Axie Infinity’s AXS Token Surges 12% as Game Launches on Apple App Store

Exciting news for Axie Infinity enthusiasts! Axie Infinity: Origins, the captivating card-based strategy game, has made its debut on iOS in select countries across Latin America (LATAM) and Asia. This release marks an important milestone, as it’s believed to be the first time Apple has allowed externally-purchased NFTs to be used on the App Store. Let’s dive into the details and celebrate this achievement alongside Axie’s vibrant community.

Bringing Axie to Apple: Axie Infinity

Origins allows players to collect, own, and deploy a diverse array of creatures called axies in strategic battles. After successfully launching a limited version on the Malaysian Google PlayStore in December 2022, the Axie team seized the opportunity to refine the game’s mechanics and expand its availability. Now, players in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam can download Origins for iOS directly from the App Store.

Gameplay on the App Store

An exciting aspect of this iOS release is that players can utilize their NFT axies within the game—a noteworthy achievement as Apple typically imposed restrictions on externally-purchased NFTs. While only Moonshard crafting recipes will be available in-app, players can still engage with SLP crafting recipes using the desktop or Android APK versions. This flexibility allows users to enjoy Origins on-the-go while conducting SLP crafting on their desktop computers or Android devices.

The initial iOS version of Origins allows players to use upgradeable starter axies in both Adventure and Arena modes. They can enhance their axies’ cards using Class Badges and Honor Medals earned through gameplay, offering new players a glimpse into the vast Axie universe. To celebrate this significant milestone, Axie has organized a special contest, led by QU3ST, inviting participants to create social content or write reviews for Origins on the App Store. It’s an opportunity to showcase the community’s passion and welcome new players to the vibrant world of Lunacia.

AXS token gains momentum

Axie Infinity, the popular play-to-earn blockchain project, witnessed a significant rally in its native cryptocurrency AXS following the news of its card-based strategy game debuting on the Apple app store. The price of AXS surged over 12%, making it the top gainer on CoinDesk Indices’ leaderboard. This development comes as the project aims to expand its user base in Latin America and Asia, starting with countries like Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

AXS Token Gains Momentum: Following the announcement of the game’s availability on the Apple app store, the price of AXS experienced a notable surge from $7.16 to $8.04. This spike marks AXS’s best single-day percentage gain since January 22. It’s a positive development for the cryptocurrency, which had faced a decline of over 3% in April, affected by token unlock events and market risk aversion.

Expansion and User Adoption: The card-based game called Axie Infinity already boasts an impressive 1.5 million installations across various platforms. Sky Mavis, the project’s creator, plans to further expand the game’s reach by targeting mobile users on Google Play Store as well. This move is expected to enhance the game’s popularity and attract a wider audience, fueling the growth of the Axie Infinity ecosystem.

Open Interest Spikes: The rally in AXS’s price was accompanied by a significant increase in the notional futures open interest, indicating a surge of new capital entering the market. The notional open interest rose to over $75 million from nearly $40 million, marking the highest level since February. However, it’s worth noting that the leverage in the market appears to be skewed towards bearish positions, as reflected by negative funding rates in the perpetual futures market. Negative rates suggest a prevalence of short positions, indicating a lack of confidence in the sustainability of the price rally.

Conclusion: The arrival of Axie Infinity: Origins on iOS represents a groundbreaking moment, as Apple opens its doors to externally-purchased NFTs. Players in select countries can now experience the captivating gameplay and strategic battles on their preferred iOS devices. Axie Infinity’s community stands strong, ready to welcome new players and showcase their passion. As the game and movement continue to evolve, the future holds even more exciting possibilities for Axie enthusiasts worldwide.