Introduction

Heavily inspired by Tamagotchi digital pets, Aavegotchis are NFT collectibles that enjoy the on-chain benefits of DAOs, DeFi, and gaming. Aavegotchi was birthed from an Aave ecosystem grant and resides within Ethereum’s leading side chain, Polygon.

Initially started as a simple petting, staking, and wearables game, the Aavegotchi metaverse has expanded into a vibrant play-to-earn (P2E) ecosystem boasting thousands of players within the Gotchiverse. This report will cover the high-level expansion of Aavegotchi’s metaverse and how it has survived the demise of P2E gaming.

Gotchiverse – A Metaverse Designed for P2E

The Gotchiverse is a social-farming metaverse that mirrors crypto-native functions done entirely on-chain. The gaming loops within the Gotchiverse center around in-game tokens (Gotchus Alchemica tokens), which can be earned through yield farming activities such as farming, exploring, and channeling. Alchemica tokens can then be used to craft Installations on land (REALMs) and be traded on the Gotchus Alchemica Exchange (GAX). While the first release of the Gotchiverse was scheduled for late December 2021, it was delayed several months due to the complexities of hosting an open world with real-time gameplay for thousands of players.

REALMs – Yield-Bearing Land Parcels

REALM parcels function as land that contains deposits of varying Alchemica resources and building space. REALM owners customize access rights for certain players and activities within their parcel. Aavegotchis within the REALM can farm Gotchus Alchemica resources to create utility infrastructure called Installations.

In preparation for Aavegotchi’s upcoming cross-platform survival game, players are incentivized to collect Alchemica tokens. Alchemica is required to craft Installations, unlocking benefits such as bolstered yield production and upgraded defensive structures.

Installations – Utility Within REALMs

Different Installations provide various utilities, including harvesting and storing Alchemica, letting REALM holders flex achievements and collectibles, and creating defensive structures for the upcoming survival game. Akin to player vs. environment (PvE) games, city building requires a preset amount of time for completion. Within the Gotchiverse, Installations require a preset number of blockchain block confirmations. Payments with GLTR (GAX liquidity token rewards) can be used to expedite the building process. F