NFTs have taken the globe by storm, leaving many stunned at their rapid ascent to prominence. We’ve seen them take over the world of art, social media, music, and many other spheres in just a few years since its debut. And now NFTs have disrupted the gaming industry as well. 

NFT games are sensational and have drawn the attention of millions of game lovers all over the world. It’s a little wonder many top gaming brands are turning their focus to the blockchain industry to which NFTs belong. 

For avid gamers, the appeal of NFT games is the fact that it heralds a new era where gamers finally own their in-game assets. And this, as you well know, opens up a world of possibilities! 

In-game assets can now function as real-life assets as players get to exchange their assets in the marketplace for fiat. Plus, players can now do much more than pass time with these games. They can now earn.

It’s amazing how NFTs have made something truly phenomenal out of what used to be merely exciting. And we’re happy to walk you through your first foray into this NFT world. 

So, without further ado, let’s begin!

First, what are NFTs?

NFTs are digital tokens on the blockchain that represent a unique item. You can also describe them as digital assets that represent real-life objects or materials. 

NFTs can be used to depict anything. And by anything, we mean anything. You name it: music, art, colors, designs, in-game items and videos, sports, consumables, and anything tradeable. Whatever you can imagine, it can be tokenized on the blockchain. In fact, a recent addition to the types of NFTs is what you’d call the literary NFT.

But why would anyone want to make an NFT out of anything, in the first place?

Simple. Because with NFTs, we can settle once and for all what items are original and who owns them. This is possible because each NFT has a unique marker that is registered on the blockchain which is visible to everyone and is also unalterable.

Just like cryptocurrencies, NFTs can be bought and sold, usually in NFT marketplaces like Opensea, for instance. They can also be exchanged between holders as well.

What are NFT games?

NFT games, especially play-to-earn models, have become quite prominent in the world of Game-Fi as a means to earn income. Here, you possess the right to trade your in-game NFTs with different collectors and players and actually receive tokens, which you can exchange for fiat.

Just like NFTs, most NFT games are hosted on the Ethereum network. But there are many others that are hosted on other blockchains like Binance Smart Chain, Polygon, and others. In fact, NFT games that are hosted on these other platforms are getting increasingly popular as they provide a far less expensive option than Ethereum.

In blockchain games, nearly all game items are NFTs

In NFT games, nearly all items are tokenized, which means that they can be owned, stored, and bought. For instance, a game could illustrate your distinct character or avatar as an NFT. Meanwhile, weapons, skins, accessories, and tools can also be NFTs. 

You can then choose to swap or trade your NFTs with other participants and earn big for that. And trust us when we say you can earn big! Some people have made thousands of dollars just from selling their in-game NFT assets to other gamers as well as collectors.

This development is definitely a welcome one in a space that before now, solely benefited gaming companies. Well, they did offer the satisfaction of excitement and recreation to players. But for the billions of dollars spent by players in these games, it seemed somewhat unfair that they (the players) had nothing to show for it.

If a gamer got tired and wanted to move on, all the investments made in that game could pretty much be considered useless. And even the excitement gotten from the games would have become little more than a bland memory, as mainstream game policies ensured that players could not sell their assets, leaving gamers truly hung out to dry.

With NFT games, especially play-to-earn (or P2E), all that is turned on its head, as gamers get to enjoy their game while earning from it.

How do NFT games make money?

You’ve probably heard over and again how much money NFT games can make you. Well, yes, it is true that you can make a lot of money from these games. In fact, in the Philippines, a few people have earned enough to get their own home from NFT games. 

Nevertheless, there are no guarantees when it comes to how much you can make from playing NFT games. Factors such as the game mechanics and market demand play a huge role because what you make, inadvertently, comes from the community around that particular NFT.

Let us quickly insert a caveat here: just like the crypto market, the NFT market is highly volatile. In fact, it’s probably more volatile considering that the NFT market is illiquid, which means that NFTs aren’t that easily converted to cash. 

As you know, there are no centralized exchanges for NFT games. And so, unless there’s a community around an NFT game and a demand, you could be stuck with your game NFTs and lose your investment. 

So, in summary, just because a game has NFTs built-in does not mean you’re going to make a truckload of money from it. It will always be in your best interest to do your research and only invest with money that you can afford to lose.

With that said, here’s how you can start your NFT gaming journey:

How to start NFT gaming

There are five quick and easy steps to begin NFT gaming.

1. Create a crypto wallet. It’s absolutely free.

2. Find a play-to-earn game on the blockchain. There are tons of NFT games that can be overwhelming for a beginner. But we’ll show you our absolute faves to get you started.

3. Connect the game to the wallet.

4. Play and earn! But don’t forget that the rules vary for each game.

5. Buy and sell on marketplaces.

What are the best NFT games?

There are many NFT games on the blockchain and picking one is quite personal. Everyone has their individual tastes and preferences which would reflect in the kinds of games each one chooses to play.

Nevertheless, since you asked so nicely, we will tell you what our favorite ones are. We tried to create a mix of genres so that there’s something for everyone here. 

So, without further ado, let’s check them out:

1. Axie Infinity

Of course, we were going to begin with Axie Infinity. This is like the biggest NFT game right now with over 2 million daily active users.

Axie Infinity is heavily reminiscent of Pokemon and Tamagotchi. Players will collect, breed, raise, battle, and trade cute monsters which are referred to as Axies. 

As you can probably tell, these Axies are NFTs and you’d need to buy at least three of them to get started, which currently costs about $600 in total.

Axie Infinity has gone parabolic, which makes it a bit tough to enter right now. However, the game remains a highly lucrative one. So, if you can afford it, and you loved Pokemon and Tamagotchi, this is a game you should totally check out.

2. Gods Unchained

If you like card games, you’re definitely going to enjoy Gods Unchained.

Gods Unchained is an online tactical card trading game also based on the play-to-earn model. Trading cards are NFTs that players can trade in the game’s marketplace to build a deck that allows them to win more matches, and collect other cards as they win.

To begin playing, you simply go to the game’s website and create an account. You’ll be dealt six decks of cards: 140 cards in total, which form the Welcome Set. You’ll also get a few Core Cards which you can use to customize your Welcome cards.

That said, there are a few game modes to choose from. There’s the solo mode that will pit you against a computer opponent. You can consider this the practice mode. 

You also have the Constructed mode that pits you against other opponents online. 

And then, we have the Ranked Constructed which is the ultimate playing mode. In this mode, you play against other opponents, rise through the ranks, and unlock prizes.

3. Sorare

If you’re a fan of soccer, then this is one game that you’ll definitely enjoy. It’s like fantasy soccer but with NFTs. 

So, rather than simply selecting names of players from off a list, with Sorare, you’d have to buy digital collectible cards first. You’ll then use these cards to compete with other players in the game.

As you can probably guess, these cards are NFTs, so you can sell them like cryptocurrencies or simply collect them like baseball cards. 

Moreover, you also get rewards for each competition in which you participate. These rewards can either be cryptocurrencies or rare cards which you can add to your collection.

It’s your time to start NFT gaming

We hope you found this article both educating and interesting. Regardless of how complicated the concepts of NFTs and NFT gaming were to you, we’re pretty sure you get the point now. 

So, now that you know where to start, what’s going to be your next play? Let us know in the comment section which NFT game you’re going to be diving into first. 

Don’t forget to only invest with money that you can afford to lose.

Knock yourself out!

The post A Quick Guide To Starting NFT Games appeared first on NFT Game Info.

But before anything else, let’s discuss a bit about the obvious.

Generative digital art collections are the most common NFTs

We’re used to seeing NFT collectibles, both in the form of trading cards that fandoms love and cute cartoons even kids would appreciate. Among the cartoonish, anime-like, and pixelated bunch of them, what you’re likely seeing are forms of generative art.

“Generative” means the digital artist could set up “traits” and generate multiple random art pieces from them. CryptoPunks and Bored Apes are among the most famous of these types of non-fungible token collections.

Because of their popularity and high price tag, their owners can exercise bragging rights and make the NFTs their profile pictures (PFP). Hence the term “PFP NFT” projects.

Soon, however, people were looking for more NFT utility other than just displaying them on their social profiles. Luckily, creators and investors realized that, too. And now, we have new emerging types of NFTs to get excited about.

1. In-Game NFTs

Obviously, we like NFT games here, so this category of NFTs isn’t entirely new to us. But, big mainstream game creators are interested in jumping into the blockchain.

One mainstream game company that’s into NFTs is Square Enix. The Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider creator plans to release blockchain video games.

Meanwhile, the company Ubisoft has already integrated NFTs into one of its games, Ghost Recon Breakpoint.

Apparently, though, not all mainstream gamers and streamers like the idea of bringing NFTs into their favorite AAA games. This sentiment probably made some companies reluctant to introduce NFT items or characters into already-popular titles.

So, gaming industry giants like Netmarble are pitching new iterations of existing games instead of launching entirely new ones. Netmarble’s very first play-to-earn crypto game is A3: Still Alive, and it has in-game NFT items at its core.

However, Ubisoft later announced that it’ll stop creating new content and NFTs for Ghost Recon, but told followers about future drops on other games. Meanwhile, Square Enix isn’t turning back from its plans, as it sells Tomb Raider and other titles to fund its blockchain gaming projects.

In principle, players could use in-game NFTs in the game itself, but they could also own these items for real. If they want, they could sell the items because they’re NFTs.

It’ll be interesting to observe how all other big mainstream players will adapt NFT gaming in the years to come.

2. Music NFTs

Gala Games launched Gala Music in February 2022 and sparked interest in music NFTs. Among the first artists to sell their music as NFTs on Gala Music are Snoop Dogg and BT.

By creating music as NFTs, singers and composers can earn more from their creations than from traditional record labels. Gala Music presents that opportunity for them as well as their biggest stans who would love to support their favorites better.

Aside from Gala Music, artists and music lovers can explore Catalog. It catalogs single-edition music NFTs. The platform allows you to create, buy, sell, or trade audio NFTs.

Although OpenSea has a dedicated music NFT category, some artists prefer launching their song NFTs into music-specific platforms.

3. Sneaker NFTs

We’re not talking about the typical collection of sneaker art NFTs here. Instead, we’re looking at NFT sneakers that would represent your dedication to outdoor fitness and your earning potential precisely because of that dedication.

You see, Play-to-Earn emerged with NFT games, while Listen-to-Earn will be a thing because of Gala Music and song NFTs. Both already sound very great and far ahead of PFP NFTs, which only get you to brag.

But what could be more exciting for runners and health-conscious humans than a Move-to-Earn concept? Blockchain and Web3 app developers certainly didn’t want to miss out on that, so they created projects like STEPN.

Currently, STEPN’s NFT sneakers are already being sold and traded on Binance. With such a sneaker NFT, you could walk or jog outdoors and earn tokens.

4. Fashion NFTs

Sneakers are part of modern fashion, yes. But fashion NFTs would be a separate category if we’re talking about big brands such as Gucci.

The fashion company has a dedicated Vault for its metaverse and NFT enterprise. It also has an NFT collection at OpenSea called SuperGucci and a digital destination called Gucci Town on Roblox.

Interestingly, it’s not just Gucci. A swarm of fashion artists and companies have even graced the first-ever Metaverse Fashion Week, which was powered by UNXD and Vogue.

NFT dresses and other digital fashion pieces are becoming increasingly popular in Decentraland, and most big brands have loved to be on board.

5. Literary NFTs

Web3 has taken care of visual artists, gamers, music creators, and even fashionistas. But what about the wordsmiths?

Luckily, writers now have an opportunity to publish their work as literary NFTs—thanks to this new community and platform called NiftyLit. This magazine platform believes the future of publishing is in Web3. 

Another platform for crypto writers is Creatokia. It welcomes content from existing publishers and authors, but it’s also working on its own collection: Creatokia Originals.

If you wish to submit your written work for publication as an NFT, you can contact either NiftyLit or Creatokia through their website.

There’s one more type of NFT that’ll likely stick around

They’re meme NFTs. The thing with them is they likely won’t sell as much unless they become absolutely popular. Those who are always on the watch for the latest and the funniest may take advantage of creating memes. If their meme goes viral, then the likelihood of getting millions out of selling it as an NFT could be higher.

As for us at NFT Game Info, we’d probably stick with play-to-earn games. Or, we could go outside for a run and earn from our sneaker NFTs. Maybe we could compose or create new music and sell them—who knows what we could do next?

I believe the same wild opportunities await you in the NFT space, whatever kind of artist you are. So, make sure to take advantage of these new emerging types of NFTs and have fun creating to earn!

The post 5 New Emerging Types of NFTs to Watch Out For appeared first on NFT Game Info.

A little bit of history shows that the internet created by Tim Berners-Lee was meant to be an interconnected computer system for scientists to share experiments. In his words, the internet was to be “a collaborative medium, a place where we all meet and read and write.” “We all” in his statement here meant scientists like himself. This internet came to be known as Web 1.0.

Web 1.0 was soon followed by web 2.0, which is the internet as we know it today. This was the more inclusive internet. The internet that allowed regular people like you and me to contribute to the internet, build stuff on it, and share stuff on it too.

And now, talks have begun to fill the air that the internet as we know it is about to evolve once again. The people spearheading this evolution are calling it web 3.0. They say that web 3.0 is the future of the internet and that we are gradually getting into it. But you’re probably there wondering, “what’s the big whoop?”

In this piece, I will synthesize the past, the present, and the future to tell a compelling story about web 3.0. 

Now, as was said in the 1965 movie Sound of Music, “let’s start from the very beginning.”

Web 1.0

In the beginning, there was an internet. Some believe this stage of the internet known as web 1.0 or the static web lasted from 1989 – 2005. It was created as a science project for scientists to meet and discuss and share ideas but was dominated by directories like AOL, Compuserve, Yahoo, etc. 

This stage of the internet is called the static web because it was not as interactive as what we have today. There were few content creators and users only consumed content which was relatively difficult to find. 

Obviously, surfing the internet was not fun as it is today. There were no algorithms to sift pages and make information readily available. So, you had to sit for hours on your computer searching for the information you needed.

To really have an idea, imagine the internet without browsers. That was what web 1.0 looked like until Netscape launched its web browser in 1994, giving web 1.0 a new dimension. What followed this launch was known as the dot-com boom when businesses started adopting the internet and a lot of them went online. 

This launch set the stage for web 2.0.

Web 2.0

The name Web2.0 was coined by Darcy DiNucci. But it did not become popular until it was promoted by John Battelle and Tim O’Reilly. According to them, web 2.0 introduced “Web as Platform.”

Here, software applications are built on the web as opposed to on the desktop.

On this platform as described by O’Reilly and Batelle, content creation was done by user participation. The created content would then be made accessible to millions of other people around the world virtually.

If you visit websites in web 1.0, you will notice a clear difference. In web 2.0, the focus is now on user interaction rather than the bland web pages in web 1.0. Websites now have appealing interfaces to improve navigation. Those who met web 1.0 probably wondered how they ever survived with such bare-bones facilities after meeting web 2.0.

Mobile internet access and the development of social networks made web 2.0 what it is today. The internet left the confines of the PC and could now be carried around in pockets. The development of powerful and advanced mobile devices, like the iPhone and other Android devices, made this possible.

User-generated content has made data important, especially personal data. The internet is becoming intelligent by the day with the development of artificial intelligence. And data is now more than ever being tailored to user preferences. For instance, think about how uncanny it is that YTM is able to suggest a song they think you’d love based on your activities. And guess what? You actually love it! It’s quite crazy when you think of it.

As the internet gets more intelligent, we are getting closer to the next generation of the internet – web 3.0. The next section explains what this concept is about and why you should care.

What Is Web 3 .0?

The name web 3.0 was coined by Ethereum co-founder, Gavin Wood.

Web 3.0 is a decentralized internet without servers. It allows users to control their own identity, the data they generate, in short, their web destiny. This they do without any third-party interference or central authority. 

Let us look at it this way. 

We will use TikTok as an example. The videos you create in the app are stored in it and you have limited control over your data. The company can decide to use your data as it pleases them without your permission. This is known as centralized data storage. And there has been a battle between governments and “big tech” over how users’ data are protected and used.

Apparently, big tech companies haven’t exactly been saints. And there have been cases of antitrust and monopolistic practices leveled against them many times. But that’s not our focus today. Back to web 3.0.

What web 3.0 aims at doing is decentralize web usage. This will take control away from third parties like Facebook (Meta), Twitter, etc. This way, content creators like you and I will have more control over our data.

Web 3.0 Vs Web 2.0

One of the drawbacks of third-party control in web 2.0 was witnessed recently when Facebook (now Meta) suddenly went down. This was only possible because there was a central body in control, Facebook (Meta). 

In contrast, web 3.0 users do not need a central authority to use the web since it will be decentralized. We will each have a single social account that isn’t limited to any platform but enables us to move freely across social platforms. This takes control away from big tech, meaning that Meta can no longer go MIA on us in web 3.0 as it did in web 2.0. 

In web 3.0 according to Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, “how you use web 3.0 won’t look different than how you use the internet though.” It will just be an upgraded version of web 2.0. So, don’t worry, it’s not going to require a steep learning curve. Sure, some things will change but web 3.0 won’t be unrecognizable. In fact, it’s already here, not fully, but definitely present.

In my opinion, the development of blockchain technology was the miracle web 3.0 needed to gain traction. The popularity of web 3.0 has grown alongside that of blockchain as it provides that open, decentralized, and trustless platform that powers web 3.0.

Many years ago, it was Satoshi Nakamoto’s dream to create a currency that is safe, secure, and not under the centralized control of the banks. And now, it is the dream of web 3.0 to create a safe, secure democratized internet that is not controlled by any central authority.

Defining Features of Web 3.0

Decentralization 

In web 3.0 we will say goodbye to the days of centralized servers and huge databases. Information would be stored in multiple locations concurrently. In addition to this, the creator of content in web 3.0 will own and control their data. So, data generated by a user in web 3.0 will be more like an NFT.

Trustless

Web 3.0 applications will run on a combination of blockchain and peer-to-peer networks which allows users to interact directly without the need for a third party. So, direct messages will be between the two parties and there won’t be any fear of losing your chats or someone interfering with it without your knowledge.

Permissionless

The removal of the third party means you won’t be needing any authorization to use the web.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will make web 3.0 computers smarter and produce faster and more relevant results.

The Internet of Things

Connection to the internet in web 3.0 would not be limited to only computers and smartphones. A lot of everyday devices will be connected to the internet.

Security and Privacy

In web 3.0, you own your data. There is no fear of antitrust or a breach and you are in control of your data. 

3D Graphics 

Images in web 3.0 will be in 3D. Some call it the spatial web because in web 3.0 the line between the real and the virtual will be blurred with high-resolution graphics and even virtual reality.

Web 3.0 fits with another vision of the internet’s future known as the metaverse. As you probably already know, the metaverse is a collection of virtual realms where avatars of real people live, work, socialize and carry out everyday activities. 

In fact, web 3.0 and the metaverse share a lot of similarities that it is debatable if they are the same or different. 

For those who say both are the same, their argument is that web 3.0 and the metaverse are decentralized, trustless, open, and embrace artificial intelligence and machine learning. They also run on blockchain, peer-to-peer technology, and there is the promise of users being able to monetize them.

Others argue that web 3.0 and the metaverse are different in that the former is more definitive and concrete. They explain that web 3.0 gives solutions to the shortcomings of web 2.0 and might likely replace it. In comparison, the metaverse is quite vague and speculative because it still looks more like a daydream and has not taken any concrete form yet.

Personally, I believe that both ideas augment each other. At the core of it, web 3.0 is a building block of the metaverse, thanks to the decentralization benefit it brings to the table. So, considering that, you could say that there can be no metaverse without web 3.0. But that is only one side of the story. There are still many other angles to consider when we talk of web 3.0 and the metaverse. Unfortunately, I won’t be going into that today.

I will round off with this question, though…

Will Web 3.0 Make Web 2.0 Obsolete?

Well, honestly, it is hard to tell. And if we’re being very practical, it might even be impossible. “Might” being the operative word, seeing as almost anything is possible these days. 

But the truth is that there are some products that are just better off on web 2.0 than on blockchain. Centralization actually does work, if we are going to be completely honest. Think of platforms like Twitch, Discord, Uber, DoorDash. These apps are more effective off the blockchain than on it. 

Even OpenSea, Coinbase, and the likes which help to facilitate blockchain transactions are centralized systems. So, the relationship between web 3.0 and web 2.0 is more intertwined and complicated than we think. I do not think they will ever be completely rid of each other but I’m sure pumped to see all the many ways their relationship evolves in the future.

The post The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need About Web 3.0 appeared first on NFT Game Info.

Writers First Came Up With the Idea of a Metaverse

The metaverse in itself is not a novel idea. In fact, Neal Stephenson in his 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash”, which envisioned a virtual reality based successor to the internet, coined the name metaverse. 

In Snow Crash, people explored an online world using digital avatars of themselves, often as a way to escape a dystopian reality. 

More recently, Ernest Cline in his 2011 novel “Ready Player One”, which was later adapted into a movie for the big screen, further popularized the idea of a metaverse. 

Ready Player One pictured a futuristic world in 2045 that was gripped by global warming and an energy crisis. This led to a widespread socio-economic catastrophe which people could only escape by transporting themselves into a fantasy virtual world called OASIS.

In a way, the scenario painted by Cline in his novel is very similar to the idea of a metaverse described to us by Mark Zuckerberg. For one, the people in Ready Player One accessed Oasis through virtual reality headsets and wired gloves. The only difference is that in Zuckerberg’s reality, the metaverse is the protagonist.

The Evolution of the Metaverse: From Fiction to Reality

It’s been about three decades since Neil Stephenson envisioned the metaverse and a lot has happened since then. But let’s begin with the one event that made the metaverse go viral: Facebook’s entry into the metaverse.

Mark Zuckerberg changed the name of his company from Facebook to Meta on October 28, 2021. According to Zuckerberg, the move shows the company’s new focus on building the metaverse. This, he estimates, could take about five to ten years before the main features of the metaverse become mainstream. 

It would appear that this announcement by Zuckerberg was the push the idea of the metaverse needed. Since then, it has received a lot of attention. In fact, the term “metaverse” has become something of a buzzword. But not many are excited by Facebook’s plans for the metaverse, with some referring to it as a techno-dystopian nightmare.

That’s not our focus in today’s article, though. Besides, no one company will ever own the metaverse. The metaverse, just like the internet, is going to be the result of the work of many contributors.

I like the way Jon Lai, a GP at investment firm a16z puts it. He says,

“There’s a lot of building yet to be done. The blockchain, play-to-earn, different types of jobs, virtual economics, all of that are like stepping stones as well as UGC platforms and scaling content creation… It won’t be this shining product launch from some company who just says, ‘Hey! We’ve been working on this for ten years and boom, here’s the metaverse.’ It’s going to be different companies working in completely different spaces on completely different products.” Already, companies like Roblox, Microsoft, and Epic Games are also planning their own metaverses. Nvidia, Square, and even Alibaba have also officially announced their move to the metaverse.

-Jon Lai

But What Exactly Is the Metaverse?

The metaverse is a virtual space where users can interact and perform real-life activities with other people. It is an aggregation of 3D virtual realms that are focused on social connections. 

The metaverse combines multiple elements of technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and 3D video. 

Some other technologies that will aid the development of the metaverse are also already in place. These include ultra-fast broadband speeds, virtual reality headsets, and always-on online worlds. Not all of these technologies are readily accessible right now. However, they are already in place, each playing its role in the evolution of the metaverse.

Qualities of the Metaverse

The venture capitalist Mathew Ball defines the metaverse with seven qualities. He believes the metaverse will:

1. Be Persistent

This means that the metaverse will never reset, pause, or end. It will run indefinitely.

2. Be Synchronous and Live

Events in the metaverse will be prescheduled and self-contained, just like in real life. But it will still be a living experience that exists consistently for everyone and in real-time.

3. Be Without Any Cap to Concurrent Users

The metaverse will be without any cap to users while also providing each user with an individual sense of “presence.” That is, everyone will be able to partake in specific events, places, or activities together, at the same time, and with individual agency.

4. Be a Fully Functioning Economy

Individuals and businesses in the metaverse will be able to create, own, invest, sell, and be rewarded for an incredibly wide range of work that produces value, recognizable by others.

5. Span a Variety of Worlds

The metaverse will be an experience that spans both the digital and physical worlds, private and public networks/experiences, and open and closed platforms. 

6. Offer Unprecedented Interoperability of Data

And not just data, the metaverse will also come with interoperability of digital items/assets, content, and so on. 

Assets, items, and content obtained from a platform on the metaverse can be used across other platforms. And each of these platforms in the metaverse would only require one password to access.

7. Offer A Diverse Range of User-Generated Content

The metaverse will be populated by content and experiences created and operated by an incredibly wide range of contributors. Content will not just come from independent individuals. It will also come from informally organized groups as well as commercially-focused enterprises.

The Metaverse Gold Rush

The metaverse is at a stage of heavy development, and big tech companies have joined the gold rush to build this virtual world and the infrastructure it needs to function. These companies already own platforms that they believe will function in the metaverse. And this has fostered a vested interest on the part of these companies to build metaverse solutions.

Proponents of the metaverse believe that users will work, play, and socialize with friends in certain activities like concerts, conferences, and virtual trips.

Speaking of, on November 19 2021, the famous American musician, Justin Bieber, held a 30-minute virtual concert on the virtual music platform, Wave. His avatar sang his latest album, “Justice” to an audience of about 10.7 million participating virtually.

The Metaverse Is Disrupting Our Lives Already

The metaverse clearly is not a topic to be cast aside because of the impact it will have on various aspects of our lives. In fact, it is already disrupting life as we know it today.

The Future of Work

Let’s take a look at the way we work, for example. The Covid-19 pandemic forced companies to look towards remote collaborations for work, which led to the rise of platforms like Zoom and Slack. 

Now, although we are slowly returning to life before the pandemic, from the look of things, remote work is here to stay. The virtual solutions making remote work possible have opened up opportunities for collaboration that are not hindered by location and time. A success that the metaverse will build on and make even more efficient and convenient for both employers and employees. 

The future of work may look like sitting in the comfort of your house, strapping on a VR headset or an AR device, and carrying out activities from 9 to 5. With our lives increasingly becoming online, transitioning into this should not be long from now or difficult.

Ecommerce

E-commerce will also be transformed hugely by the metaverse. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for the e-commerce industry. Companies developed online shopping and delivery in order to stay afloat and meet the demands of their customers. 

This is certainly not going away with the coming of the metaverse. Instead, it’s going to be greatly enhanced. So, in the metaverse, instead of scrolling through a web page or visiting a physical store, consumers will explore the stores from the comfort of their homes with all the in-store experiences akin to visiting the physical store. 

Consumers will also have an interactive in-store experience, try out products, and get clarification on products that will aid the purchasing process.

Social Networking

It’s obvious that the future of social networks is the metaverse, and it might make screens obsolete for social connections. 

The metaverse social media experience will be different, though. It may look like a walk through an open space, a park, or a street. And instead of typing comments on pages, social interaction will evolve to friends engaging in real-time communication on various social media platforms.

Money

Every platform that hosts human interaction needs to provide a channel for transactions among members because transactions are part of socialization. There will be transactions between users in the metaverse as there already is on the internet today. This interaction will cast a new shade to money as we know it. 

As a virtual world, it makes sense that the medium of transaction in the metaverse is virtual money. Virtual money already exists in the form of cryptocurrency and other virtual assets. So, it looks like the metaverse is building up block by block, and cryptocurrency and decentralized finance are preemptive of money in the metaverse. 

One of the qualities of the metaverse as postulated by Matthew Ball is a fully functioning economy. And this economy will function with crypto assets. All the major cryptocurrencies may find their way into the metaverse, or the metaverse might also come with its own crypto.

Whatever the case, for the economy of the metaverse to be fully functional, cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets are a necessity rather than a choice. Cryptocurrencies offer the speed, security, and transparency that are required for a virtual world. 

As you know, one thing users will require in the metaverse is an assurance that their transactions and information are secure, and the technical architecture of cryptocurrencies and other crypto assets ensures this. This is one reason I believe that the metaverse cannot do without cryptocurrencies.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)

Decentralized Autonomous organizations (DAOs) are a foretaste of what organizations or companies will look like in the metaverse. DAOs will seamlessly fit into the metaverse because they run on the same basic technology as the metaverse. 

They are democratic, autonomous groups that are developed on smart contracts and etched on blockchain. Although DAOs already exist, we are looking at the mainstreaming of a viable idea when the metaverse fully comes.

Wrapping Up

The metaverse will be as broad as the internet when it fully comes. There are debates if it is an improved version of Web 3.0 or both are one and the same thing. But that’s a debate I wouldn’t want to go into right now.

The point I want to make, however, is this; ignoring talks about the metaverse would be like ignoring talks about the internet before it came to be. It is certain that the metaverse is the next direction for the internet. How long it will take before it is fully integrated, though, is an answer that eludes even big tech companies.

Now you know everything you need to know about the metaverse. What’s your play going to be? Let me know in the comment section.

The post What Is the Metaverse?—What They Don’t Tell You appeared first on NFT Game Info.

Star Atlas is a space exploration, strategic, and open-world game in a galactic universe with player ownership and a play-to-earn mechanism. Players just need to pilot their ships to start trade activities with other players.

Star Atlas NFT Sale 

The team behind the game plans to build on Solana blockchain with layer 1 protocol so that it can process more than 50,000 transactions every second. In a recent NFT sale, Star Atlas managed to acquire just under 1 million dollars in their initial offerings and plans to execute long-term goals. 

Strategy Game

At its core, Star Atlas is a grand strategy game with space exploration, territorial conquest, political domination,
and more. Since it can handle a large number of transactions, players are free to trade assets, pay taxes, and mine. The Solana-powered game runs on Serum, which is an impressive decentralized exchange.

Vision for Star Atlas

The long-term objective are to make the space-fantasy epic game more accessible in the NFT world and drive the economy in real-time. It favors a 24/7 virtual real-time economy. Think of it as a digital space where players can trade, engage in battle, and form contracts in real-time. 

In its great vision, the game desires to be:

• A space-fantasy RPG with a real-time economy and NFTs.
• A strategy game with politics, trade routes, and economically productive territories.
• A 24/7 virtual economy where players can come together in real-time to trade, form contracts, and engage in battle.
• A fully immersive 3D world with film quality graphics powered by Unreal Engine’s Nanite that you can experience in VR.

Immersive and Impressive 3D Experience

Star Atlas offers an impressive 3D experience to users with amazing visuals. In fact, the visuals are on par with movie-quality graphics. The visual graphics are powered by Nanite, Unreal Engine’s new virtual geometry system. This will allow users to interact and play in VR.

Epic Games is heading the charge on this technology. They’re a monster in the gaming industry (think Fortnite) and are redefining what it means to game in VR with their Nanite system.

Soon, people will be gaming in VR just like they’re gaming in front of a keyboard and mouse now. It will be just as normal, and Star Atlas plans to be one of the first games to take advantage of this fledgling technology offering a vast immersive universe.

Partners

Recently, Star Atlas has been able to name Animoca Brands as a premier partner. In fact, they took time to roll out a blockbuster trailer and hold town halls just to details the partnership.

The pre-sale of Star Atlas’ first round of NFT ties together with GAO (Galactic Asset Offering). One of the highlights of the game is that it allows players to enjoy dedicated ownership of game assets and monetize their skills and passion at the same time. It is no wonder they have become exciting to players who want to immerse themselves in the space world.

In addition to Animoca Brands, they have acquired massive partners in both the crypto and investment space as well as the gaming industry. You can see all their related partners on their website in detail.

Star Atlas Currencies

Their rolling out two currencies, $POLIS and $ATLAS. $POLIS is more of a low-velocity value-chain store with a fixed supply. This will be their rRevenue-bearing asset & governance token in real life. $ATLAS is the medium of exchange and the inflationary in-game currency. This is the currency you’ll use to interact with inside the game.

Release

The game is already live and had limited play abilities.

Faction selection is enabled. Faction locations determine your strategic advantages based on the crafting potential of nearby raw materials. You may enlist with additional factions through passports. Your earnings help your faction’s overall leaderboard rank.

The marketplace and inventory are live, where you can buy, trade, and sell nft items. You may choose to utilize your assets in pursuit of a career in space or simply as a trader of rare space goods.

The leaderboards are active as well. Leaderboards rank players, organizations and factions based on their accumulated wealth. Earn medals to display on your avatar if you place top three in any of these ladders.

Final Thoughts

Star Atlas aims to launch the game in multiple phases starting with the first Galactic Asset Offering that will allow users to buy ships on the Serum-powered marketplace. Besides that, Star Atlas has Sperasoft as an AAA gaming partner, which is responsible for iconic titles like Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Halo Infinite.

A partner like Sperasoft will help Star Atlas prioritize a top-notch gaming experience for different types of users and make the intergalactic space journey exciting. Star Atlas plans to raise the bar and combine more resources to develop its universe.

If you have questions or ideas for new articles, hit us down below in the comments.

Be sure to check out our other articles for play-to-earn games than have launched now are people are raving about.

The post An Overview of Star Atlas appeared first on NFT Game Info.