XPLA, a blockchain network founded by major South Korean game publisher Com2uS, has enlisted Google Cloud as its first “volunteer validator” for the network.
Blockchain validators verify and confirm transactions to support the network. In the case of XPLA, volunteer validators are not rewarded with tokens for supporting the network. Instead, the tokens are distributed to a community pool.
That’s the plan, at least. The XPLA network is currently voting on the proposal to institute the volunteer validator feature, and it has 100% votes in favor as of this writing.
“We hope to accelerate the growth and innovation of Web3 games based on the secure and high-performance Google Cloud infrastructure,” said Jack Buser, general director of Google Cloud Game Industry Solutions, in a press release translated from Korean.
XPLA is built on Tendermint, the same protocol that powers the Cosmos network, and it’s also compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine. Notable games that run on XPLA include The Walking Dead: All-Stars, Summoner’s War: Chronicles, and Ace Fishing: Crew—all based on existing IP that has been adapted for “play-to-own” blockchain games.
The network was originally established as C2X and built on Terra, the network that lost considerable traction after the collapse of the UST and LUNA tokens in May 2022. The XPLA network was then launched in August 2022. Other XPLA validators include metaverse investor Animoca Brands and mobile game developer Gumi.
“We are delighted to announce Google Cloud is joining XPLA as a new validator, and to partner to advance our common vision to shape a transparent Web3 ecosystem and deliver innovative and engaging Web3 experiences to our players around the world,” said XPLA Team Lead Paul Kim, in a release.
Google Cloud has previously signed on to run a validator on a few other blockchain networks, including Solana, Tezos, Aptos, Ethereum scaling network Polygon, and DeFi network Celo. It also collaborated with exchange Coinbase to accept cryptocurrency payments.
In April, Google Cloud launched its Web3 Startups Program to offer additional benefits for crypto firms in partnership with networks like Solana, Aptos, Near, and Hedera.
