Introducing Protocol Monster Labs

Jun 24, 2024

Protocol Monster

Polychain Monsters will be rebranded to Protocol Monster Labs. Our beloved 3D collectibles will get their own brand called Yunipals, and $PMON will be migrated to a single chain. Read more about this and other updates in the first Protocol Monster Labs blog post.

Back to the Basics

When we started the project back in 2021, our idea was to bring booster openings for collectibles on-chain. Our motivation was simple: to create a decentralized and digital version of physical TCGs that is fun to collect, easier to store, and lasts forever. Booster openings were the product of our past that gained the most traction, with over one million pack openings. Our highest priority is to bring back booster openings and apply our learnings to create a protocol that can live forever without any changes:

We will fully decentralize the opening process to avoid any future execution risk for the collectibles. This means: Artwork on-chain, 100% circulating supply, no royalties, and no mint fees. By implementing these measures, the protocol will be self-sustaining and immutable, ensuring its longevity and stability without the need for ongoing modifications.

Building on Bitcoin

When we talk about making collectibles maximally desirable and decentralized, the durability of the chain is a key point. That's why we decided to run future openings on Bitcoin, the most decentralized chain ever. This decision comes with a few trade-offs:

  • Openings will always cost a couple of dollars in gas fees, paid in satoshis and dependent on mempool utilization. Mass openings are not the goal here. Instead, we want a lower supply of monsters.

  • Pixel art instead of 3D. To have the full artwork on BTC, we need to work with pixel art.

  • No smart contracts. Logic-wise, we are limited to what metaprotocols provide. For example, Ordinals and Runes are metaprotocols. To make openings possible, we are contributing to the Relics Protocol.

3D: Yunipals

Our 3D artwork and NFT collections are cherished by many collectors and are visually stunning. To honor this, we're giving them their own brand by calling them Yunipals. Before we can focus on building out the 3D IP, the protocol migration must be completed. The migration will be maximally collector-friendly and will take current binder battle scores into account. There will be a binder battles snapshot in the near future (after bug fixes).

Timeline

While setting precise timelines can be challenging in the fast-paced world of crypto development, what we can assure you is that our entire focus is on completing the protocol migration.