Welcome to Koala Studio

An online gaming platform native to the Lightning Network

Today we’re happy to announce the public launch of Koala Studio. Koala Studio is an online gaming platform where Lightning Network payments on Bitcoin are first-class citizens. The first game on the platform is our take on the classic game of chess — Lightning Chess.

Why Lightning Network?

We believe that the Bitcoin Lightning Network drastically reduces barriers of entry for gamers and game developers looking for a permissionless payment network that supports instant, low-cost micro-transactions.

Any game developer can now explore novel game interactions for players to exchange real value. These features can be made available for as little as 1 satoshi.

Why Lightning Chess?

Lightning Chess UI

The idea behind Lightning Chess began in a chat with Jack Mallers during the first Chaincode Labs Lightning Residency in 2018.

Jack, an avid chess player, suggested creating a version of chess which enabled players to undo moves, extend timers and even wager bets against each other for satoshis.

The idea of PvP games using Lightning-enabled features was something that we were already thinking about, so Chess felt like a good game to build as a proof of concept.

We think that what we’ve come up with, Lightning Chess, is a first step in the direction of proving that these types of interactions are a viable and exciting new use-case for digitally native money — Bitcoin.

What do I need to play?

Koala Studio Accounts UI

The Koala Studio Account system has no requirements to play. An account can be created without an email or any form of ID. An access token is provided to you which allows for authentication in multiple devices.

In an effort to keep up with the ever-growing Lightning ecosystem we chose to provide first-class integration with some of the most widely used tools, including Lightning Joule. We’ll strive to always stay at the forefront of new development advancements in the Lightning Network.

Next Steps

Lightning Chess is just the beginning. Koala Studio aims to continue developing games and infrastructure for game developers looking to enter this exciting new frontier.

Feel free to drop us a line on the Telegram Group if you want to find like-minded people to play with. If you have any suggestions about the platform or are facing issues please create a thread in our Spectrum community or reach out to us at support@koalastud.io.

If you’re in the New York, London or Hong Kong areas this week, look out for Koala Studio vouchers being distributed at conferences and meetups.