CryptoKitties (2017): The Cat Game That Jammed Ethereum
The first breakout blockchain game showed both the promise and the limits of on-chain play.
In November 2017 a game about breeding digital cats became one of the first blockchain hits. CryptoKitties, made by Canadian studio Axiom Zen (whose team later spun out as Dapper Labs), let players buy, collect and breed unique cats recorded on the Ethereum blockchain.
What made it different
Each cat was a non-fungible token (NFT): players actually owned it and could trade it outside the game. Rare cats sold for very large sums, and the idea of verifiable digital ownership caught the attention of investors and the media.
Jamming the network
At its peak, CryptoKitties traffic made up a large share of Ethereum transactions, slowing the network and pushing up fees. It was an early warning that public blockchains were not yet ready for mass-market games.
Lessons for today
CryptoKitties kicked off the NFT and play-to-earn wave, along with its booms and busts. Dapper Labs went on to build its own blockchain, Flow. WGC's blockchain section covers the scene with the same rule as everything else: real facts, clear risks and no hype.
Reference: Wikipedia, CryptoKitties and Dapper Labs.