Sandbox games is a familiar term to many, but what exactly does it mean?
In the tech world, a sandbox is an experimental environment free from constraints, restrictions, or expectations. In the gaming world, creators often use the term when experimenting with game development, which is free from any rules regarding storyline, mission, or narrative.
In a packaged game context, sandbox games often refers to open-world gaming with little or no storyline. Games such as Roblox, Minecraft, and, to an extent, Microsoft Flight Simulator are examples of the sandbox games concept.
Blockchain Gaming and Sandbox Games
Running concurrently with the rise in the popularity of cryptocurrencies, we have seen an increase in games developed on blockchain networks like Ethereum or Polygon.
Decentraland and Enjin are two of the biggest blockchain gaming phenomena of the last few years. They allow users to create their own worlds in a unique environment. The popularity of developing a unique and interconnected world will grow as we get to grips with the concept of the Metaverse. Indeed, the popularity is already so high that plots of ‘land’ in Decentraland were changing hands for up to $3,000 over the summer.
One project that has caught the eye of many investors is The Sandbox. First conceived in 2011, The Sandbox is an Ethereum-based virtual gaming world allowing users to design, create, and build parcels of land and trade digital assets as NFTs. The Sandbox, and projects like it, are building the next generation of user-led gaming experiences. They will form the backbone of the Metaverse in the next couple of years.
Play to Earn
As you might imagine, the demand for cryptocurrencies related to this area of blockchain is high. Many consider them a sound investment for the future. The current price of The Sandbox token, SAND, is $0.44 – a long way from its all-time high of $7. With a maximum supply of 3 billion tokens, 1.5 billion are in circulation. This suggests that SAND has plenty of space for positive price appreciation.
The Sandbox uses a clever combination of NFTs and DAOs (Distributed Autonomous Organisation) to create a gaming platform that offers gamers opportunities for both economic and political engagement. Of course, any game developed on The Sandbox platform will use the platform’s utility token, SAND. This makes further price appreciation almost a certainty, especially when you consider that Play to Earn (P2E) is a core concept of the platform.
Sandbox games are changing how we interact with and play video games. The concept represents a shift away from linear gaming and tight storylines to providing users with the tools to create their own worlds, hosting a variety of environments. Users of sandbox games are creating worlds where players not only play games but interact and share social media content. A Second Life, if you will.
