PANews reported on August 15th that Ronin announced on Twitter that it will upgrade from an Ethereum sidechain to Ethereum L2. Ronin, a gaming-centric public chain, was established four years ago due to the need for a faster and more efficient network for Axie Infinity. At the time, Ethereum's scaling roadmap was in its infancy. Today, Ethereum transaction costs and speeds are better than ever. The upgrade also introduces Proof-of-Distribution (PoD), a novel mechanism designed to reward long-term developers. Validator management is currently reviewing the upgrade proposal, and the final hard fork for the Ronin L2 upgrade is expected to be completed in the first or second quarter of 2026.