- Several Metaverse projects are coming up in 2023 to enter into this hyped and sought-after sector.
- NFTs play a major role in realizing the metaverse dream.
Like Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs, the Metaverse has become the new argot of the technology sector, with companies focusing on this particular domain. It has witnessed interest from several tech giants like Facebook (which even rebranded itself to Meta), Google, and Apple, and the list continues to grow as it shows a promising future.
The gaming industry is at the forefront of the race, with several developed games in this domain. Players are switching from the past Web2 games to these Web3 games, which provide more interactive features and resemble reality. The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) devices has provided previously unexplored experiences to gamers.
Apart from this adventure, what else lures players are the many play-to-earn opportunities present in these games. In-game assets such as wearables, upgrades, or purchased weapons have taken the shape of NFTs. These provide them proof of ownership of these unique digital assets, and numerous games revolve around NFTs only. These assets can be traded in marketplaces and exchanges, providing players with other tokens or fiat currencies that can be spent. With many metaverse projects in line to be released in 2023, let’s look at some attracting the most attention from investors and players.
Decentraland
An Ethereum-based 3D virtual world game that mimics reality and tries to bridge the gap between reality and the virtual world. It was launched in February 2020 and allows players to buy and sell digital land plots on the Decentraland platform. Players can also interact, engage in fun activities, and socialise with other players, all within the metaverse. The users can control this virtual world through a decentralised autonomous organization (DAO). MANA is the native token of the platform used for trading and governance. Several popular brands like Adidas and Samsung have already set their foot in Decentraland, and it was also the host of a virtual fashion week and music concerts by renowned global artists.
MetaHero
Although a relatively new project in the space, it has shown its potential in its early stages because of underlying technology and innovative vision. It is based on 3D scanning technology to create high-definition avatars of humans and other real-world objects. It has set up its scanning chamber in Doha, which creates digital forms of physical objects. These avatars can be licensed by their owners and present an earning opportunity by allowing their use in other applications or games. It will set up its dedicated 3D NFT marketplace to trade these assets. The HERO is the in-game token that can be used for trading.
Star Atlas
The platform lands players in a world set up in 2620 where they have to engage in exploring space, conquering other territories, and establishing their power by political dominance. Their vision is to design a virtual world as shown in metaverse-themed Hollywood movies like Ready Player One. The ATLAS is the native token of the game and uses blockchain to deliver unimaginable metaverse experiences to the players. Seeing its mammoth vision, the project has gained early hype and interest from investors and players around the world.
The Sandbox
The project was initially launched as a 2D world in 2012 and later, seeing the hype and opportunities in the metaverse, transformed to create a 3D virtual world. The players are engaged in activities to monetize their experiences. It attracted attention following its partnerships with brands such as The Walking Dead and prominent rappers like Snoop Dogg. SAND is the in-game token that can be used to trade NFTs on marketplaces.
Conclusion
Several other projects like RobotEra, Calvaria, Battle Infinity, Illuvium, and others are also focused on the metaverse and offer unique features to their players. The true metaverse dream will be realised when these many projects become interoperable and open up more earning opportunities for players.
