SAND CRYPTO_NEWS
The European Union (EU) is ahead of the curve in the blockchain space. While the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) is working to harness blockchain in service of the public good and decentralized government, on the consumer side blockchain-powered companies are focused on unleashing creativity, collaboration, and ownership through user generated content (UGC).
“We see the metaverse as a driving force to bring awareness and offer a new format of learning to creators,” says Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox. “We believe it’s a driving force for good, social and environmental impact, so we’ve established a hub in Paris with the aim of becoming a hub for innovation, creators, and community within the EU and beyond.”
Built on the Ethereum blockchain, The Sandbox is a virtual world consisting of 166,464 unique pieces of digital LAND, each belonging to a user. Players can build, own, and monetize a variety of social and gaming experiences using $SAND, the main utility token of the platform. To date, The Sandbox has secured more than 60 brand partnerships, including Square Enix, ATARI, Lacoste, The Smurfs, Care Bears, Paris Hilton, Gucci, and more.
“The success of our community is critical for us – we’re democratizing access to space, enabling digital ownership, and fostering an inclusive and decentralized way of how the creator economy functions,” Borget says. “We want to promote equal access for all, contribute to the power of UGC, and empower our users and communities globally.”
The real-world community of blockchain companies is also critically important to foster innovation in the EU, he adds.
Encouraging EU blockchain innovation
Europe has the largest number of crypto startups in the world – topping even the U.S. and Asia. In 2022, European VC investment in crypto startups hit $5.7B, an all-time high, comprising 20% of total global early-stage crypto startup funding.
The Sandbox frequently collaborates with local community members and builders to organize a variety of events. These include the prestigious World of Women Gala in Paris and other initiatives aimed at fostering industry growth and inspiring the next generation of creators in the evolving tech and creative sectors of the EU.g The physical office in Paris throws monthly and weekly events for networking, relationship building, real-world collaboration, interaction, and more.
Building the intersection of gaming and culture
Back in the digital world, The Sandbox aims to be a digital extension of everyday life: users can connect, discover, be social, go to a concert, watch a movie, go on a date, and more. But unlike traditional games, which don’t offer real-world value in exchange for hours of dedication, The Sandbox ecosystem rewards creators and players for their creativity and engagement.
Currently, the platform has more than 5 million wallets, a 22% year-over-year increase between October 2022 and 2023. 125K of the world’s LANDS are sold, or 75% of the total, to more than 24K owners. The average player spends 60 minutes in the world, which is a 20% year-over-year increase from January 2022 to Jan 2023.
In 2023, eight new neighborhoods launched, including Cinerama, Voxel Madness, MegaCity, Infinite Pulse, Kverse, Singapore, and Japan, with more to come. Since 2021, more than $30 million has been distributed to creators from assets sales, royalties, the Game Maker Fund, Creator Funds, and more.
“Our ecosystem is fundamentally shaped by the creativity of our users,” Borget says. “As a platform dedicated to empowering creators, we need to continue providing tools to community members of all skill levels to make them feel empowered and lower the barriers to entry in building and sharing virtual worlds and experiences.”
To that end, recent announcements include:
- Self-publishing: All users can now create experiences and instantly publish them for other players to enjoy. The release is aimed at encouraging the growth of UGC. Now that anyone can share their creations, the number of open experiences is increasing, making the platform more diverse and giving users more content to engage with.
- Game Maker v0.9: Game Maker 0.9 brings an array of new features and tools for creators to develop brand-new experiences. It’s still no-code, and it’s still free. It includes the introduction of a visual scripting system for game mechanics like puzzles, resource management, loot systems, chance events, skill-based challenges, and more. Plus, there are enhanced multiplayer features, an NFT sensor that enables creators to grant VIP access to players based on their NFT ownership, the ability to create power-ups or add more challenges to game scenarios with additions like fall damage or oxygen meters, over 60 customizable templates, an enhanced quick access menu and more.
- Game Maker Fund model: This program awards grants to help game makers create, shar,e and monetize voxel games in The Sandbox. The new 100M SAND Game Maker Fund rewards creators not just for their creations but also for the engagement they generate within the platform.
Unique experiences for players in The Sandbox include music festivals such as Infinite Pulse, an immersive, decentralized neighborhood built for music creators, fans, and enthusiasts, as well as artists, labels, and music brands aiming to activate in Web3 like AOKIVERSE, Agoria, BLONDISH, and more.
The Sandbox is tapping cultural icons like Paris Hilton to develop experiences like Paris Hilton’s Metaverse Dating Reality Show and Gordon Ramsey to design avatar collections. With Cinerama, LAND owners bring film ideas to life alongside the industry’s biggest brands such as Lionsgate, The Walking Dead, Black Mirror, and Peaky Blinders.
Fine arts has a place in the metaverse too, with The British Museum’s immersive museum experience and range of digital collectibles. By partnering with established fashion brands like Gucci (and its Gucci Cosmos exhibition), Charles & Keith, Lacoste, and Alo Yoga, The Sandbox provides valuable support and resources for emerging creators while attracting the next generation of users.
“The Sandbox acts as a catalyst for cultural and gaming evolution by encouraging creativity and exploration through experience across fashion, beauty, music, lifestyle, and more,” Borget says. “As a result, The Sandbox has become not just a platform for content creation and consumption, but an ecosystem where cultural and gaming interactions thrive, shaping the future of digital entertainment.”
Source : Games Beat / May 24, 2024
