Doodles, an NFT-driven entertainment property, is making a move. On Monday, the project announced that it will migrate its “Stoodio” avatar customization platform to Ethereum layer-2 scaling network Base, departing the Flow blockchain in the process.
The transition, set to take place in mid-July, aims to leverage Base's cheaper and faster transactions compared to the Ethereum mainnet. Base, which was developed by popular crypto exchange Coinbase, is gaining steam within the increasingly crowded field of Ethereum scaling networks.
The original Doodles profile picture (PFP) collection will remain on Ethereum, and only the Stoodio and the various NFT wearables and character customizations will make the shift from Flow to Base.
Doodles CEO Julian Holguin told Decrypt that leaving Flow—which the project picked back in early 2023—wasn’t due to particular issues or complaints with the network behind NBA Top Shot and other apps, but had more to do with the project’s vision for the future.
“Flow were incredible partners to us. They've built some of the stuff that this space as a whole should be most proud of,” Holguin said. “I think, at the end of the day, it just came down to a lot of our existing community being in other places.”
When asked what he meant by “existing community” found elsewhere, Holguin pointed to a desire for the Stoodio to be where they believe there’s the highest chance for mass adoption.
“If we really are going to build an entertainment studio in the future that's internet-native and on-chain, we need to create really rewarding and rich experiences for our core base,” he said.
With over a million followers on its social media channels and a weekly total viewership averaging 25 million views for its animated content, Doodles aims to expand its digital footprint significantly on Base. The Stoodio platform, known for its rich array of digital wearables and collectibles, could benefit immensely from the vast reach of the Coinbase ecosystem.
"Doodles is reaffirming its dedication to spearheading widespread crypto adoption through this strategic partnership," said Holguin. "Aligning with Coinbase and Base brings us back to our roots and propels our mission to make crypto more accessible and engaging.”
To mark the occasion, Doodles is offering an open edition Base NFT mint through Zora. This event will unlock exclusive content within the Stoodio upon completion of the migration.
“Doodles is a major contributor to the creative on-chain culture and is deeply aligned with Base’s vision of building a global onchain economy that serves artists and creators," said Base creator Jesse Pollak, in a statement. "The Doodles community that they’ve built is a testament to the power of reaching your fans directly, and we are so excited for Doodles to build on Base.”
Austin Hurwitz, Head of Business Development and Strategy at Doodles, shared his optimism about the collaboration.
"We believe that the next wave of crypto adoption will be driven by products that are not only easy to use, but also entertaining and valuable,” said Hurwitz. “By joining forces with Coinbase and Base, we are taking a major step towards realizing this vision."
This strategic shift also aligns with Doodles' upcoming animated short film, "Dullsville and the Doodleverse." Set for release in September, the film is directed by Doodles founder Scott “Burnt Toast” Martin and features music produced by Pharrell Williams—Doodles’ chief brand officer. Musicians Lil Wayne and Coi Leray will also contribute music and voice characters.
“There’s a new flywheel, and that's a flywheel that's direct-to-consumer, and it brings the community and the IP creator a lot closer together,” Holguin said. “Web3 and crypto lets us cut a lot of the middlemen out to create a richer ecosystem for us and our community.”
Edited by Andrew Hayward
Editor's note: This story was updated after publication to add the NFT mint link and a quote from Jesse Pollak.