What is Sandbox? Learn how to buy and work with Sandbox
Ever since October 2021, when Facebook announced that it would change its name to Meta, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the term “Metaverse” and its uses. Metaverse or the virtual world allows people to create custom parallel worlds and work with avatars designed in these worlds. In the meantime, one of the best and most well-known Metaverse platforms is the SandBox platform.
Sandbox is a game based on Ethereum and Non-fungible tokens (NFT) that offers players a unique ownership experience. The game, which is categorized as a “monetized game”, employs players’ creativity and allows them to participate in both the creation of game items and the games themselves. Players can use free design tools to create their own digital games and assets, and then sell those assets in the Sandbox marketplace and make money.
In this article, we first take a look at the history of the Sandbox platform and its creators, and then review the three key products and different tokens of this game. The next sections of this article are devoted to how to buy land on the Sandbox platform as well as how to earn money from it. Finally, we try to answer some of the most common questions that are asked about the Sandbox Metaverse. Stay with us.
What is a sandbox?
Sandbox is a community-based monetization game that allows players to design and create their own virtual world using unparalleled tokens.
In fact, the Sandbox Metaverse is a blockchain-based virtual world that seeks to reward players for the value they design and produce by revolutionizing the gaming industry.
This DeFi platform, which is built on the Ethereum blockchain, provides free tools for users to build their own games and digital assets and then exchange them in the gaming market with the platform’s native token, called a (SAND). Also, players in this ecosystem can design their avatars to access different games, centers and environments and maintain their interaction with other players.
Each digital plot of land in the Sandbox Metaverse is called a LAND token, which is a NFT token with ERC721 standard on the Ethereum blockchain. To buy these fields, you need a native platform token, a SAND. In addition, it is possible to offer personal assets and purchase other assets on this platform using this token. In fact, SAND is a Sandbox rule token that gives players the right to vote in addition to economic use.
History of the Sandbox and its construction team
Although Sandbox is now recognized as one of the pioneers of the Metaverse space, the platform began years before the idea of the current Metaverse became popular. The Pixowl game studio, led by Sebastien Borget and Arthur Madrid, released the game in 2012 for mobile versions and then in 2015 for PC.
The game was originally a two-dimensional mobile game that allowed players to build their own world and manipulate the materials and elements of this world. Sandbox was a huge success after a while and reached more than 40 million downloads worldwide. With the growing popularity of this game, the next version was released in 2016 called “The Sandbox Evolution” to challenge other competitors.
In mid-2018, blockchain company Animoca Brands acquired Pixowl Studios for nearly $5 million to integrate the game’s growth and development strategies with blockchain technology. Finally, we can consider the revolution of NFT tokens as a turning point in Sandbox, which in 2020 raised the performance of this game to a more attractive level.
The blockchain version of the game, called The Sandbox Metaverse, uses the concept and function of NFTs to allow players to own the fields and items they create, and even earn money that way. This version, unlike previous versions, is completely 3D three-dimensional; But it still retains the art style of the early world with its special shapes and lighting.
The new Sandbox project, like other gaming platforms such as Axie Infinity and Decentraland, grew exponentially and became one of the most popular virtual gaming platforms.
The game has raised more than $100 million so far. Among Sandbox investors are large companies, including the Japanese investment firm SoftBank. In addition, Sandbox has more than 50 different partners and sponsors, including the famous gaming company Atari, Adidas, Samsung, as well as hip-hop star Snoop Dogg.
How does the Sandbox game work?
Through three products, the Sandbox allows players to not only be the designer and producer of in-game content, but also have full ownership of the content produced and be able to monetize in-game assets. In Sandbox, users can create custom avatars, build various structures, and even build their own game. Owning and earning money from all of these is possible thanks to the technology of Non-fungible tokens and the following three products:
VoxEdit
VoxEdit is a free tool for creating and animating three-dimensional objects and items, such as characters, animals, and tools in the Sandbox Metaverse. These objects are known as assets (ASSETS) and are based on the ERC1155 token standard. This standard uses new technology to create NFT tokens.
In fact, VoxEdit is a user-friendly software for creating Voxel items in the Sandbox world. Voxels are square three-dimensional pixels that can be called virtual versions of Legos. These Voxels can be quickly edited in VoxEdit to turn into various shapes including objects, decorative items, avatars and characters, animals, costumes, weapons and other game tools. These virtual goods can then be traded as NFT tokens in the Sandbox marketplace.
Sandbox Game Maker
The Sandbox game maker is another free tool that allows users to create and test their own unique 3D games on the Sandbox Metaverse. Game Maker is a simple application that does not require coding knowledge to use. Using this tool, users can design and organize various elements inside the game and NFT tokens in an environment called LAND, which means “Earth”.
For example, players can edit fields, place characters and structures on them, and manage various stages of the game. They can also market and sell their structures through the Sandbox marketplace.
The Sandbox Marketplace
The Sandbox Marketplace is a good place to buy and sell everything in the Sandbox; From pieces of land to objects, animals, decorations, weapons and whatever the players have designed and created.
The marketplace allows developers (in-game content creators) to sell their work for other developers or players to use this content to create and develop their own contexts. For example, a builder may offer a particular object and a player may think that the object belongs to his or her other assets. In this case, the buyer must pay the specified amount to purchase the object in the form of a SAND token so that he can place it on his plot.
So as you can see, the trading intermediary in this marketplace is the native token of the Sandbox, which you will learn more about later.
SAND token and the token economy of the Sandbox platform
Almost every feature in the Sandbox platform is based on a specific token economy that allows users to make the most of the time they spend on the platform. The main token of this platform, which is the fuel of most in-game interactions and transactions, is the SAND token.
What is a SAND token?
The SAND is a native Sandbox platform that enables all transactions and interactions of the ecosystem. This token is created on the Ethereum blockchain and is based on the ERC20 standard. Sandbox players need a SAND token to play games, buy equipment, or personalize avatars.
In addition to being used as an intermediary for exchanges, the SAND is also considered a sovereign token, and holders of this token can have the right to vote on ecosystem changes. This feature will be added to this token after launching the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) of Sandbox. According to the Sandbox road map, the DAO will be launched in the second quarter of 2022. Also, this ecosystem has made it possible to share and earn rewards through SAND tokens.
It is worth mentioning that the SAND token supply ceiling is 3 billion units, of which 925 million units (31%) have been offered at the time of writing this article, and its supply will be completed by 2025. The current market value of the SAND token is about $3 billion. The Sandbox costs $4.65 at the time of writing.
You can get the SAND token by playing various games and competitions in the Sandbox or you can buy it through digital currency exchanges.
In addition to the SAND token, which is the main fuel of the platform, other tokens are also used in the Sandbox ecosystem, which we will examine below.
LAND Token
The Land Token refers to each piece of digital land in the Sandbox Metaverse, which is actually a NFT token based on the ERC721 standard on the Ethereum blockchain. Game designers use Land to create digital experiences and fill them with ASSET tokens (ASSET is another Sandbox ecosystem tokens that we describe below).
The concept of “land” and Land tokens can be considered the main part of the Sandbox; To the extent that some consider this gaming platform as an opportunity to invest in virtual and Metaverse fields.
In total, there are 166,464 LAND tokens, the virtual map of which can be found on the official Sandbox website. Having each of these components gives you the right to vote and participate in the governance of the platform.
Combining several lands together forms an ESTATE, and if a particular type of property has more than one owner, it is called a DISTRICT. Land location is influential in price, number of visitors and the economy of the land.
The owner of each land can receive a fee from other players who visit his “field” or play his games; Earn rewards by hosting content and events; Sell or rent your own custom land. Some game developers, instead of buying land, allow it to build versions of their games on them using game maker software.
ASSET token
The ASSET token, as its name implies, represents your in-game assets. We mentioned earlier that ASSETs, or Assets, are user-designed Voxel structures that, when loaded into the Sandbox marketplace, are offered in the form of a Non-fungible token based on the ERC1155 smart contract.
ASSET tokens are categorized into various groups of non-playable characters, animals, equipment and weapons, clothing and clothing, works of art and decoration, as well as elements such as water, mud, sand, fire and more. These assets are used to change and customize land plots (LAND).
Early ASSET tokens are available to game makers by default. Users can design these tokens using VoxEdit software and use them in various games or sell these tokens in the Sandbox marketplace.
GEM Token
This functional token works with the ERC20 standard and indicates the features that your assets may have. The status, value and usefulness of your assets are determined by the characteristics you give it.
Each GEM token can add 25 special feature points to your asset. With the help of CATALYST tokens, you can use 4 GEM tokens for your assets and therefore add 100 special features to your assets.
SAND Token Shares Rewards are offered in the form of GEM Tokens. You can also buy these tokens from the Sandbox marketplace. The GEM token is burned after use.
CATALYST Token
The CATALYST token has the same token standard and function similar to the GEM token. The level, rank and scarcity of your assets are determined with this token. The CATALYST token actually provides the opportunity to add GEM tokens. The higher the quality of the player’s CATALYST token, the more capacity he has to receive GEM and increase value.
The CATALYST token, like the GEM token, can be obtained by sharing or buying from the Sandbox marketplace. This token is also burned after use.
Game Makers Fund
In addition to the incentive mechanism for game tokens, the launch of the $2 million Players’ Fund in October 2019 has also greatly contributed to the growth and development of the ecosystem. By registering with this fund, game developers can receive funding for the quality they offer in their games.
The fund, which was created to support the Sandbox ecosystem, is to be managed with the participation of the Sandbox community after the launch of the Decentralized Autonomous Organization. Selected games that use the fund’s budget can continue to develop their game and produce better quality content.
How to buy Sand tokens
As mentioned, Sandbox users can earn SAND tokens by playing and receiving rewards. However, if you are new to the Sandbox world or prefer to get it off-platform, you can do so through digital currency exchanges.
Buy from an exchange office
You can purchase the Sandbox tokens by visiting a digital currency exchange that supports document tokens.
How to buy Token Land
There are two ways to prepare a LAND token: buy from the Sandbox marketplace and buy from secondary markets such as the OpenSea platform.
In the first method, the official website of the platform announces the specific time of public sale of the fields, and players can obtain these tokens directly from the Sandbox marketplace by paying the SAND. In the second method, players who have these NFT tokens offer them for sale like other NFT tokens in secondary markets such as Opensea. As you can guess, most of these tokens are more expensive in the secondary marketplaces than in the Sandbox. The seller can also specify that the buyer pay the token price in the form of a SAND or Ethereum.
Purchasing from the Sandbox platform: First you need to attach a supported wallet such as MetaMask to your Sandbox account with some SAND tokens. After depositing the tokens in the user account, you can look for your favorite plot of land and buy it by clicking on “Buy LAND”.
Purchasing from OpenSea: To buy from secondary markets such as OpenSea, you must first create an account on the OpenSea platform and attach your wallet to it. We suggest using the same wallet that you connected to the Sandbox platform. That way, you do not have to pay a fee to transfer the LAND token from OpenSea to the Sandbox.
Be sure to check the originality of the plot before purchasing from the OpenSea platform. To do this, check the position of the ground on the official platform map. The land you buy must be validated with the blue Sandbox sign. Also check the spelling of the token name and platform.
In addition, in the corner of each image, you should see a snowflake symbol indicating that the token is stored on a decentralized server. Also on the token page, you should be able to access more complete information about the token.
How to make money from sandboxes
There are several ways to make money in the Sandbox ecosystem, some of which we will review together:
- Creating Voxel Assets: You can create assets in VoxEdit and sell them in the form of Non-fungible tokens with prices ranging from less than 10 SANDs to thousands of SANDs in the Sandbox marketplace;
- Making a game: You can design a game on your fields using a game maker and earn money from these games by interacting with other players;
- Playing Game: You can also earn rewards by playing other users’ games and completing adventures, thereby increasing the value of your property and assets;
- Buying or Selling Land: You can buy, rent, or lease a piece of land to increase its value;
- Investing in a SAND token: The last way to make money from the Dandbox ecosystem is to trade SAND token based on the price fluctuations of this token. You know that this method is not limited to SAND tokens and applies to all coins and tokens on the marketplace. It is interesting to know that over the past year, this token has seen a growth of about 16,000 percent and was able to reach more than $8 in late November 2021 from about 5 cents in early 2021.
It goes without saying that the surprising rise in the price of this token in November was due to the news of a multi-week gaming event called “Alpha” that the community of this ecosystem has been waiting for a long time. With the announcement of the second season of the event in the near future, the investment of big letters such as Atari, Binance, Adidas and Snoop Dogg, as well as the specific dynamics and road map of this platform, there is still a possibility of a significant jump in the price of this token in the future.
The Sandbox FAQ
In this article, we tried to answer most of the frequently asked questions about the sSandbox platform. However, in this section we will try to ask a few other questions that the Sandbox platform has mentioned in its main sources.
What is the amount of the SAND token share bonus?
You will earn money in proportion to the percentage you invest in the liquidity pool. In addition, the number of land tokens you hold in your stock wallet can increase your final reward by a certain amount.
Is there a fee for buying land and property from the Sandbox marketplace?
Yes. You will have to pay a 5% fee for all SAND transactions. This fee is automatically added to the amount of the SAND that the seller receives. For example, if an artist stipulates $500 for an asset, the asset is listed in the marketplace for $525. Transaction fees are ultimately used to support and fund top artists and creators of projects.
What is the price of land in the Sandbox?
The average price of Non-fungible tokens in the Sandbox marketplace is about $12,100. The historical record for the most expensive piece of land on this platform is in the hands of a token worth $132,900.
Conclusion
Sandbox is one of several blockchain-based meta metrics that seek to change the relationship between developers, gamers, and gaming platforms. Sandbox with a flexible approach allows the user to be the creator of the game and share in its financial benefits. Given the importance of this platform in promoting blockchain-based games, we needed to have a comprehensive overview of this ecosystem.
The idea of creating a personal world and the ability to make money through games and content production is tempting for many people. According to Interactive-Marketing report, the Sandbox database has increased five fold in 2021, and currently more than 30,000 active users spend more than half an hour a day on the platform. Given that many of the features announced by this platform have not yet been implemented, this amount of audience attraction can be considered a significant success for the Sandbox platform.
However, the blockchain version of Sandbox is still in its infancy, and given its growing competitors, which are growing in size and capabilities, only time will tell how practical and feasible the platform’s promises are.
