Somnia, a Layer-1 blockchain focused on high-demand consumer applications, has unveiled a plan to bring millions of traditional gamers onto the blockchain. At the core of this strategy is Somnia’s ability to handle more than 400,000 transactions per second (TPS), a level of speed that can support those gamers without causing slowdowns. Its developers have also announced a $10 million grant program to encourage talented teams to build games and applications on the network.
One of the reasons Somnia Gaming can handle large-scale games is the strong performance shown on its devnet. These tests have demonstrated super fast transaction times and reliable scalability, which Somnia aims to replicate on the mainnet. By making sure that onchain actions happen instantly, Somnia wants to put an end to common blockchain problems like network congestion and expensive fees.
Building Reactive Games for Real-Time Experiences
A standout feature of Somnia is its emphasis on “reactive” applications—games or apps that automatically react to both real-world and onchain events, sidestepping the need for third-party services. With more traditional blockchains, developers often rely on off-chain systems to set up features like quest rewards or real-time game events.
Somnia eliminates this extra step by offering built-in events, timers, and verifiable randomness, all running directly on the blockchain. This approach keeps costs low, reduces coding complexity, and preserves decentralization. Moreover, these enhancements open the door to dynamic, real-time applications like games, predictive markets, and event-driven advertising.
Breaking Free from Technical Barriers
Somnia can handle more than 400,000 transactions per second (TPS), combined with sub-second finality and sub-cent fees. This high-performance setup allows developers to explore new horizons in Web3 gaming by creating large virtual worlds, enhanced graphics, and more immersive storylines—all of which can be fully recorded onchain. And, with those built-in reactive features, Somnia’s L1 is poised to handle the fast-paced demands of real-time gaming.
Paul Thomas, the founder of Somnia, emphasized the importance of breaking free from past constraints: “Blockchain gaming has been held back by technical limitations for too long. With Somnia, we’re giving developers the tools they need to create real-time, scalable games that players will love. This is the start of a new chapter for web3 gaming.”
Along with its high throughput and low costs, Somnia aims to eliminate hurdles like gas wars and steep fees, both of which have discouraged many developers and players from trying blockchain games. The project also offers in-house engineering support for those building on the network, covering everything from core development to dapp and game design.
Finally, and tying its plan together is Somnia’s $10 million Grant Program. This funding is meant to help GameFi creators move ideas from early sketches to fully developed games. The $10 million grant program also equips developers with the resources and support they need to bring innovative on-chain applications to life.
Editor’s note: Written with the assistance of AI – Edited and fact-checked by Jason Newey.