Ronin on Ethereum L2 — migration complete, Axie Classic sunsets June 24
Ronin completed its migration from a standalone Ethereum sidechain to an Ethereum Layer 2 built on the OP Stack in May 2026, with roughly ten hours of mainnet downtime and games including Axie Infinity and Pixels resuming on-chain activity afterward. The network now runs with RON still as gas, annual emissions cut roughly 9× (from about 45 million to 5 million RON per year), and rewards routed through a new Proof of Distribution model aimed at active builders rather than passive staking.
For Web3Raider readers, the migration matters beyond chain trivia: Axie Infinity Classic—the original 2020 title that defined early play-to-earn—is scheduled to shut down on June 24, 2026, while Sky Mavis consolidates around Axie Infinity Origins and a wider live-game slate. Catalog titles such as Sunflower Land that use Ronin for FLOWER trading sit inside the same refreshed ecosystem.
Background
Ronin launched in 2021 as Sky Mavis’s purpose-built chain for Axie Infinity, processing billions of dollars in game revenue over its sidechain era. For years it operated as an independent gaming L1 with RON inflation that critics said outpaced sustainable demand—reporting around the migration cited over 20% annual inflation pre-move versus roughly 1.2% afterward.
Web3Raider tracks Ronin as both a chain-ecosystem platform (Ronin hub) and a network (Ronin network page), with native tokens RON, AXS, SLP, PIXEL, and FLOWER linked from the network catalog. The chain remains one of the few environments where multiple live games—not a single flagship—share marketplace culture and wallet flows through Ronin Wallet.
What happened
L2 migration (May 2026)
According to Crypto Games and Play2Moon’s Ronin 2026 roundup, the mainnet hard fork completed in mid-May 2026 (block 55,577,490 cited in migration coverage), with Conduit leading what Ronin described as a large state migration from sovereign L1 to OP Stack L2.
Reported changes include:
| Area | Before / after (per migration coverage) |
|---|---|
| Network type | Standalone sidechain → Ethereum L2 (OP Stack) |
| RON emissions | ~45M/year → |
| Annual inflation | >20% cited pre-migration → ~1.2% post-migration |
| Reward model | Staking-oriented flows → Proof of Distribution (monthly seasons for registered builders) |
| Treasury fee share | 0.5% of marketplace fees → 1.25% (2.5× increase) |
| Additional treasury | Net sequencer profits; ~90M RON previously earmarked for staking rewards |
Ronin’s post-migration announcement on X framed the move as bringing a gaming distribution network—Axie, Pixels, Cambria, Fableborne, Moku: Grand Arena, and others—onto Ethereum-aligned security while keeping familiar wallet and gas mechanics for players.
User-facing impact: Coverage states RON remains gas, transaction speeds improved or held steady, and AXS, SLP, PIXEL, and other Ronin-native assets required no holder action for the migration itself. Katana liquidity pools were described as unaffected at launch. Users with wRON on Coinbase were advised to bridge after migration; self-custody holders should confirm wallets support the updated L2 network configuration before sending funds.
Proof of Distribution
Under Proof of Distribution, future RON emissions flow to builders who register smart contracts and meet ecosystem metrics—not to individual RON stakers. Crypto Games cited example monthly pools (~410,000 RON/month total rewards) with top registered builders potentially earning on the order of 40,000 RON/month in early seasons. Unregistered contracts do not earn.
This aligns with a broader 2026 narrative: gaming chains prioritizing retention and builder output over inflation-heavy passive yield—a theme Ronin shares with other ecosystems repositioning after the 2022–2024 P2E cycle.
Axie Infinity Classic shutdown (June 24, 2026)
Play2Moon and ecosystem recaps report Axie Infinity Classic—the original 2020 game—will cease operations on June 24, 2026. Sky Mavis is consolidating development around Axie Infinity Origins and newer experiences such as Axie Den of Mysteries, not exiting the franchise.
Classic shutdown ≠ Ronin shutdown. Origins, Pixels, Fishing Frenzy (Chapter 3 shipped May 2026 with boss fish and Guild Wars), and other live titles continue. Classic players should plan asset withdrawal or migration to Origins before the sunset date and follow only official Sky Mavis / Axie channels for asset handling—third-party “recovery” links are a common scam pattern during sunsets.
Ecosystem expansion beats
Migration coverage also highlighted:
- Pixels moving toward a multi-game ecosystem model with in-game acquisition mechanics for adjacent titles
- Fishing Frenzy Chapter 3 (May 2026): boss fish, Guild Wars, refreshed rewards
- A proposed Uniswap v3 deployment as Ronin’s canonical DEX, with governance discussing ~$1.5M in co-incentives (status subject to on-chain votes—verify before assuming Katana is replaced)
Who it affects
Players on Ronin
If you actively play on Ronin:
- Confirm wallet L2 settings before bridging or marketplace trades.
- Axie Classic holders: act before June 24, 2026 if you still have unclaimed progress or rewards in Classic.
- New entrants: Origins, Pixels, and Fishing Frenzy are the commonly cited live on-ramps; check Ronin’s official site for current discovery surfaces.
Gameplay on migrated games reportedly resumed after downtime; if you see failed transactions, check whether your tool still points at legacy sidechain RPC endpoints.
Collectors and token users
| Token / asset | Practical note |
|---|---|
| RON | Still gas; inflation mechanics changed—no individual staking rewards per migration reporting |
| AXS / SLP | No migration action required for holders per coverage |
| PIXEL | Tied to Pixels multi-game strategy—watch official Pixels comms for economy changes |
| FLOWER | Sunflower Land lists Ronin among its networks; FLOWER trades on Ronin while core play remains multi-chain (Polygon primary)—verify deposit/withdraw paths in-game before moving tokens |
NFT listings on Ronin remain relevant for gaming collectibles; OpenSea supports Ronin among its gaming-oriented chains—useful when cross-checking floor activity, not as investment advice.
Studios and builders
Proof of Distribution rewards registered contracts. If you ship on Ronin, documentation on Ronin docs and treasury/grant announcements are the authoritative path—grant funding plus higher marketplace fee share to treasury may expand onboarding, but funding does not guarantee retention; historical grant-to-DAU conversion on gaming chains has been mixed.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Migration completed | May 2026 (OP Stack L2 on Ethereum) |
| Axie Classic shutdown | June 24, 2026 |
| RON emissions | ~45M → ~5M per year (reported) |
| Treasury marketplace fee | 0.5% → 1.25% (reported) |
| Flagship live games cited | Axie Origins, Pixels, Fishing Frenzy |
| Web3Raider catalog | Ronin platform, Ronin network, Sunflower Land |
On Web3Raider
- Ronin platform guide — wallets, ecosystem features, and how the hub fits the site catalog
- Ronin network page — chain layer, explorer, and linked tokens (RON, AXS, FLOWER, etc.)
- Sunflower Land — farming RPG with Ronin among supported networks for FLOWER
- June 2026 crypto market crash — broader macro context when gaming tokens trade inside risk-off waves
Ronin is not interchangeable with Ethereum mainnet or L2s like Base or Immutable—always confirm the chain ID and bridge path before moving assets.
What to watch next
- June 24, 2026: Axie Infinity Classic final shutdown—official Axie blog and Discord for asset steps
- Governance: Uniswap v3 / DEX canonicality proposals on Ronin
- Proof of Distribution: monthly builder seasons and new grant recipients
- Pixels multi-game rollout: adjacent titles entering the Pixels economy
- Ronin treasury deployments: whether increased fee share funds new catalog-worthy titles
Follow @Ronin_Network and Sky Mavis announcements; ignore unofficial “migration refund” or “Classic airdrop” DMs.
Bottom line: Ronin’s 2026 story is structural, not cosmetic: Ethereum L2 security, sharply lower RON inflation, builder-led emissions, and a June 24 deadline for Axie Classic players. The chain’s gaming identity persists through Origins, Pixels, Fishing Frenzy, and catalog titles like Sunflower Land—but wallet configuration, sunset timelines, and token bridge paths deserve a fresh read before you transact.
