On April 8, 2025, the Aavegotchi community, a well-known NFT gaming platform, voted with a striking 93.5% in favor of leaving Polygon and moving its ecosystem to Base, an Ethereum Layer-2 network supported by Coinbase. The “Make Aavegotchi Based Again” initiative represents a significant pivot, echoing trends in the shifting blockchain world. This migration will phase out Aavegotchi’s Polygon smart contracts, redeploying its assets and operations on Base to enhance usability and ride Base’s growing wave.
Motivation for the Change
Aavegotchi, a Pixelcraft Studios creation tied to Aave, has been a Web3 gaming pioneer. Its NFTs—ghost characters staked with profit-generating aTokens—gained traction on Polygon due to its affordability and scaling perks. But Polygon’s recent stagnation, marked by flat TVL and dwindling user engagement, spurred the community to explore new options.
Enter Base, Coinbase’s Layer-2 solution, which boasts access to Coinbase’s large retail pool, swift transaction times, and strong marketplace features. Aavegotchi’s founder pointed to Base’s retail strength and its synergy with the project’s focus on smoother onboarding and gameplay. The move mirrors a wider pattern, as Ethereum Layer-2s like Base and Arbitrum siphon projects from Polygon.
Migration Breakdown
The shift is all-encompassing. Aavegotchi’s core assets—NFTs, wearables, game items, and smart contracts—will be mirrored on Base in a 1:1 swap. Polygon’s original assets will remain visible but immobilized, halting transfers or edits for a clean handover. Per the governance page, this also means shutting down Aavegotchi’s trial Layer-3, Geist, as efforts consolidate on Base.
NFT projects switching chains isn’t new—y00ts ditched Polygon for Ethereum in 2023, refunding a $3 million grant. Aavegotchi’s exit further exposes Polygon’s difficulty retaining big names as Ethereum Layer-2s rise. X reactions vary, with some excited for Base’s boost to Aavegotchi’s visibility and others lamenting Polygon’s NFT downturn.
Market Backdrop
The community vote showed strong support for the switch. Source: Aavegotchi
This comes amid a grim 2025 for NFTs and gaming tokens, with trading volumes far below 2021 peaks. Memecoins and NFTs have been battered, yet Aavegotchi’s backers see Base as a path to renewal. As of April 7, 2025, Bitcoin hovers near $80,000 per CoinGecko, offering a stable crypto setting, though altcoin hubs like Polygon are under strain.
What’s Ahead for Aavegotchi
The Base migration aligns Aavegotchi with Coinbase’s ecosystem, potentially luring new gamers and collectors. Enhanced transaction speeds and marketplace access might revive its allure as Web3 gaming looks to recover. The outcome rests on execution and Base delivering its touted benefits. Currently, Aavegotchi’s daring move highlights the adaptability of blockchain projects, chasing top technology and user bases in a competitive market.