With vast futuristic worlds, complex characters, and intricate narratives, Space Nation Inc. is taking the beloved space opera genre to new heights with its upcoming game, Space Nation Online in partnership with Immutable (IMX), built on Immutable zkEVM and powered by Polygon. The game is now opening up for its closed beta!

Space Nation Inc. was founded by game industry veterans Tony Tang and Jerome Wu, alongside acclaimed movie director Roland Emmerich and media entrepreneur Marco Weber. The four founders recently celebrated the reveal of a broader IP strategy in which Space Nation Online, the MMORPG heart of the franchise, will be complemented by spin-off games, animated shorts, and a TV series. 

What is Space Nation?

Space Nation Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) driven by a sprawling space opera narrative and set in the fictional Telikos Cluster, a deep space frontier inhabited by a multispecies lineup of builders, fighters, and survivors. As starship captains, players embark on adventure-filled journeys in which they’ll face deadly pirates, navigate perilous environments, and uncover mysteries and riches. 

Along the way, they’ll also find opportunities to acquire and upgrade their spacecraft, recruit new crew members, and colonize uncharted planets. They must also learn how to interact with rival factions as well as mine, produce, and trade resources, which are realized as NFTs.

Conflict takes many forms in Space Nation Online’s war-torn Telikos Cluster, with epic space battles that offer different kinds of gameplay, including player vs. environment (PvE), player vs. player (PvP), or guild vs. guild vs. environment (GvGvE) matches.

Why Immutable?

With Space Nation Online’s cosmic journey bringing unique tokenomics, NFT, and governance designs, Immutable provides the ideal environment to make this happen. 

“Immutable zkEVM is our platform of choice for Space Nation Online, as it combines Ethereum security with EVM compatibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency while also prioritizing ease of use for players who wish to fully embrace the in-game economy,” said the Space Nation Team.

Immutable zkEVM, Immuatbles EVM-compatible zk-rollup technology, allows Space Nation developers and users to leverage custom smart contract support, advanced gameplay mechanics and tokenomics, and a cheaper, secure, and frictionless trading experience.

The team added: “Our vision for Space Nation Online is to achieve significant scale and high liquidity in the long run, which necessitates a stable and secure solution to empower in-game prosperity for our players. By leveraging Immutable zkEVM, we can ensure long-term stability, sustainability, and prosperity within the game.”

Impressive $50M Invested

Space Nation Inc. has received substantial backing from its partners and venture capitalists, with an impressive $50 million already invested in the game’s development. Notable investors such as Foresight Ventures, Lighthouse Capital, SevenX Ventures, HashKey Capital, Arcane Group, Initiate Capital, JDAC Capital, Assembly Partners, and Cristian Manea have contributed to the project.

The Space Nation Inc. team also recently announced a collaboration between celebrated filmmaker Roland Emmerich, known for classics like Independence Day, and game creator Jerome Wu, to introduce the MMORPG, Space Nation Online, at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024 in San Francisco.

Newest Features

Zero-G Challenge

You can open the PVP menu in the space station by clicking the bottom right button or using the shortcut keys. Choose your preferred mode and match with other players. Please note that you’ll need to spend tickets to participate in PVP matches. As a reward, you can win a valuable token that can be exchanged for rare prizes in the PVP shop.

The first open mode is the Daily Personal Match — Death Match (Free-for-all mode). In this mode, players will fight individually to defeat as many enemies as possible within a limited time or be the first to reach the specified kill count for that match. This mode will feature three levels of competition: Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. Different levels of competition correspond to different ticket costs, meaning that higher rewards can be obtained upon victory.

Personal Challenge Instances

Players can now undertake personal challenge instances. Once your combat level reaches a certain threshold, organizations will test your strength by temporarily locking your level. Tasks for challenging instances will unlock, offering you the chance to surpass your current level. Players need to accumulate combat experience levels, upgrade weapons, and stock up on nano-repair bots to face the more daunting challenges in subsequent challenges.

Ship Production

In the game, terminals for crafting spacecraft have been implemented, and you can find them in large space stations. Crafting a spaceship will require various minerals, CHR, and blueprints. During the CBT period, you can collect the corresponding materials from regular battles and mining fields. Once the ship is produced, it will automatically be cast into an NFT.

Treasure Hunt

During the CBT period, you can obtain a special item called “Vector Anomaly Chips.” These are treasure maps belonging to Space Nation. Vector anomalies are a unique phenomenon in the Space Nation universe, characterized by gravitational errors. Using these chips will enable you to locate vector anomaly locations. By deploying probes from your spaceship at these locations, you can uncover hidden secrets. What awaits you could be the treasures of lost civilizations or perhaps pirates who got there first.

Captain Skills

You can view the skill tree through the captain interface. The skill tree will be divided into several levels, which will unlock based on your character’s level. You can acquire skill points by leveling up to upgrade specific skills. These skills will provide certain conveniences in your daily gameplay and production. By combining skills, you’ll be able to create your own unique playstyle.

Proof of Contribution

“Proof of Contribution” is a reward system launched in Space Nation to incentivize players for their gameplay and contribution to building the Space Nation universe. Players can earn points through gameplay and participate in ranking within cycles, ultimately receiving OIK based on their ranking.

There are two ways to earn points in Proof of Contribution: Events and Achievements.

Events are periodically refreshed activities where players can earn corresponding points upon completing specific conditions.

Achievements are divided into two categories: one-time achievements, where players earn points upon meeting specific conditions, and ongoing achievements, where players must maintain certain conditions throughout the activity cycle to receive points when the cycle ends.

Please note: The gameplay of achievements in the Closed Beta is only for players to experience the achievement system in advance. The achievement conditions corresponding to the official version will be adjusted, and rewards corresponding to achievements will be added. The achievement system in the official version will be more challenging and fun.

Auction House

In the auction house, you can conduct transactions using CHR. It’s a platform for you to trade with other players, allowing you to trade in-game assets, whether they are NFTs or non-NFTs.

New Contents

Maps

Compared to the Alpha version, the current game version features over 6 planets and their surrounding vast spaces, with at least 5 additional areas for players to explore. Additionally, the team has added a brand new scene to their space station and introduced 2 captivating indoor environments, enriching the gaming experience.

SKYRO

You can find a large mobile refining factory in Skyro. This serves as the player’s initial landing point upon arriving at Oikos. Here, you can engage in basic equipment manufacturing and other activities.

CEFALONIA

CEFALONIA is the territory of the Brotherhood. The warriors of the Brotherhood are the most reliable agents of justice in Oikos, combating pirates and maintaining peace. They are always prepared for the future of humanity and the distant homeland.

LEDA

The vast LEDA cradles the massive space city of the Agency, much like a gentle mother embracing her beloved child. The space city of the Agency boasts various advanced facilities and stands as the technological hub of humanity in Oikos, rightfully earning its title as the shining pearl of the new world.

Ships

Compared to the Alpha version, the current version of our game features even more uniquely designed ships, offering players a more diverse and thrilling space exploration experience. You can manufacture ships using blueprints and processed materials; obtaining blueprints involves defeating bosses. In the CB version, players can construct six ships, including three T1 and three T2 ships. In this version of the game, you can experience the ship manufacturing process at the production workbench in the spaceport.

Slayer (T1)

The Slayer-class is a T1 combat ship known for its high speed and agility, providing formidable combat capabilities in space.

Gallant (T2)

The Gallant-class is a highly distinctive T2 combat ship. Its hull features the trendy asymmetrical design of the space age, placing the main weapon and rear reactor on opposite sides of the ship.

Templar (T2)

The Templar class is a distinctly recognizable T2 combat vessel. Featuring the popular asymmetrical design of the space age, its hull places the main weapon and rear reactor on the opposite side of the ship.

Closed Beta Testing

The new testing version will be available to testers in early April in the form of a closed beta. This test is planned to last for three weeks. The game will include all the new content mentioned above for players to experience. Participating in the Prime Navigator points ranking list event of Logistikos and accumulating 20,000 points will qualify you for the Closed Beta test. If you are a holder of Alpha Gate, EFES, or Prime Navigator, you will automatically receive testing eligibility. Other ways to qualify for participation will be announced soon.

The team says: "We hope to provide participating testers with an extraordinary multiplayer space gaming experience through this test. At the same time, we aim to test the stability of the economic cycle under the complete game loop and identify and address any potential issues related to the gameplay experience and network stability."

With over three years of development, only exciting milestones lie ahead after a successful alpha test of the game in August 2023, followed by a full functional closed beta. For more information on how Space Nation and Immutable are launching an out-of-this-world space opera MMORPG, follow along on Twitter and Discord.

This article was inspired by an original blog post, you can read the original write-up here for more information.