The Sandbox, a metaverse platform under Animoca Brands, has announced the launch of its Voxel Games program, aimed at bringing indie game developers into its expanding ecosystem. The initiative will allow indie developers and studios to create voxel-style games using popular game engines like Unity and Unreal. This move opens up new opportunities for developers, while significantly broadening The Sandbox's reach across multiple platforms, beyond its current blockchain-powered ecosystem.

The Sandbox Cover Banner on X

More About The Sandbox

The Sandbox gained popularity through its two successful mobile games, The Sandbox (2011) and The Sandbox Evolution (2016), amassing a total of 40 million downloads on iOS and Android. In 2018, developer/Publisher Pixowl made the strategic decision to transition this thriving User Generated Content (UGC) gaming IP and its extensive creator community from mobile to the blockchain ecosystem.

The objective was to innovate the gaming industry by empowering creators with genuine ownership of their creations as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and incentivizing their engagement in the ecosystem. The Sandbox is now described as a virtual metaverse where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences on the Ethereum blockchain using the platform's utility token SAND.

VoxEdit and Game Maker

Traditionally, The Sandbox has been known for its no-code tools like VoxEdit and Game Maker, which enable creators to build voxel-based games and assets without any coding experience. The Voxel Games program shifts the landscape by empowering professional game developers to create voxel-style games using a range of game engines, including Unity, Unreal, and HTML5. These games can then be distributed on various platforms, not just within The Sandbox’s ecosystem.

The Sandbox Voxel Art

Empowering Indie Developers with Voxel-Based Game Creation

According to Sebastien Borget, COO of The Sandbox, the platform already boasts over six million users and has facilitated 1,300 live experiences from user-generated content creators. However, the introduction of external game engines marks a new era for the platform, enabling it to cater to a broader range of professional developers.

“We’re starting to work with third-party developers and studios to create games that use the voxel style across multiple platforms,” said Borget in an interview with GamesBeat at Gamescom. “This program allows us to expand the games, developers, and creators we can reach while keeping our philosophy of abstracting the complexity of blockchain technology.”

The Sandbox Launches Voxel Games Program

A Path to an Open Metaverse

The Voxel Games program aligns with The Sandbox’s mission of fostering an open metaverse, where players can own and utilize their digital assets across multiple games and platforms. Through this initiative, game developers can create projects that feature traditional game mechanics like free-to-play, microtransactions, and in-app purchases, while incorporating The Sandbox’s blockchain components, such as the SAND utility token and player-owned digital assets like avatars and NFTs.

Borget emphasized that The Sandbox’s approach has always been to simplify blockchain technology for users, allowing them to own assets and earn rewards without needing to interact with smart contracts. This ease of use, combined with the broader platform reach through Voxel Games, positions The Sandbox as a leader in blockchain gaming and interoperability.

Farm Assets in VoxEdit Mini Contest

New Partnerships and Expanded Distribution

At the program’s launch, The Sandbox has partnered with studios such as Frag Games and The Devhouse Agency, with more collaborations expected in the coming months. By collaborating with independent game studios, The Sandbox hopes to diversify its content and introduce new gameplay styles, such as survival games and dungeon crawlers.

Players will benefit from being able to utilize their existing digital assets, like avatars, equipment, and LANDs, across these new games, regardless of the platform. This expansion beyond the confines of web3 allows The Sandbox to cater to a larger audience, including players who are not yet familiar with blockchain technology.

Nicola Sebastiani, Chief Content Officer at The Sandbox, shared that the company has already reviewed over 50 game submissions as part of the program, with additional titles slated for announcement soon. These games will be available across mobile, web, and PC platforms, enhancing the distribution possibilities for The Sandbox’s voxel-based games.

The Sandbox Logo

Strengthening the Creator Ecosystem

With the introduction of the Voxel Games program, The Sandbox continues to build on its vision of supporting an ever-growing creator ecosystem. By inviting professional developers into its metaverse, The Sandbox broadens the scope of content available to its users, which includes over 170,000 voxel asset owners and 1.7 million assets already created within the platform.

Additionally, the program offers access to 400+ partner brands and intellectual property (IP), allowing developers to leverage these valuable assets in their projects. By integrating these assets into voxel-style games, indie developers can create unique experiences that blend multiple IPs into a unified gameplay experience.

The Sandbox Statistics 

Bridging Traditional and Blockchain Gaming

The Voxel Games program is a significant leap in The Sandbox’s journey to bridge the gap between traditional gaming and blockchain-powered experiences. While games developed under this program can begin with no web3 functionality, players have the option to connect their wallets later, allowing them to engage with NFTs, SAND tokens, and other blockchain elements.

For developers, this program offers a chance to tap into The Sandbox’s established community, which includes over 55,000 avatar owners and 290,000 SAND holders. By developing voxel-based games for multiple platforms, developers can increase their games' visibility while contributing to the growing web3 ecosystem.

The Sandbox $SAND Utility Token

Final Thoughts

The launch of the Voxel Games program signals a new chapter for The Sandbox, one that emphasizes interoperability and a broader reach across the gaming industry. By enabling indie developers to create and distribute voxel-style games using external game engines, The Sandbox is furthering its mission of creating an open metaverse where players can seamlessly utilize their digital assets across multiple platforms.

This initiative not only opens the doors for indie studios to tap into the expanding metaverse but also enhances The Sandbox's position as a major player in the evolving blockchain gaming landscape. With its commitment to supporting both professional and first-time creators, The Sandbox is setting the stage for a future where digital ownership and cross-platform gaming become a standard part of the gaming experience. More information is available here.