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ATMTA, the team behind the space-based MMO Star Atlas, has announced a major expansion of its blockchain infrastructure. On Wednesday, the studio revealed Zink, a new SVM Layer 1 network built to power immersive, onchain game worlds. Just days later, they followed with news of Holosim Season 1, the first onchain reward season for their free to play browser strategy game. These two major updates are part of the broader Star Atlas Summer campaign that began on July 28 and runs through August 27.
Zink: An SVM Layer 1 With Built-In Identity
Zink is a new Layer 1 blockchain built by ATMTA that uses the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) for high-speed, low-cost performance. What sets Zink apart is its focus on digital identity and user control. At the heart of the network is the zProfile, a patent-pending zero-knowledge account system that lets players perform actions without needing repeated wallet confirmations. This platform allows for seamless interactions across games and apps, while still keeping assets secure.
According to the team, this is the first identity-wrapped SVM Layer 1 designed to support fully onchain game systems like Star Atlas.
"Zink represents the amalgamation of years of investment into sophisticated infrastructure necessary to operate fully onchain game systems, and beyond," says Michael Wagner, CEO and Founder of ATMTA. "On Zink, your digital persona, your avatar, has meaning, represents status and reputation, and can unlock value in ways not possible with existing blockchains."
The Zink lite paper went live at noon on August 13, outlining the chain's architecture and token plans. The ZINK token will be used for staking, transactions, and consensus across the network. This utility token also forms the basis for validator rewards.
Starting in September, players will be able to earn experience points (XP) by playing across different Star Atlas platforms, including Holosim, the SAGE browser 4X game, and the UE5-based MMO. Other eligible actions include locking tokens in the DAO, trading on the Galactic Marketplace, and more. These XP points will count toward a ZINK token airdrop that gives away 10% of the total supply to early supporters through December.
The Zink mainnet is set to officially go live in December.
Holosim Season 1 Coming August 20
On the heels of the Zink reveal, ATMTA announced Season 1 for Holosim, a free to play browser strategy game that requires no wallet to play. Holosim is a simplified port of SAGE Labs designed to attract new players with lower barriers to entry. It offers a space-based gameplay loop involving resource control, tactical decisions, and now competitive incentives.
Season 1 begins August 20 and is structured into chapters. This 1st chapter will be released in partnership with Solflare, the Solana-based wallet. According to the team, about $35,000 in total rewards will be up for grabs in USDC and Star Atlas assets, with added prizes including a Solflare-branded ship skin and 0.02 SOL for completionists.
Leaderboard Rewards
Top 1,500 players on the leaderboard can earn USDC and Star Atlas game items. The top player will receive 300 USDC, an Armstrong IMP Tap ship, five Platinum 5 Crew Packs, and 0.02 SOL. Players finishing in 2nd through 10th place can also expect ship and crew pack bundles, with smaller rewards continuing down to the 1,500th position.
For example:
- 2nd place earns 200 USDC, an Armstrong IMP Tip, three Platinum 5 Crew Packs, and 0.02 SOL.
- 4th to 10th receive 100 USDC each and other in-game assets.
- 501st to 1500th get 1 USDC and 0.02 SOL.
Completionist Bundle
In addition to leaderboard rewards, Holosim is offering a Completionist Bundle to the first 1,000 players who finish the entire quest line. This includes a VZUS solos ship, a Solflare skin, and 0.02 SOL.
Star Atlas Summer Kicks Off
These updates are part of Star Atlas Summer, a month-long event launched on July 28 that brings new content, gameplay modes, and dev updates to the community. It began with Community Week and a series of Town Halls that tie in with key product launches.
The first Town Hall took place on July 30 and featured a cinematic trailer for the new arena shooter update. The second Town Hall occurred on August 13, aligning with the Zink reveal. The third is set for August 27, and will likely cap off the Star Atlas Summer campaign.
Strong Growth for Holosim in Q2
Though Holosim only launched days before the end of Q2, it reached 36% of the SAGE player base and made up 12% of all transactions. This level of engagement, despite offering no token rewards, points to Holosim's potential as a low-barrier entry point for new users.
ATMTA's decision to launch Season 1 so soon after Zink shows that the team is investing heavily in converting early interest into long-term user activity.
Key Economic Metrics and Market Trends
Earlier last month, ATMTA also published the Q2 2025 State of the Economy report. One major takeaway is that daily ATLAS emissions rose by 41%, hitting 11.4 million per day. Despite the increase, only 5% was swapped on DEXs. Most holders chose to keep or reinvest their earnings, showing strong user confidence.
The report also confirmed that over 70% of ecosystem wealth is now held by in-game citizens and residents. These groups are gaining both wealth and population, while non-resident wallets saw declines.
The ATLAS locker reached a new all-time high, with 2.147 billion ATLAS locked in DAO contracts. This spike was driven mostly by large deposits from individual players.
Star Atlas' total GDP for the quarter dropped to $870,876, a 71% decline from Q1. Per capita GDP also fell, though late-quarter figures showed signs of recovery. Among factions, ONI led in overall GDP while USTUR had the highest GDP per player.
Fleet Rentals and Ship Market
Fleet rentals continue to grow. By the end of Q2, rented ships made up 10% of all active fleets. USTUR led with 3.91%, followed by MUD at 2.98% and ONI at 2.21%. Longer rental periods show a growing level of player trust in the system.
In terms of ship performance, XS ships led the way with a 12% price jump and the most trade volume. While only 2.7% of ships sold were crafted, they made up a large part of rental income, contributing nearly 10,000 ATLAS in daily returns.
Looking Ahead
The third Star Atlas Summer Town Hall is set for August 27 and may include new updates for the space-based MMO in general. With Zink's testnet now live and Holosim Season 1 starting next week, the team is continuing to roll out new features and events across the broader ecosystem.
