What Are CryptoKitties? The Founders of NFTs

What Are CryptoKitties?

CryptoKitties are digital cats that exist as NFTs on the blockchain. Or simply put: they are unique, collectible cats that you can actually own on the blockchain. The project launched in 2017 and quickly became one of the first and most well-known blockchain games in the world. The goal was to make blockchain more accessible to a wider audience, and it succeeded. NFTs suddenly became booming, and everyone wanted one. At that time, dozens of NFT projects launched daily on different blockchains — it was a real hype. Some NFTs were even worth millions of euros each.

But why were CryptoKitties so well known? Mainly because you could use 2 CryptoKitties to create a new cat. You essentially bred a new NFT. This NFT could in turn be very rare, which meant it could be worth a lot of money. Each cat received its own combination of characteristics, also called “cattributes.” These traits are recorded on the blockchain and ensure every CryptoKitty is unique and cannot be duplicated.

CryptoKitties was also the very first project to use the ERC-721 standard. This is the token standard that later became the foundation for almost all modern NFT collections. The collection is now working on a transition from Ethereum to Flow, a new blockchain by the same creators. Flow was developed to be faster, cheaper, and more user-friendly for NFT projects like CryptoKitties.

Key Takeaways

• CryptoKitties were one of the first major NFT projects and made NFTs globally popular in 2017.
• Each cat is a unique NFT with its own “cattributes,” based on a genetic system that allows you to breed new cats.
• The project introduced the ERC-721 standard, which later became the foundation for almost all modern NFT collections.
• The hype was so big that CryptoKitties temporarily took up a quarter of the Ethereum network, exposing scalability issues.
• Dapper Labs, created from the success of CryptoKitties, later built the Flow blockchain and popular projects such as NBA Top Shot.

Who Created CryptoKitties?

The project was developed in 2017 by the Canadian startup Axiom Zen. The goal was to experiment with blockchain applications beyond financial transactions. Axiom Zen raised over 12 million dollars in funding from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Union Square Ventures. Due to the success of CryptoKitties, Dapper Labs was founded to fully focus on the NFT market and further developments around the project.

Dapper Labs gained worldwide recognition through their collaboration with the NBA, which resulted in the popular NBA Top Shot collection. This series generated millions of dollars in trading volume in 2021. Roham Gharegozlou, who previously led Axiom Zen, became CEO of both Dapper Labs and the Flow blockchain.

What Makes CryptoKitties Unique?

CryptoKitties was one of the first NFT projects to attract major mainstream attention. The interest at launch was so high that the project temporarily accounted for about a quarter of all Ethereum transaction volume. This caused slow transactions and high gas fees, making it painfully clear that Ethereum lacked scalability for DeFi applications at the time. This event became an important moment in NFT history. Traders who experienced it firsthand still remember how these CryptoKitties clogged up normal Ethereum traffic.

But why was it such a hype? Every CryptoKitty has a unique 256-bit DNA code. With this setup, nearly four billion different combinations can theoretically exist. This gives every cat a traceable and unique origin. This mechanism encouraged collectors to keep breeding and searching for rare traits. Because of the popularity, international artists and celebrities even collaborated on special cats, such as rock band Muse or designer Momo Wang. NBA star Stephen Curry also had his own collaboration with the project.

CryptoKitties benefited from being one of the very first NFT collecting games. The game isn’t about winning or losing, but about collecting, breeding, trading, and discovering unique traits. This created an active community that continually bred and traded new cats, which stimulated demand and value.

How Does Breeding CryptoKitties Work?

Breeding is the core of the game. As a player, you can cross two cats you own to create a new CryptoKitty. There is also a public breeding mechanism where you can offer your CryptoKitty so other players can combine it with their own cat. Each breeding results in a new NFT with genetic traits derived from both parents. You can compare it to pack openings or loot boxes you encounter in many other games.

As more cats are bred, the overall population grows. The earliest generations remain more scarce and therefore often more valuable. Some cattributes become more common due to heavy breeding, while others remain rare and increase in value. Within the collection, different categories exist such as Fancies, Shiny Fancies, Special Editions and Exclusives. These variants have special traits, unique artwork, or limited availability. The very first 100 cats (the Founders) form an iconic group within the game and play an important role in the genetic structure.

Why Do People Buy CryptoKitties?

For many collectors, it’s about fun: the feeling of owning a unique digital pet, the creativity of the design, and the process of breeding and discovering new traits. Other users see value in speculating on rare cattributes or are interested in the growing ecosystem built around the Flow blockchain.

What Determines the Value of a CryptoKitty?

The value of a CryptoKitty is determined by three factors: rarity, utility, and appearance. The rarer a trait is, the more valuable it can become. Examples include Gen0 cats, low ID numbers, exclusive editions, or the “Jaguar” cattribute that appears only among the first 99 Kitties. Utility also plays a role: cats that can breed faster, have mutations, or feature pure DNA are more attractive to breeders. Appearance matters too. Colors, eye shapes, mouth expressions, and “Mewtation Gems” can positively influence value when they match the tastes of collectors.

What Types of CryptoKitties Exist?

The project distinguishes four main types: Normal, Fancy, Special Edition, and Exclusive. Most cats fall under the normal category and have no hidden genes or special functions. Fancy Kitties are produced in limited quantities and require specific traits from the parents in order to be bred. Exclusives are even rarer and are often released for special occasions. They cannot produce new Exclusive cats, increasing their scarcity. Special Editions have unique artwork, are sold during specific events, and cannot be reproduced, but they do pass along traits when crossed with regular cats.

Final Thoughts

CryptoKitties was one of the first and most influential NFT projects ever, and played a major role in popularizing NFTs. The project introduced unique digital cats on the blockchain that you could collect, trade, and especially breed. Thanks to the genetic system and the ERC-721 standard (later the foundation for nearly all modern NFT collections), CryptoKitties became a huge hype in 2017.

The success showed how blockchain can be used for digital collectibles and games, while also exposing Ethereum’s limitations in scalability. A large, active community emerged that valued rarity, appearance, and utility of the cats. The project also sparked the development of new NFT infrastructure, such as Dapper Labs’ Flow blockchain.

In short: CryptoKitties were the pioneers of NFT gaming and collectible digital assets, marking an important historical moment in the NFT and blockchain world.