 gaming space.Web2 and Web3 Game Projects: Successfully managed games with cumulative revenues exceeding $500M, reinforcing the team’s ability to scale and monetize gaming products effectively.

Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Expansion：

Pioneer Studio has forged deep collaborations with leading ecosystem partners, including Scroll, DelphinusLab, Web3.com Ventures, ZKCROSS, ForesightX, Blade Games, Avail, Seedify, TON, WASM Emulator, Artela, Triendx. These strategic partnerships not only enhance Pioneer’s technical capabilities but also expand its ecosystem influence, positioning the studio to connect developers, players, and investors in the fast-growing Web3 space.

Roadmap & Future Outlook for Pioneer Studio

Pioneer Studio’s development roadmap is divided into four phases:

1. Phase 0 & Phase 1 (2024): The goal for these phases is to develop and refine the Pioneer Studio game, enhancing gameplay and preparing for the official game release. By the end of this phase, the game will be ready for launch, setting the foundation for the future.

2. Phase 2 & Phase 3 (2025): In these phases, Pioneer will introduce ZKConnect and Layer3 services, integrating the ZKwasm framework and further expanding the SDK and developer documentation. The aim is to build a decentralized service network that enhances the Web3 ecosystem for both users and developers.

Currently, the Pioneer Studio game has completed several testing stages, with the official release just around the corner. Moving forward, Pioneer plans to lead the evolution of full-on-chain games through continued technological innovation and community-driven collaboration.

Summary

Pioneer Studio is at the forefront of innovation in the full-on-chain gaming sector, blending ZK technology with the core mechanics of a 4X strategy game to create a unique offering that emphasizes openness, high freedom, and community autonomy. Its open rule design, flexible gameplay, community-driven governance, and technological innovation provide new value for both players and developers.

Additionally, its robust ZKConnect infrastructure offers powerful technical support to developers, paving the way for the rapid growth of the Web3 gaming industry. With its strategic roadmap and commitment to expanding its ecosystem, Pioneer is poised to play a key role in shaping the future of decentralized gaming.

References:

LK Venture Research Report: In-depth Analysis of Full On-chain Games (Full On-chain Game): Past, Present, and Future

https://www.theblockbeats.info/news/42423

Understanding Full On-chain Games in One Article

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/glL_gpVYaf4NBY8O9LGZdw

J Research: 2024 Web3 Gaming Industry Trend Deep Dive

https://www.chaincatcher.com/article/2124210