HYTOPIA, a free-to-play Web3 game and metaverse project inspired by Minecraft, just announced a node sale for HYCHAIN, its new Layer-2 blockchain.
The sale, which begins tomorrow, March 2nd, is aimed at inviting the global gaming community to earn rewards for running a node and ensuring the security of HYTOPIA’s underlying blockchain.
HYTOPIA, formerly known as NFT Worlds, launched in October 2021 with the mission of transforming the popular game Minecraft through Web3 technology. In the game, players can purchase NFTs that represent expansive worlds. These worlds can then be developed and turned into mini-games and experiences. They have ownership over their digital assets and can also earn crypto through participation in the metaverse.
The HYCHAIN blockchain will offer players low latency gameplay, robust security, and cheap transaction costs. The blockchain can serve millions of API requests and is geared to appeal to game developers seeking mass-scale launches.
According to the press release shared with Rarity Sniper, the whitelist sale begins March 2nd, followed by a public sale on March 3rd. Community members who run nodes will earn rewards from a pool of 250M $TOPIA tokens and 25% of transaction fees in perpetuity. The rewards will be distributed based on the number of keys assigned to the node and the node operator’s uptime. Furthermore, node operators will gain early access to beta features and exclusive in-game items.
ArkDev, the co-founder of HYTOPIA and HYCHAIN, said the sale is a big “win for decentralized gaming.” He added that by decentralizing the operation of HYCHAIN, they are “handing over the keys to the community, empowering them to shape the future of gaming.”
The sale will take place in five phases. Phases 1 through 4 are for allowlisted members only. Allowlist spots can be obtained by holding a Hytopia World NFT, a Genesis Avatar, a GrayBoy NFT, or through winning a giveaway or raffle. To ensure early supporters of the project can participate, the sale will include multiple pricing tiers.
Metaverse Worlds Continue to Push Forward
The last few years have been tough on the metaverse, but many virtual worlds like HYTOPIA are continuing to push forward with new projects and innovations. At Rarity Sniper, we’ve covered several articles about metaverses over the last few months. Here are the top three most recent stories.
First, about two weeks ago, Forbes announced it has set up a permanent space in The Sandbox metaverse. The virtual land will serve as the magazine’s digital hub, where Web3 leaders and innovators can host events, workshops, and virtual experiences.
Next, about a month ago, The Voice debuted a virtual clothing line in the HiberWorld, a metaverse with over 5 million virtual worlds. The clothing line was called ‘Hype Gear,’ and it was created in collaboration with Ready Player Me, a custom avatar platform.
Lastly, in January of this year, Electronic Arts (EA) hinted that it could leverage its community of over 700 million players to create a sports-themed metaverse, although no date was given as to when it might do so. CEO Andrew Wilson added that he believes play-to-earn models and NFTs could be a part of mainstream games in the future.
We can’t be certain, but 2024 looks like it’s poised for a crypto bull run. If that’s the case, the boost to the Web3 ecosystem it would bring could be huge for metaverse projects that survived the bear market. Regardless, HYTOPIA’s latest move to invite users to run nodes is aligned with the Web3 ethos of decentralization and community, which could attract more users. At Rarity Sniper, we’ll keep a lookout for updates to the story.