Sony has rolled out the Soneium Mainnet, an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, as part of its growing involvement in Web3 technologies.
According to a statement by the company, the initiative, led by Sony Block Solutions Labs, S.BLOX Inc., and SNFT Inc., is designed to provide creators with decentralized tools to boost engagement and revenue opportunities.
The Soneium Mainnet addresses key challenges associated with Ethereum, such as high transaction fees and slow processing speeds.
It follows the August 2024 release of the testnet, Soneium Minato, which attracted 1,700 applicants and launched 32 projects. Developers can now transition their apps from the test phase to the mainnet.
Sony’s Web3 strategy includes the rebranded S.BLOX platform, which has a new user interface and mobile app for cryptoasset trading. S.BLOX integrates with Soneium apps, allowing payments and offering promotional rewards during its initial launch phase.
In February 2025, SNFT Inc. plans to introduce a fan marketing platform. This platform will enable companies to create NFT-based fan engagement campaigns with features like social login for simplified user access.
Sony’s entertainment divisions are expected to collaborate on initial applications, offering exclusive content and limited-edition NFTs tied to events and intellectual properties.
Sony’s involvement in Web3 has been growing since 2022, when the company invested $1 billion in Epic Games, signaling its interest in the metaverse. That same year, Sony launched the “Tiki Guy” NFT alongside its Sony Spatial Reality Display on Theta Drop.
In late 2022, Sony acquired Beyond Sports to expand its offerings in sports data and metaverse services. Around the same time, Sony Japan introduced “mocopi,” a set of six motion sensor bands designed for recording movements for metaverse avatars.
In January 2024, Sony launched a VR headset featuring 4K OLED Microdisplays and collaborated with Siemens to develop immersive virtual engineering experiences.
