Carefully! Lots of text.
It's 2021, which means you can make money by breeding virtual pets. We would describe Axie Infinity this way: a blockchain-based game that combines the features of Pokémon and CryptoKitties, as well as elements of card games.
To be more precise, Axie Infinity is a game and NFT ecosystem built on the Ethereum blockchain. Its native cryptocurrency is ERC-20 tokens called Axie Infinity Shard (AXS) and Smooth Love Potion (SLP). AXS is the governance token and SLP is used to breed new Axies. AXS is also available as BEP-20 tokens on Binance Smart Chain (BSC).
Each Axie creature has its own class, specific body parts, set of characteristics and other attributes. To play you will need an Axie command, which can be purchased or obtained from other players. You can store tokens and NFTs in Ethereum or Ronin wallets. The Ronin sidechain allows for near-instant token and Axies transactions without using the Ethereum blockchain, reducing overall transaction costs.
In the future, you will also be able to purchase NFT lands. Both AXS and SLP are available for purchase on Binance and are forwarded to your Ronin wallet. You can also use Ronin Bridge to send tokens from an Ethereum wallet to a Ronin wallet.
Introduction
Taking cues from industry pioneer CryptoKitties, Axie Infinity was envisioned as an Ethereum-based collectible game. Since its inception in 2018, it has successfully grown and developed. Axie Infinity is a project of the Vietnamese startup Sky Mavis, which was created as a project of enthusiasts and gradually turned into a popular game on the Ethereum network.
The native token of the Axie Infinity ecosystem is called Axie Infinity Shard (AXS). AXS is an ERC-20 governance token released in November 2020. AXS tokens can be purchased, traded, or earned simply by participating in the game. The top players of each season receive awards in AXS.
Other tokens associated with Axie Infinity include game assets (such as Axie creatures) in the form of ERC-721 tokens and ERC-20 – Smooth Love Potion (SLP) tokens. Part of the play-and-earn movement, SLP tokens allow gamers to earn a steady income simply by playing Axie Infinity.
What is Axie Infinity?
The playable characters in the Axie Infinity ecosystem are called Axies. These are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that are owned and controlled by the user. They can be stored in a personal wallet, transferred to other Ethereum addresses, or traded with players using a blockchain-based marketplace. In addition to Axie creatures, the game features virtual land and items that are also ERC-721 tokens.
In the ecosystem, players can use teams and formations in Adventure Mode (PvE mode - Player vs. Environment) to fight monsters in Lunation - the kingdom of Axie Infinity. You can also choose arena mode (PvP - Player vs. Player) to fight with the Axie of real players. As a reward, the winner receives an asset called Smooth Love Potion (SLP), which is used to breed Axies. Among other things, SLP is also an ERC-20 token and can be traded on exchanges such as Binance.
New entrants may have a hard time getting into the game due to Axie's relatively high prices and sometimes inflated Ethereum gas prices. Ronin, an Ethereum sidechain, helps solve this problem.
What is Axie Infinity Shard (AXS)?
AXS (Axie Infinity Shard) coin is a governance token that allows holders to stake and earn rewards in AXS. Rewards come from the community pool where in-game goods are stored. The total supply of AXS is 270,000,000 coins. Some tokens were allocated for public sale, some for use in the game, and some for Sky Mavis and the project's consultants. The initial supply for the first public sale was just under 60,000,000 coins. The number of issued tokens is expected to increase annually until 2026.
Using AXS
Axie Infinity aims to be a complete game that will gain popularity among players, create a strong community and a thriving ecosystem. For fans of Pokémon or Final Fantasy, Axie Infinity is ready to offer similar exciting gameplay.
In August 2021, Axie Infinity reached one million daily active players. Two months later, that figure was close to two million. If the game can attract even more fans, it will definitely add value to the ecosystem. As we have already said, in order to develop the game, the creators decided to introduce the Ronin sidechain. The future free version should also contribute to the growth of the project's popularity.
In Axie Infinity, players can obtain AXS and SLP tokens in various ways. These tokens can then be exchanged for other cryptocurrencies. Gamers have already appeared in the game, earning money in this way.
How to store AXS
Since AXS is an ERC-20 token, it can be stored in any ERC-20 compatible software wallet such as Trust Wallet, Binance Chain Wallet, Exodus, as well as hardware wallets such as Trezor One or Ledger Nano X. Store AXS is also possible in the Ronin wallet, specially created for Axie Infinity.
What is Ronin Wallet?
As we have already said, Ronin Wallet is a crypto wallet that runs on the Ronin network, an Ethereum sidechain. It is a browser extension that allows you to interact with decentralized applications (DApps), including Axie Infinity. Since Ethereum often has high network congestion and high fees, the Ronin chain allows you to play Axie Infinity and interact with its smart contracts much cheaper. Ronin Wallet is also compatible with other NFT games on the Ronin blockchain.
What is Ronin Bridge?
Ronin Bridge allows you to transfer tokens from the Ethereum blockchain to the Ronin sidechain. ETH sent to the blockchain becomes a wrapped token and can be used to purchase Axie, SLP and other items. You can also transfer tokens from the Ronin blockchain to Ethereum for sale on markets like Binance.
What is Smooth Love Potion (SLP)?
Smooth Love Potion (SLP) is an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum network. SLP tokens are the main source of income for players. They can be sold or used to breed new Axie creatures. This token has an unlimited supply and can be obtained by completing daily quests and battles with other players. SLP tokens are burned after use. In addition, you can receive no more than a set number of tokens per day.
Using SLP
The popularity of SLPs is due to three factors:
1. With their help, users can get a new Axie from two existing Axies. This requires a certain amount of Smooth Love Potions, which depends on the characteristics of the parent Axie.
2. Users can receive tokens as rewards for reaching new levels of their Axie, completing quests and winning battles.
3. SLP holders can speculate on the price and trade on cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance.
It was these use cases that helped create the play-and-earn model that was implemented in Axie Infinity. Users are willing to pay for tokens, and farmers are willing to mine them. By creating relatively simple methods for mining SLP, anyone with an Axie team can start generating income.
How to start playing Axie Infinity using Ronin Bridge
If you want to buy your first Axie team, deposit some ETH into your Ronin wallet. Since Ronin is a sidechain, you will need wrapped-ETH (WETH) created using Ronin Bridge. You can do this as follows:
1. Buy ETH on an exchange such as Binance.
2. Connect ETH to Ronin Bridge.
3. Go to Axie Marketplace with your WETH.
First, make sure that you have already created a Binance account and completed KYC and AML checks.
How to buy and transfer ETH to Ronin Wallet
1. Log into your Binance account, open the “Trading” tab and select the “Classic” or “Advanced” interface.
2. Hover over the trading pair on the left side of the screen and enter ETH in the search bar. Select the appropriate pair for ETH. In this example we will use ETH/BUSD.
3. Buy ETH with any order type of your choice. We chose the simplest method: a market order. Click "Buy ETH" to place your order.
How to Link ETH to Ronin Bridge
1. If you don’t have a crypto wallet yet, you need to create one. Specifically, you'll need a wallet that can connect to DApps. MetaMask or Binance Chain Wallet are good options.
2. To link your ETH, hover over the “Wallet” tab in the menu and select “Fiat and Spot”.
3. Find ETH and click "Withdraw".
4. Insert the Ethereum ERC-20 address you want to deposit to, namely the deposit address from your external wallet.
5. Click Network and select Ethereum (ERC20).
6. Check the transaction details and click “Withdraw” to send your ETH.
7. Then create Ronin wallet. Please note: it is only available as a browser extension. Beware of scams. Ronin is not yet available for mobile devices.
8. Go to the Ronin Bridge website and click [Deposit]. Connect your MetaMask in the pop-up window.
9. Click [Next] and complete the wallet connection.
10. Copy your Ronin wallet address into the [Ronin Address] field.
11. Select the asset you want to deposit by clicking [Asset]. In our example, we will deposit ETH.
12. Click [Next] to confirm your details and link the tokens to your Ronin wallet.
13. Before starting the game, you need to create your Axie team. Log in to the Axie marketplace and select Ronin as your wallet. You will need to do this if you have not previously created an Axie account. If this is your first time logging into your account, please follow the instructions.
How to buy Axie on Axie Marketplace
1. Go to the marketplace and select the desired Axie. Click on its icon to view its characteristics and other information. You can also use the filters on the left to refine your search. If you are not familiar with the game mechanics, we recommend that you do your research before purchasing Axie.
2. On the selected Axie page, click "Buy Now" to complete your purchase. You will need to confirm the transaction using the Ronin wallet extension.
Don't forget that there must be three Axies in a team. The Axie Infinity community has strategies and guides for team building, so be sure to do some research before spending your money.
How to download Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. To install the game, go to the Axie Infinity home page and click "PLAY" in the top right corner.
The installer will be automatically downloaded to your computer or laptop. Note: If you install the iOS version on your iPhone, be sure to enable TestFlight. This will allow you to install applications that are still in development. For Android devices, you need to install the .apk file downloaded from the home screen.
Axie review
Each Axie is a small fantasy creature with a unique set of attributes and characteristics. These include body parts, class and other parameters. As of October 2021, there are 9 different Axie classes.
What Axie classes are there?
There are nine classes in Axie Infinity. Three of them are special classes (in bold below) with no unique body parts or class cards.
Axie's combat abilities depend on his class. One class may be superior to another and inferior to a third. The cards are also associated with certain classes, giving creatures a 10% bonus when using the card against weak enemy types.
For example, Aquatic Creatures, Birds, and Dawn will deal extra damage to Insects, Beasts, and Mech, and they will in turn take extra damage from Plants, Reptiles, and Dusk. In other words, Group 1 classes are stronger than Group 2, but weaker than Group 3. Group 2 Axies are stronger than Group 3, but weaker than Group 1. And, accordingly, Group 3 Axies are stronger than Group 1, but weaker than Group 2.
What abilities/cards does Axie have?
Axie Infinity has 132 cards associated with six of the nine available classes. Cards are also divided by corresponding body parts, their characteristics and value. Any Axie class can use the card. In addition, each class has a certain bonus damage.
What characteristics do Axie have?
Axies have a set of characteristics that determine their abilities:
What body parts does Axie have?
Each Axie has six body parts: ears, eye, horn, back, mouth and tail. The last four determine the cards that Axie can use in battle. Each body part also affects the creature's characteristics.
How much money do I need to start playing Axie Infinity?
As of October 2021, the cheapest Axie cost around $130 (in WETH). An Axie team must have three creatures, which means you'll need approximately $390 to start the game. You can find out the exact information by going to Axie Marketplace and sorting your search results by price.
How to get Axie for free
There are two ways to get Axie for free. First, you can receive scholarships from other players who are willing to give you a free team. Later, each user who accepted the scholarship will be required to return a portion of the Smooth Love Potion tokens they earned. This is a very popular method because users are only allowed to have one account. Consequently, people are interested in actively using their Axie.
Scholarships are provided and administered by players other than the Axie Infinity team, so please proceed with caution. You can track available scholarships using CoinGecko. If you have a team, you can fight in the arena or in adventure mode. Please note: only the owner of Axie (the scholarship sponsor) can claim the SLP tokens you mine, and from him you receive your share. In most cases, the income is divided in half.
Another option is to simply wait for Battles Version 2.0 to come out. This update will unlock new game modes that will give users the opportunity to experience Axie battles for free. However, you will not be able to earn tokens for trading here. To use Axie Infinity to earn money, you will still have to buy a team or receive a scholarship.
What affects Axie prices?
Axies can range in price from $130 to $100,000. While their value mainly depends on in-game power and utility, value can also be influenced by demand from players. Axies created in the early days of the game are more expensive. In addition, there are mythical Axie, which look more colorful and are especially rare. Typically, rarer attributes also provide the most utility in the game and command a higher price. With the growing popularity of Axie Infinity, the creature market is now influenced not only by players, but also by NFT collectors.
How to start mining SLP on Axie Infinity
Users can create SLPs in either arena matches (PvP) or adventure mode (PvE). Both types of battles will consume energy. When the energy runs out, you can end the adventure by creating an SLP.
The size of the reward will depend on the number of Axie you have. You can see how much energy you have in the main menu of the game at the top of the screen.
1. Daily quests bring 25 SLP. These include daily checks, completing 10 levels in adventure mode and winning 5 arena battles.
2. Adventure mode (PvE) allows you to earn up to 50 SLP per day. The exact amount depends on the level you play at. When you complete a level for the first time, you will receive SLP, but further games of a certain level do not guarantee a reward in tokens. Defeating bosses can also earn SLP.
3. In the arena (PvP), you are up against other players with the appropriate rating. Your rating also affects the amount of SLP you receive for winning. Each match will consume energy, so the amount of SLP available to earn will depend on the number of matches you fought and spent energy.
Even if you run out of energy, you can still continue the game. However, PvP matches will no longer provide SLP, and PvE matches will no longer provide experience. However, you can still develop your Axie or complete daily quests.
How to withdraw earned SLP to Axie Infinity
Earned SLPs must be claimed independently. This can be done once every 14 days.
1. From the Axie Infinity home page, connect your Ronin wallet and select “Get Tokens” from the menu. Then click “Get SLP” to transfer the tokens to your Ronin wallet.
2. Log into your account and make sure your Ronin wallet is connected. Click "Request Tokens" in the menu and then "Get SLP".
3. At this point, you can transfer the SLPs to your Ethereum wallet if you want to sell them. You can also send them directly to your Binance Ronin wallet to avoid paying Ethereum gas fees.
What are Axie lands?
Axie lands are tracts of land in Lunation, the world where Axie creatures live. The universe is a 301x301 grid that will be sold out in several stages. 25% is already available for the first purchase, and in future sales prices will increase by 10%.
These pink squares will host events, dungeons, monsters, and public resources. The map also features an area called Luna's Landing, designed for content creators and travel. Chests with land types can be purchased, and multiple chests purchased together will contain lands in adjacent areas.
How to buy and transfer AXS to Ronin Wallet
AXS can be used to manage, stake, or breed creatures. If you want to farm Axie, you can send AXS to your Ronin wallet directly from Binance without using Ronin Bridge. This will allow you to save on Ethereum gas fees since you can skip the transfer step to an external wallet. Like ETH, AXS can be purchased on Binance.
1. Log into your Binance account and hover over the “Trade” tab. Select "Classic" or "Advanced" interface.
2. Next, hover over the displayed trading pair and enter AXS in the drop-down menu. Choose one of the pairs. In our example we use AXS/BUSD.
3. Select the order type and enter the amount. We chose the simplest method - a market order. Double-check the information and click “Buy AXS.”
4. To withdraw funds from your Ronin wallet, hover over the [Wallet] tab in the menu and select “Fiat and Spot”.
5. Find AXS and click "Withdraw".
6. Select the Network field.
7. Select your Ronin network from the list.
8. Be sure to read the warning message. Next, replace the ronin: prefix with 0x.
9. Finally enter the desired amount and click “Withdraw”.
10. When the payment is made, your AXS or WETH will appear in your Ronin wallet. You can then use these tokens to breed and purchase Axie on marketplaces.
Summary
The future of AXS and SLP tokens depends on the gaming capabilities and popularity of Axie Infinity. This game has fun and intense gameplay, and in addition, it offers many opportunities for development and earnings thanks to the reputation system. The game has performed well over the past two years and continues to introduce new features to attract players. Only time will tell if Axie Infinity will continue to grow its user base as successfully, but it is certainly one of the most interesting NFT games on the blockchain right now.
