The Arbitrum Foundation, the team behind the Ethereum rollup-based layer-2 network Arbitrum, has officially approved a major initiative to advance gaming innovation within its ecosystem. On June 7, the foundation ratified a proposal to distribute 225 million Arbitrum (ARB) tokens, valued at approximately $215 million, through the newly established Gaming Catalyst Program (GCP). This decision follows a successful voting process where over 75% of participants supported the initiative.

Initially introduced in March, the proposal aims to accelerate the recognition and usage of Arbitrum, Orbit, and Stylus among game developers and players, thereby fostering growth and engagement in the gaming community. The program will distribute the tokens over three years, targeting both new and established developers to spur game development on Arbitrum's blockchain.

Notable supporters of the proposal include L2Beat, Wintermute, and Treasure DAO, a gaming-focused organization. Despite facing opposition from Blockworks Research and Camelot DAO, the proposal's approval reflects strong community backing. Treasure DAO celebrated the initiative on social media platform X, stating, "Arbitrum is the home of gaming — let’s make some magic happen."

The Gaming Catalyst Program (GCP) is designed to provide substantial funding and support for game developers. New and early-stage developers can receive grants of up to 500,000 ARB (approximately $483,000 at current prices), while more established developers can apply for investments that may include tokens, equity, or similar value-sharing arrangements. The funds will also be allocated to infrastructure-related bounties and operational expenses to support the broader ecosystem’s growth.

To ensure effective governance, a five-member council comprising experts in gaming, venture capital, data analysis, and DAO governance will provide strategic oversight and guidance. This council will hold veto power over investment decisions and team appointments, ensuring adherence to the program's objectives and guidelines. A dedicated team will manage the daily operations of the GCP, ensuring smooth implementation and execution. The program has set a cap on operational expenses at $25 million, with any expenditure exceeding this limit requiring explicit approval from the DAO.

In March, the Arbitrum DAO also made headlines by removing a proposal to fund the legal defense costs of Tornado Cash’s developers, Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev, underscoring its focus on advancing technological and community-oriented projects.

The Gaming Catalyst Program represents a significant investment in the future of blockchain-based gaming, leveraging Arbitrum’s robust network to drive innovation and engagement within the gaming sector.