The Ultimate Guide to The Sandbox Metaverse

By Linda Orenes-Lerma

If you have been exploring the world of blockchain, no doubt you have come across the concept of the Metaverse. The Metaverse is a virtual world: a place to explore, play, and create. You may be familiar with some web2 metaverses, such as Fortnite and Roblox. But what do you know about web3 metaverses using blockchain technology?

The blockchain is giving gamers a powerful new ally to help them take their gaming experience to an unprecedented level. It opens up new possibilities for the metaverse, such as user-generated content and monetized experiences.

One of the biggest blockchain metaverses to date is The Sandbox: It’s the ultimate Sandbox game. There are no rules or objectives, only endless possibilities. Players can build anything they can imagine and share it with the community. 

But what exactly is the Sandbox Metaverse? What is there to do, and how do you get started?

What Is the Sandbox Metaverse?

The Sandbox Metaverse is a virtual world powered by the Ethereum blockchain.  It lets you create your own avatar, build your own virtual world, and interact with other users. But that’s not all.

The Sandbox isn’t just any metaverse. While web2 metaverses such as Fortnite are isolated, the Sandbox uses blockchain technology to create a more decentralized ecosystem. This means users can create items, avatars, and experiences in the metaverse. Users actually own these creations on the blockchain. As a result, they can monetize their creations by charging for access or selling digital items on an NFT marketplace. 

Further still, blockchain technology opens the door to interoperability between metaverses. To explain, blockchain metaverse items of the future may be available to use in more than one game. The Sandbox makes use of all of these innovations.

Who Created the Sandbox Metaverse?

The Sandbox first saw success with its mobile games ‘The Sandbox’ (2011)  and ‘The Sandbox Evolution’ (2016). After achieving over 40 million downloads, the developers Pixowl decided to launch the franchise into the blockchain gaming world in 2018. Not only do creators now have true ownership of their creations as NFTs, but they are also rewarded for their participation in the ecosystem.

Sandbox Metaverse: A User-Generated Content Ecosystem

The Sandbox gaming platform is made up of three integrated products: VoxEdit, Marketplace, and Game Maker. Together, they provide an amazing experience for creating user-generated content (UGC) . To explain, a UGC Ecosystem is where users create and share content with each other. Basically, it, lets you secure copyright ownership for your creations with the help of blockchain and smart contracts. Now, that’s something to get excited about.

VoxEdit

VoxEdit is a powerful 3D pixel editor that allows you to create amazing voxel art, including wearables, objects, and more. With VoxEdit, you don’t need coding skills. You can easily create and edit digital items using a PC or Mac. You can even upload your creations as NFTs called “ASSETS” and sell them on the Sandbox marketplace.

Sandbox Marketplace

On the Sandbox Marketplace, you can find all sorts of items created by users, from digital art to 3D models and more. The sandbox marketplace then lets you mint your creation to the blockchain, and automatically uploads the corresponding data to a decentralized storage service called IPFS. The user interface is simple and easy to use, whether you’re looking for something to buy or sell, the Sandbox Marketplace is a great place to start.

Game Maker

The game maker is a powerful tool that allows anyone to create games without a single line of code. It is free to download and easy to use, making it a great choice for those for beginners. With the game maker, you can create games of any genre, from first-person shooters to puzzle games. You can also use the game maker to create company experiences, training simulations, and more.

Tokens in the Sandbox Ecosystem

Different tokens serve different purposes in the Sandbox ecosystem. There are tokens for social interaction, for instance, which help players connect. There are also tokens for game items and experiences, which help players get more out of their game time. Ultimately, the different types of tokens help create a more nuanced and diverse gaming experience for all players.

What Is SAND?

SAND is an in-game token used for all transactions and interactions in the sandbox. It’s an ERC-20 token that allows you to buy items, customize avatars, and more. Used as a governance token, which means that SAND holders can vote on decisions that affect the game. You can also stake it to make passive income on LANDS.  A portion of the fees from transactions goes to the Sandbox Foundation, which is used to fund new experiences and games.

What Is LAND?

LAND is a piece of virtual real estate that you can own and edit in The Sandbox metaverse. LAND can also contain other tokens, like ASSETS or GAMES. 

LANDs can also link together to create an ESTATE. This gives users the chance to create and monetize experiences. For example, you could create a token-gated experience that people can visit and explore. Or, you could create a game that people could pay to play.

There will only ever be 166,464 LANDS in total, so they are very valuable. The team is releasing them in waves, with the last wave of 3000+ LANDS sold in December and a smaller sale of 300ish LANDs and some premium estates in February.

What Are ASSETs?

An ASSET is an item in The Sandbox metaverse. Once you import your creations into the marketplace, they become semi-fungible tokens using the ERC-1155 standard. You can create an ASSET of anything; art, clothing, furniture – you name it. Each of these ASSETs is then available to use in the Game maker or sell on the Sandbox marketplace.

Put simply, ASSETs allow creators to expand the content of the metaverse while earning at the same time.

What Are Gems and Catalysts?

Gems and Catalysts are two of the most important concepts in the asset tokenization space. They define the tier and scarcity of assets and are used to create and track asset tokens.

Gems are the ERC-20 utility tokens that unlock the incredible attributes of your ASSETs. These stats define what your creations can do within the Sandbox experience. The more vivid and unique these attributes, the greater their value! There are five types of gem attributes: Power, Defence, Speed, Magic, and Luck.

Catalysts, on the other hand, send your ASSETS to the next level. These ERC-20 utility tokens burn on use, and they come in four exciting levels of quality. The better the Catalyst, the more sockets your Asset has to fill with Gems! CATALYSTS take your ASSETS to new heights. The four types of catalysts are Common, Rare, Epic, and Legendary.

The Sandbox Metaverse: Where Playing Pays Off

Believe it or not, you can monetize your creations in the Sandbox. There are several opportunities to earn something while you play such as; selling your creations on its marketplace, participating in competitions, and liquidity mining SAND.  

So let’s start with the Sandbox’s Play to earn mechanics. For starters, you can sell your VoxEdit creations, such as furniture or wearables, on the Sandbox marketplace in return for SAND. 

Another option is to take part in Competitions such as game jams, where participants collaborate to create a game from the ground up, sometimes working independently and sometimes in teams. This is another way to gain rewards in SAND.

Then, there is also the VoxEdit weekly, which offers an incredible opportunity for voxel artists anywhere on their journey. Whether you’re a beginner or a master, share your artwork through VoxEdit and you might just win NFTs – and of course – SAND prizes.

The final option is via Liquidity mining SAND itself.  By lending assets to decentralized exchanges, you can receive rewards from trading fees generated by traders across all platforms. 

Of course, SAND is an ERC-20 token, meaning it’s a token on the Ethereum network. But you can swap SAND for another cryptocurrency, or even fiat currencies using an exchange to cash out your earnings too.

What Is There To Do in the Sandbox Metaverse?

There are endless possibilities for what you can do in the Sandbox Metaverse. You can visit locations that are educational, artistic, or full of games. For example, you can explore the Dungeon of Dum-Yz, a game that lets you use a sword. Or you can visit Club XYZ, a place for people to listen to music and socialize virtually. If you’re looking to learn more about crypto, you can even check out Ledger’s School of Block. No matter what your interests are, you’ll be able to find something to do in the Sandbox Metaverse.

How To Get Started in the Sandbox Metaverse

Are you ready to explore the Sandbox? Getting started is incredibly easy and anyone can join Sandbox, regardless of prior knowledge. All it takes is a few simple steps to get up and running:

Register – Head over to The Sandbox website and register.

Connect your wallet – To use crypto transactions, you’ll need a digital wallet. Your Ledger hardware wallet offers an excellent way to keep full control of your private keys, while also giving you the flexibility and accessibility to explore the exciting new possibilities of interacting with The Sandbox Metaverse

Create an Avatar – Customizing your avatar lets you express yourself in unique ways! You’re given a lot of freedom to choose from, including basic facial features and body shapes. With so much variety at your fingertips, you can create an avatar that’s truly yours. We guarantee you’ll have fun while doing it!

Explore – With the avatar created, the Sandbox metaverse will receive a burst of life and activity. Areas of the virtual world will be mapped out with further detail as exploration continues. Explore all the digital land plots in the game and select the one that best suits you! With so many to choose from, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Play – Investing your time in playing can be highly rewarding. You may earn enough rewards to purchase an asset from the marketplace without having to put any money down! However, it’s always best to do your research before spending money on something or taking a risk with an investment. Either way, getting involved and exploring the metaverse can be incredibly fun and you never know what might await you!

Staying Safe in the Metaverse

Exploring the Metaverse should be safe and hassle-free. Ledger hardware wallets are designed to help you store your digital assets securely. Ledger devices support SAND, LAND, and ASSETs. Our wallets give you extra security while allowing you to interact in The Sandbox Metaverse with confidence. With a Ledger device, it’s so easy to sign transactions and store your digital assets! Learn more about other metaverse platforms by checking out Yuga Labs’ Otherside Metaverse and Decentraland.