Sandbox reaches 1000 user-generated experiences

Sandbox has reached a new milestone of 1,000 user-generated experiences on its Metaverse platform.

There are now over 1,000 such experiences on The Sandbox Map, a virtual land full of brands, gaming companies and users who see it as a new platform for Lego-like games.

To commemorate this achievement and encourage further creativity, The Sandbox is presenting a significant addition of SAND 500,000 to the Builders' Challenge creator program prize pool.

“There are currently over 1,000 objects on the map. For us, the bottom line is that the creator economy in the meta world is gaining momentum,” said Sebastien Borget, co-founder of The Sandbox, in an interview with GamesBeat. “We have created 5.7 million accounts.”

This SAND infusion, distributed among the top ten creators based on the final rankings, brings the total SAND token prize pool to an impressive 1.5 million SAND, which converts to approximately $950,000 in US dollars.

This enhancement gives top creators the opportunity to potentially earn over $100,000 in ten weeks, demonstrating The Sandbox's commitment to cultivating its creator ecosystem, Borget said.

Fast development and user involvement

The Sandbox has grown significantly since its inception, although it is still in its alpha phase. The platform has attracted 330,000 users and over 200 professional studios. The launch of Polygon's Marketplace further accelerated this momentum, with creators listing over 3,300 unique assets and producing over 500,000 copies.

With over 5.7 million accounts created, 25,000 virtual landowners, 60,000 avatars sold and 200,000 SAND wallets, Sandbox has established itself as the leading user-generated content company in the Web3 space.

Now the sandbox map looks much more populated and alive than in the past, when it was less populated by metaverse-friendly brands. On the right side of the map, The Sandbox promotes the best experiences it wants to highlight.

“The map is really the main way to navigate the metaworld of the different districts,” Borget said. “If you remember, we have a gaming community here with Ubisoft, Invincible, Square Enix, etc.”

He added: “It has always been a mix of user-generated content, which is really growing, and content created by the brands we have signed with, such as Gordon Ramsay, Lionsgate, many music artists and more.”

It has a long way to go to catch up to other Metaverse-like rivals like Roblox and Fortnite, but it's doing quite well for Web3 considering how difficult it is to onboard people with cryptocurrency wallets and other obstacles. Borget said the community has grown thanks to constant improvements and frequent game crashes that take place in various territories around the world. It expects the game world to reach beta status in 2024, with a final release in 2025.

Sandbox continues to empower the creator community through interactive programs such as Game Jam competitions, which attracted over 2,500 participants in 2024 alone.

These initiatives not only appeal to creators, but also attract brands looking to engage with the creator economy and Web3 gaming culture. With upcoming Game Jams exploring a variety of gaming mechanics and themes, as well as partnerships with established brands and IPs, The Sandbox remains committed to driving creativity and innovation.

Looking to the future: building the next generation of the creator economy

With 2024 emerging as a pivotal year for Web3 gaming and metaverse experiences, Sandbox is poised for continued success with an ambitious roadmap and growing developer ecosystem, Borget said.

With a focus on investing in the creator community, The Sandbox is optimistic about the future as its platform evolves and grows.

While there are many experiences available, moving from one experience to another in the Sandbox virtual world is not yet as quick as they would like, but Borget said it is on the list of things the company will address.

“It's definitely something that can be improved,” he said. “The sandbox is still in alpha phase. One of our goals this year is to improve the speed of deployment to improve the first-time user experience. And to make switching between them much faster.”

Borget said the company has found many users who can create experiences by hosting games.

“It gives creators motivation and purpose. Game developers are trying to create their own game. They get the land for free if they post it. Many of them had never created video games before. We are expanding the group of people who create games in the industry,” he said. “They keep improving. And once they join the Sandbox ecosystem, sometimes they become full-time creators and start making money.”

One of the creators on the platform earned a six-figure income on The Sandbox.

“It's exciting to see it coming. It becomes significant,” he said. “I think this lays the foundation for a solid economy. We encourage and spread it. We go through a creator launch,” Borget said.

The Sandbox Builders Challenge continues with five weeks left in the 10-week season. And the company increases the prize pool. Sandbox has hosted jams in Southeast Asia, Saudi Arabia, and more. There will also be game jams in the coming months dedicated to specific brands or personalities who own land at The Sandbox.

Game Jam winners will be highlighted on the brand's official website, allowing brands to recognize the value of user-generated content. The sandbox currently has 300 people.

Sandbox makes money by selling its virtual land. He also makes money by selling avatars. However, players can recover their purchases through various actions.

The company holds approximately 10% of the land in reserve. Sometimes a company may buy back a piece of land and say it intends to redevelop the area. In this way, the Sandbox acts as a kind of governing body.

The company encourages game jam participants to publish their works and place them on the map.

“We are very creator-driven,” Borget said.