Virtually Human Studios has introduced a new digital horse racing game called 'Zed Champions' on the Base Ethereum layer-2 network, following the closure of its predecessor, Zed Run.

The public launch of Zed Champions took place on April 28, 2025, at 8 PM ET.

CEO Nir Efrat highlighted that Zed Champions represents a fresh start, aiming to provide players with a reimagined platform focused on sustainable success.

The original Zed Run game, which reached its peak during the 2021 NFT boom, raised $20 million and experienced significant secondary trading volume before its decline.

Zed Run was officially shut down on February 28, 2025, after experiencing a sharp decline in trading volume and interest in NFTs, plummeting from $28,000 in February to just $627 in March.

In Zed Champions, none of the legacy Zed Run horse NFTs will transfer over, but previous players who earned badges will receive rewards in the new game.

The game will utilize the Ethereum-based ZED token for various functionalities, including entering races, breeding horses, and purchasing power-ups.

Each of the 4,320 horses in Zed Champions features an internal ZED token balance that fluctuates based on breeding price and race performance, impacting strategic decisions like retirement.

Unlike its predecessor, Zed Champions introduces automatic horse racing, where horses are matched based on skill levels, removing the necessity for manual race entries.