Individual creators and brands will ultimately determine the future of the Metaverse rather than any central entity, according to The Sandbox founders.
On November 3rd, the team behind the Ethereum-based metaverse on .
The metaverse is now open
Starting today, landowners in The Sandbox can publish their experiences on the map instantly!
We accelerate user-generated content to unleash the creative potential of content creators like you. Let’s build the metaverse together. #User-generated content #CreatorsDayHK pic.twitter.com/A2E8gNI2it
– Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) November 3, 2023
“Now anyone can open up their experience to the public (and) make it available, which will increase the amount of experience and content people can play and discover on the platform,” Sandbox co-founder Sébastien Bourget told Cointelegraph in a previous statement. Interview conducted on November 2 during Hong Kong FinTech Week.
#CreatorsDayHK direct!
Live stream all the main events on X or our YouTube channel: https://t.co/83NqKyOTDr
We’ve got some exciting news you won’t want to miss. Stay tuned to find out what the Metaverse has in store! pic.twitter.com/ReUQahbckP
– Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) November 3, 2023
The idea that users can create and own content and ownership in Web3 is at the forefront of the Sandbox strategy, Burgett reiterated.
“They are discovering blockchain technology not because of the value of the assets, but because they can create content.”
Updates to Game Maker and a new box
The Sandbox said it will also update its Game Maker tool before 2024, an experience building and testing tool that is set to introduce new gameplay mechanics, templates and social interactions to make content production easier.
The company will also “reactivate” its new $100 million SAND Game Maker Fund (currently worth $36 million) next year to build on these updates.
Burgett said this would boost engagement across a range of industries:
“(It will) lead to more engagement, more replayability, more fun and new social interaction as we define the future of music, the future of fashion, sports, entertainment, art, and culture on the platform.”
Burgett said Game Maker’s tools have simplified the process for new creators to get started:
“Game Maker has been a gateway to bring in a new generation of creators who then design new experiences and over time monetize them by selling on the market and offering their own experiences.”
Meanwhile, Sandbox co-founder and CEO Arthur Madrid said the company has helped connect brands with fans recently by running competitions to rebuild New York’s Times Square and architecture in The Walking Dead, among other things.
The company is working to integrate multiplayer capabilities that will enhance audience engagement. But Madrid acknowledged the difficulty of integrating multiplayer capabilities into Metaverses at scale, especially on blockchain.
ROYAL FLUSHED Hold your breath and dive into the flooded area. Find your way through the underwater maze designed by Bomkus and then return to the surface.
Dive in today! https://t.co/bK636FFLLW#Dr_Bomkustrals pic.twitter.com/8Nui4b1UKU
– Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) November 1, 2023
Related: Metaverse ‘explosion’ will be driven by B2B, not retail consumers: KPMG partner
More than 400 partners have signed up to The Sandbox, including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, Gucci Vault, Snoop Dogg, Invincible and Adidas.
However, looking to the future, Burgett acknowledged that adoption of the metaverse won’t take off until more specific use cases are created in virtual worlds, with incoming users ultimately looking for memorable experiences to be drawn into.
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