Aavegotchi Moves to Base After Community Vote to Leave Polygon

Change is in the air for one of the most beloved names in blockchain games. Aavegotchi, the pixelated ghost-themed NFT game with deep DeFi roots, is making a major leap—leaving Polygon behind to embrace Coinbase’s L2 chain, Base. The move comes after a landslide community vote and promises a faster, simpler, and more user-friendly future for the Gotchiverse.

Let’s unpack what this big shift means for players, assets, rewards, and the long-term vision of the Aavegotchi ecosystem.

Aavegotchi Community Votes to “Make Aavegotchi Based Again”

On April 8th, the Aavegotchi community cast a clear and decisive vote in favor of a bold proposal: “Make Aavegotchi Based Again.” With a whopping 93.5% approval, the decision is now official—Aavegotchi is migrating all operations from Polygon to Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network backed by Coinbase.

This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. The proposal was spearheaded by Pixelcraft Studios co-founder Daniel Mathews (aka Coder Dan), who had laid out the roadmap back in February. After years of development across Polygon and their own L3 chain, Geist, it became clear that the game needed a more streamlined future.

Why Aavegotchi Is Leaving Polygon Behind

So, what pushed the devs to break up with Polygon?

Mathews' proposal highlighted a few key reasons:

• Stagnant innovation on Polygon: Polygon’s focus on gaming hadn't delivered significant updates, and the network’s TVL (Total Value Locked) had been stagnating since 2022.

• Rising momentum on Base: In contrast, Base was gaining serious traction thanks to native integrations with Coinbase Wallet and increasing user activity, particularly via apps like Farcaster.

• Geist didn’t catch fire: Aavegotchi had also experimented with their own L3 called Geist, but adoption was low, and infrastructure costs were high.

The result? A strategic pivot toward a more active and centralized ecosystem—Base.

What Was Geist and Why It’s Shutting Down

Launched in October 2024, Geist was Aavegotchi’s own layer-3 network built using Arbitrum Orbit. It promised low-cost, high-speed gaming experiences with exclusive content delivered via Geist IDs—essentially premium memberships offering perks like:

• Special airdrops

• In-game bonuses

• Private access to events

But the concept, while promising, didn’t get the traction it needed. Geist became an operational burden, forcing the dev team to not only run the game but also maintain a blockchain. In the end, the thesis behind app-specific L3s simply didn’t align with current market sentiment.

So, Pixelcraft is sunsetting Geist—for now.

The Big Move: Aavegotchi's Full Migration to Base

This isn’t a half-step—it’s a full-scale migration.

All smart contracts on Polygon will be frozen, effectively rendering them inactive. Meanwhile, every single asset—from Aavegotchis and wearables to land parcels and FAKE Gotchis—will be cloned 1:1 and re-minted on Base.

Players don’t need to worry about moving things manually. All that’s required is to reconnect wallets to the new chain. The devs estimate a 4–6 week migration window, and they’ve already made strong progress thanks to previous work during Geist’s development.

Here’s what Base brings to the table:

• Faster transaction speeds

• Better Coinbase Wallet integration

• Simplified onboarding for new players

It’s not just a network change—it’s a user experience upgrade.

Rewards, Gameplay, and What’s Changing Post-Geist

With Geist shutting down by mid-August, gameplay and reward mechanics are evolving too.

Key updates include:

• $GOTCHI token canceled: Instead of minting a new token, all rewards will be distributed in GHST.

• Season 2 burns: Players will burn Alchemica to earn points, which convert to GHST.

• Parcel Burning & Multipliers: New features like early burn bonuses and territory-based mechanics will spice things up.

• Geist ID refunds: Users who renewed their Geist memberships will receive refunds in GHST or USDC.

Though Geist IDs won’t make the move to Base, the backend tech remains ready to be reactivated if botting becomes a concern. Meanwhile, player profiles and badges will still be tracked off-chain, and a new system will allow badges to unlock Alchemica directly.

The popular GOTCHI Wheel? That’s being retired.

Pixelcraft Studios’ Fresh Game Plan on Base

Pixelcraft isn’t just migrating code—they’re revamping the whole business model.

Here’s what’s coming:

• Gotchi Guardians: A new game releasing soon across desktop and browser, with in-game purchases using a fresh currency called Gbucks.

• Lootboxes & Glitch Keys: Expect fresh item drops and surprise mechanics in 2025.

• Marketplace focus: With the move to Base, trading volume is expected to surge in the Baazaar and other NFT platforms. To protect against scams, assets listed on OpenSea and Magic Eden will be locked in wrapper contracts.

And here’s a win for the community: 20% of all Pixelcraft revenue will continue going back to the Aavegotchi DAO.

Final Thoughts: Aavegotchi’s Next Chapter

Aavegotchi’s switch from Polygon to Base isn’t just about chains—it’s about growth, player experience, and long-term sustainability. By simplifying infrastructure, embracing Coinbase-backed tools, and retiring underperforming systems like Geist, the Gotchiverse is ready for its next chapter.

For fans of blockchain games, this is a case study in community-driven evolution and strategic adaptation.

Whether you’re a seasoned Gotchi holder or a curious newcomer, now’s a great time to plug in your wallet, explore the Gotchiverse on Base, and get ready for what’s next.

Welcome to the Based era of Aavegotchi. 👻