The Sandbox Complete Guide - A New World of Metaverse Games
Hello! Metaverse and NFT games have been a huge topic of conversation recently. Among them, The Sandbox is a truly unique and attractive project. At first, I thought it was just a simple game, but it turned out to be a completely new digital economic ecosystem!
You can create a world with blocks like Minecraft, but you can actually earn money, and the content you create can be traded as NFTs... Isn't it exciting just to imagine? Today, for those of you who are curious about this, we will delve into everything about The Sandbox.
What is The Sandbox? - A new world beyond games
The Sandbox is a project that is too good to be called a mere game. It is a virtual world based on the Ethereum blockchain, and it is a complete metaverse ecosystem where users can create games, create items, and even own real estate.
🎮 Game elements: You can freely build and create in a 3D world based on voxels, just like in Minecraft. But it doesn't end there. The revolutionary thing is that everything you create becomes an NFT with real value!
The SAND token used within the platform is not just game money, but a cryptocurrency that is traded on an actual exchange. You can buy and sell LAND, trade in-game items, and even earn tokens by playing games created by other users. This is the true embodiment of the concept of 'Play-to-Earn'.
What's particularly impressive is the collaboration with famous brands. Global brands and celebrities such as Adidas, Snoop Dogg, and The Walking Dead are building their own worlds in The Sandbox. I think this is proof that The Sandbox is recognized as a true digital real estate platform rather than just a game.
The Sandbox's Evolution - A 10-Year Journey
The history of The Sandbox is really dramatic. The project, which started in 2011, was originally a mobile game. It was quite popular even then, recording millions of downloads for a simple 2D sandbox game.
The real change began in 2018. The founders realized the potential of blockchain and pivoted in a completely new direction. They completely re-imagined the existing 2D game as a 3D voxel-based metaverse. This is when they really started to attract a lot of investor interest.
🚀 Key milestones:
• 2019: First LAND sale, sold out in hours
• 2020: SAND token launch and staking system introduction
• 2021: Alpha release, explosive growth along with metaverse craze
• 2022: Mobile version development begins, reaching a wider user base
2021 was a special year for The Sandbox. The metaverse craze was happening when Facebook changed its name to Meta, but The Sandbox was already preparing a high-quality metaverse platform. Thanks to this, the price of SAND tokens has increased dozens of times in a few months. Of course, there have been adjustments since then, but this is an example that shows how much the market had expected.
The core of The Sandbox ecosystem - How does it work?
The Sandbox ecosystem is largely composed of three core elements. Each is organically connected to create a complete economic system.
The first is VoxEdit. This is The Sandbox's exclusive 3D modeling tool, and anyone can easily create 3D items without having to learn complex specialized programs. I tried it myself, and it was really intuitive and fun. The items you create are automatically converted into NFTs and can be sold on the marketplace.
💡 Real-life experience: At first, I only created simple characters, but I was surprised at how high the quality was. A few days later, I saw it being sold in the Marketplace, which was really cool!
The second is the Game Maker. It’s a tool that allows anyone with no coding knowledge to create games using drag-and-drop. You can implement quest systems, multiplayer features, and even token reward systems all with a visual interface. When you place your game on your LAND, other users can play it, and you can reward players with SAND tokens.
The third is the Marketplace. This is where all the trading takes place. You can buy and sell LAND, items, and even finished games. Prices are determined by supply and demand, but popular items or LANDs in good locations can be sold for really high prices.
The endless possibilities for using The Sandbox
The possibilities for using The Sandbox are much wider than you can imagine. Game development is fundamental, and it is being used in various fields such as education, art, and business.
In the game development field, individual developers are given the opportunity to challenge themselves with AAA games. In the past, making a game required a huge amount of capital and manpower, but with The Sandbox, anyone with an idea can make a game and generate revenue. In fact, many of the games that have become popular within the platform are made by individuals.
🎨 Evolution of the Creator Economy: Artists can display their works in 3D galleries and earn revenue directly from visitors. Musicians can hold virtual concerts, and educators can create interactive learning spaces.
In the business field, innovative use cases are also emerging. Brands are opening virtual stores to promote their products and conducting O2O (Online to Offline) marketing that leads to actual purchases. Adidas released a limited edition NFT sneaker in The Sandbox, and it sold out in a matter of hours.
The possibilities in education are endless. Students can recreate historical sites to experience firsthand, or conduct scientific experiments safely in a virtual environment. With remote education becoming more important due to COVID-19, I think this kind of immersive educational environment is truly meaningful.
Trading SAND Tokens - Where and How?
SAND tokens are currently actively traded on major cryptocurrency exchanges around the world. Each exchange has different features, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your situation.
Binance is the world’s largest exchange and has the largest trading volume for SAND. It has high liquidity, allowing you to trade quickly at the price you want, and it offers a variety of trading options (spot, futures, options, etc.). However, there may be some restrictions on access in Korea.
💰 Comparison of exchange features:
• Huobi: Specialized in the Asian market, Korean language support
• KuCoin: Low fees, various altcoins supported
• Upbit: Largest exchange in Korea, direct KRW trading possible
• Bithumb: Easy interface, beginner-friendly
For domestic investors, it is most convenient to directly trade KRW on Upbit or Bithumb. You can save on fees and time incurred during the currency exchange process. However, you should keep in mind that the spread (the difference between the bid and ask prices) may be large due to the low trading volume compared to overseas exchanges.
When trading, always check the trading volume. It may be difficult to trade at the desired price on exchanges with low trading volume. Also, the security rating of each exchange is an important selection criterion. We recommend checking the exchange evaluation on sites such as CER (Cryptocurrency Exchange Ranking).
The Sandbox Community - A World We Create Together
One of The Sandbox's greatest assets is its active and creative community. Hundreds of thousands of creators, gamers, and investors from around the world are working together to create this ecosystem.
The official Discord is very active. Whenever you log in, someone is talking about a new project, and there are many people who are kind enough to answer beginners' questions. In particular, the 'Creator Fund' channel shares information on support programs for creators in real time.
🌟 Community participation tips: Don't just get information, share your own creations or ideas. You can improve your skills and networking opportunities by receiving feedback from the community!
Twitter is the fastest way to get the latest news and updates. Follow the official account of @TheSandboxGame to get real-time information on new partnerships, events, and updates. You can also check out other users' creations using the hashtags #SAND or #TheSandbox.
The r/TheSandboxGaming subreddit on Reddit is also a great source of information. Here, you can have more in-depth discussions and gain insights on game development tips and investment strategies. Especially, if you utilize the weekly question thread, even beginners can ask questions without feeling burdened.
The Korean community is also becoming more active. Korean users are sharing information with each other in KakaoTalk open chat rooms or Naver Cafes, so if you find English difficult, it would be a good idea to start here.
Storing SAND Tokens Safely - Wallet Selection Guide
Storing SAND tokens safely is as important as investing. SAND is an ERC-20 token based on the Ethereum blockchain, so most wallets that support Ethereum can be used.
MetaMask is the most popular option. Since it is directly linked to The Sandbox game, it is essential to use it when playing the game or trading NFTs. It can be installed as a browser extension, and there is also a smartphone app for convenience.
🔐 Security Tip: Never save the seed phrase (recovery phrase) you receive when you first set up MetaMask online. It is best to write it down on paper and keep it in a safe place.
Trust Wallet is a mobile-first wallet, especially recommended for those who frequently trade on their smartphones. Since it is a wallet developed by Binance, it is well-integrated with Binance and also supports various DeFi protocols.
If you plan to store a large amount of money for a long period of time, consider a hardware wallet. Hardware wallets such as Ledger Nano or Trezor store private keys offline, so there is almost no risk of hacking. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s top-notch in terms of security.
Coinbase Wallet is also a good option. It’s easy to use, secure, and has a feature that lets you see your NFT collection at a glance. It’s also convenient for managing NFTs you’ve earned from The Sandbox.
Things to know before investing in The Sandbox
If you’re considering investing in The Sandbox, there are a few important risk factors you should be aware of in advance. No matter how promising a project is, investing always comes with risks.
The first thing to consider is market volatility. Like other altcoins, SAND tokens are heavily influenced by the price of Bitcoin or Ethereum. When the overall cryptocurrency market falls, SAND often falls as well. It should also be taken into account that it is currently down more than 90% from its ATH (highest point) at the end of 2021.
⚠️ Important Realization: At first, I approached it with the mindset that ""it's a metaverse craze, so it will definitely go up,"" but the market is not that simple. Long-term perspective and diversification are really important.
The second is the competitive environment. In the metaverse game industry, there are many competitors besides The Sandbox, such as Decentraland, Axie Infinity, and Ember Sword. Each has its own unique strengths, so it seems difficult for The Sandbox to maintain its monopoly.
The third is technical risk. Blockchain games are still in their early stages, so there are issues such as scalability, user experience, and gas fees. Due to the high gas fees of Ethereum, small transactions are often difficult, and the game's response speed is also slower than that of traditional games.
📊 Pre-investment checklist:
✅ Limit investment to 5-10% of the total portfolio
✅ Regularly check the project roadmap and execution capabilities
✅ Identify differences from competing projects