Axie on Google Play Store
Discover more from 1 Tip a Day
Axie on Google Play Store
Why this could cause Axie to grow again
Axie Origin recently achieved one of its major milestones: Google Play Store approval for Origin distribution. Continue reading to learn how this will open the way to a new path and why it is important to you as an NFT owner, as well as the opportunities and implications it may bring to the entire community.
Making its way into the mainstream
Exciting news was revealed to the Axie world in the final days of 2022. After extensive negotiations, Axie has passed the Google Play Store review and will begin to be distributed in one of the largest game platforms, revealing likely a prominent path for the future of the game.
The strategy begins with a soft launch test in Malaysia, followed by a rollout in smaller countries that reflect the demographics and player archetypes of regions like North/South America, Europe, and East Asia. This will provide the opportunity to test and improve the game even further before it goes live in other countries for maximum impact.
The app's early Play Store versions will have limited functionality. To comply with current Play Store policies, players will not be able to earn tokens for the time being. On the Substack publication of December 22nd, Sky Mavis mentions that “we remain committed to our vision of a player-owner digital nation and will continue working with app platforms to unlock that in our builds. This is the first step towards opening our doors to a new generation of Lunacians”.
For the past three years, both Apple and Google have increased the barriers to entry for developers, especially web3 games. They have also removed millions of apps from their respective stores to improve quality across the ecosystem. Even with a limited feature, a listing on Google Play Store is a significant achievement for a web3 game and opens the door to a prosperous future for the mainstream.
Following the announcement, AXS prices increased 2% to $7.05 on the same day. It is too early to predict, but more buyers may start showing up as the process starts to gain traction with new users.
AXS Price
What changes for the player?
To play the game on their phones, Android users previously had to download an Android Application Package (APK) from the game studio's official website. However, after qualifying for the Google Play Store, users will be able to directly download the Axie Infinity card-based game once the game studio lists it on the app store.
Even though not many details have been released, it appears that players will be able to continue withdrawing and depositing their assets through their Ronin wallet so that their existing Axies can be used in the game. New players will also be able to download their start Axies through the Google Play Store.
Substantial growth potential
Because of policies such as receiving a commission on in-game purchases, it is difficult for web3 games to be released on Apple and Google's app stores so this achievement is a landmark and will help it break into a larger market.
Google is one of the most trusted platforms and the online app store is home to over 2.3 million apps and more than 400,000 games and caters to billions of users around the world. 3,739 apps are added to the Play Store every single day and users are projected to spend $60 billion on Google Play in 2023.
Based on some market analysis we conducted last year using exponential market growth benchmarks, we believe crypto gaming is in a current state or even earlier than the 2006-2007 mobile game market, implying a large field for rapid growth in the coming years.
Mobile game growth from 2000 to 2014
According to an Appinventiv projection Android games were responsible for more than half of all mobile game revenue by the end of 2022.
Google influencing Apple?
The approval of Google Play adds traction to an old Axie challenge, which is to build a bridge to be available on Apple Store. Outside of China, Apple and Google control more than 95% of the app store market, and it is expected that Apple will follow Google's decisions, once both Apple’s and Google’s policies are largely aligned in terms of crypto and in-game purchases.
As a reference, when Thetan Arena was released on both the Apple and Google app stores by the end of November 2021, it took only 7 days to reach 4 million users and become the number-one game in several countries. Despite its enormous success, Axie Infinity took 18 months to reach 1.8 million users.
All of these market perspectives are sufficient to project a fast growth path and a huge step forward for crypto games beginning with Axie Infinity.
Also, there is a chance the Google Play opening will help drive organic adoption for Origin because the first app version will not allow players to earn, and newcomers will choose the game primarily based on its ability to be fun and exciting, building a strong emotional connection, that may become even more connected once Sky Mavis finally convinces Google that it can develop a payment system that complies with Play Store guidelines and tokens can be earned.
Once Google decides to make it more flexible and new games are added to the platform, the actual base of Axie players tends to be much higher, with benefits for the entire Axie community.
(for the next 15 days)
Google Play's distribution will start in Malaysia, followed by a rollout in smaller countries;
It will have limited functionality and tokens will not be able to be earned for the time being;
Even with a limited feature offer, it is a major achievement that opens the door to the mainstream;
AXS prices increased 2% on the same day of the announcement;
AXS buyers may start showing up as the process start to gain traction with new user growth;
Users will be able to directly download the game from Google Play Store - no need to download the APK anymore;
Google Store is one of the most trusted platforms and is home to over 2.3 million apps and more than 400,000 games;
Users are projected to spend $60 billion on Google Play by 2023;
Crypto gaming is in a current state of the 2006-2007 mobile game market, implying a large field for rapid growth in the coming years;
Android games responsible for more than half of all mobile game revenue by the end of 2022;
Google Play approval adds traction to be available on Apple Store soon;
Outside of China, Apple and Google control more than 95% of the app store market;
It is expected that Apple will follow Google's decisions, once both policies are aligned in terms of crypto and in-game purchases;
When Thetan Arena was released on both the Apple and Google App Stores it took 7 days to reach 4 million users;
Newcomers will choose the game based on its ability to be fun and exciting, building a strong emotional connection, that may become even more connected once Sky Mavis convinces Google that it can develop a payment system that complies with the guidelines and tokens can be earned.