[Vitalik Questions L2 Scaling Model, Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base Respond] According to Cointelegraph, after Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin commented that the "original vision of Layer 2 as the primary scaling engine is no longer applicable," several L2 builders responded. They generally agreed that Rollups need to go beyond being positioned as "a cheaper Ethereum," but there were differing opinions on whether scaling should remain their core role. Optimism co-founder Karl Floersch welcomed the challenge of building a modular L2 stack that supports "full-spectrum decentralization," while acknowledging major obstacles such as long withdrawal periods, second-stage proofs not being production-ready, and insufficient cross-chain application tools. He supported Buterin's emphasis on native Rollup precompilation solutions. Steven Goldfeder, co-founder of Arbitrum developer Offchain Labs, took a firmer stance, arguing that while the Rollup model has evolved, scaling remains the core value of L2. He pointed out that Arbitrum was not built as "a service for Ethereum" but because Ethereum provides a highly secure and low-cost settlement layer, enabling large-scale Rollups. He warned that if Ethereum is perceived as hostile to Rollups, institutions might opt to launch independent Layer 1 chains instead of deploying on Ethereum. Base lead Jesse Pollak stated that scaling Ethereum L1 is "a victory for the entire ecosystem" and agreed that L2s cannot just be "a cheaper Ethereum." He mentioned that Base is differentiating itself through applications, account abstraction, and privacy features, while working toward second-stage decentralization. StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson hinted that some ZK-native L2s (such as Starknet) already align with the specialized role described by Buterin. The entire Ethereum ecosystem is facing a roadmap adjustment: the base layer aims to enhance its capabilities, while L2s are being repositioned as specialized environments catering to different technical needs.