While most blockchain launches come stockpiled with infrastructure and finance applications, the upcoming Abstract blockchain is taking a consumer-focused approach, aiming to excite and entertain active Web3 participants with “fun and viral” applications.

The Ethereum layer-2 network is being built by Igloo Inc., the parent company of Pudgy Penguins, which raised $11 million in July to “change the dynamic of how users interact with blockchain technology.”

As excitement builds for Abstract’s expected January 2025 launch, you may be wondering how you can prepare to participate on day one. Below we’ve gathered some ideas on how you can be ready.

What can you do on Abstract before launch?

Even though the Abstract mainnet is not expected to launch until later in January 2025, forward-looking participants are already readying themselves so they can hit the ground running upon launch.

Join the waitlist, claim "Early Bird" badge

The most official way to interact with Abstract before its launch is to join its email waitlist and claim a spot for the eventual "Early Bird" badge.

No benefits for the badge have been announced, and details about claiming it are still to come.

Interact with Abstract testnet

Participation in the Abstract testnet is not incentivized—in other words, performing transactions on the chain will not lead to any direct benefit like a token airdrop. However, you can familiarize yourself with the chain and its user interface and experience by interacting on testnet.

Abstract’s block explorer suggests that more than 16 million transactions have been validated to date.

A testnet bridge is open and available to users looking to move funds from Ethereum’s Sepolia testnet to Abstract testnet.

Grab your role in the Abstract Discord

The Abstract Discord is a critical hub for staying up to date with information about the chain and the projects that will be launching on it.

The Discord may also provide exclusive benefits to active users and those who are eligible for elevated roles within. For example, users with the “Elite Chad” role were eligible for an allocation of the PENGU airdrop in December and “will receive elevated chances to participate in incentives after mainnet for Abstract,” according to a message from a moderator.

Interact with apps that will migrate to Abstract

More than 350 applications are in the pipeline for Abstract, with around 120 projects expected to be live on day one, according to Abstract’s pseudonymous marketing lead Phin.

While some new apps will be built natively on Abstract, a handful of the projects committed to building on the chain are already live and may be migrating from other blockchains.

Getting to know these projects and interacting with them prior to mainnet launch could give users a head start when they ultimately find a home on Abstract.

Some examples include games like Duper and Vibes, MYRIAD’s prediction markets (Myriad Markets is a product of Decrypt’s parent company, DASTAN), and existing Web3 projects like Imaginary Ones and Dogami.

A more complete list of Abstract ecosystem additions can be found in the Abstract ecosystem-updates Discord channel.

How are others preparing for Abstract?

One popular way that users are preparing for Abstract is by whitelist hunting for NFT projects that will launch on the consumer-focused chain.

Lists are already circulating, attempting to rank the “hottest” upcoming NFT projects.

Many of these projects, like Ruyui Studios and Finalbosu, are already giving out or fielding submissions for access to their upcoming mints.

What potential benefits are there?

Abstract will launch with native incentive mechanisms on mainnet from day one.

The platform announced “XP,” an Abstract-native reward that serves to benefit users, builders, and creators on a weekly basis based on their on-chain actions.

For example, a user interacting with apps on Abstract will earn XP, and periodically level up based on the amount of XP they’ve earned.

The network’s co-inventor, Michael Lee, likened it to “Dungeons & Dragons” in a post on X.

“You gained XP by defeating enemies, completing quests, or achieving specific goals, and accumulating XP allowed you to level up, improve abilities, and unlock new powers,” said Lee.

Abstract’s XP system will work in a similar way, “designed to prioritize real users, focused on fun, personalization, and long-term progression—a true on-chain reputation system,” he concluded.

Additionally XP can be earned through a badge system and via Abstract’s native streaming product.

No formal connection between XP and a native token was hinted at by the Abstract team at the time of writing.

It is important to note that engaging with projects or communities in the ecosystem does not guarantee any eventual reward.

More information about Abstract can be found in Decrypt’s Learn guide about the chain.

Edited by Stephen Graves

Editor's note: This story was originally published on January 10, 2025 and last updated with new details on January 21.