The Metaverse Isn't Dead: The Sandbox Founder on the Future of Digital Worlds

In the words of The Sandbox founder Sebastien Borget, the ecosystem is still young and full of opportunities to experiment with current and future technologies.

The Sandbox's accomplishments and challenges

The team at The Sandbox has developed programs that support creators and players through unique reward systems, strong brand partnerships, and initiatives that unite the global community. These efforts have enabled the platform to achieve impressive results:

• Over 2 000 new game spaces on The Sandbox map
• Over 6.3 million connected wallets
• More than 580 000 unique players during Alpha Season 4 in fall 2024

Fragmentation between blockchain platforms remains a major challenge, making collaboration and cross-project cooperation an ongoing endeavor. Unlike traditional Web2 gaming platforms, The Sandbox is actively collaborating with other Web3 projects and brands, curating avatar collections, offering virtual land (LAND) exchanges and other initiatives.

State of the meta-universe in 2024

Advances in virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence have revolutionized user interaction with virtual worlds, increasing immersion and accessibility.

The Sandbox has demonstrated significant advances in user-generated content (UGC). Game Maker tools, which require no programming skills, have allowed creators to publish over 1 500 projects to the platform map.

The creator community grew to exceed 25 000 virtual land owners (LAND) and 62 000 avatar owners, reflecting the growing demand for digital assets. Alpha Season 4 attracted more than 580 000 unique players who interacted with content, completed quests and made transactions.

Three factors that could revitalize interest in the meta-universe in 2025

Alpha Season 4, which ended in December 2024, confirmed the global appeal of socialization and gaming in the metaverse. People crave new experiences that they can enjoy with friends - through casual games, chat rooms, or friendly competitions.

In 2025, The Sandbox plans to expand these interactive experiences. As the appeal of social gaming meta-universes becomes more mainstream, seamless player engagement will be key.

The second important factor is providing relevant content to players. With multiple worlds in the metaverse, helping users discover content that interests them is essential for both successful engagement and long-term retention.

The third factor is the expansion of user-generated content (UGC). As a UGC-centric platform, The Sandbox's mission is to provide creators around the world with code-free tools to bring their ideas to life.

The Sandbox's roadmap for 2025

In 2025, The Sandbox plans to strengthen strategic partnerships across music, entertainment, sports and fashion to shape culture and engage new audiences through immersive experiences.

Building on the success of Alpha Season 4, the platform plans to launch three seasons in 2025, each with a unique theme and a mix of branded and user-generated content. This approach will provide players with more opportunities to earn money, collect exclusive NFTs and discover new gaming experiences.

Innovations in the Game Maker and Game Client products will push the boundaries of creativity in The Sandbox. New features will include persistence and player matching capabilities to improve social and multiplayer interaction, a new combat system, and an evaluation of alternative control options such as joystick support and mount mechanics.

Practical applications of the meta-universe

The possibilities of the meta-universe are limitless, with various practical applications that will gain momentum as technology advances and the user base expands.

Virtual real estate investments have increased in popularity, with brands, businesses and investors joining forces to purchase virtual land and create unique experiences. Virtual land use cases (LAND) will continue to evolve as game creation tools become more sophisticated.

Musicians such as Agoria and BLOND:ISH have used the meta-universe as a medium to present new music in a three-dimensional, immersive space, allowing their fans to connect more deeply with their tracks.

Fashion, serving as a form of self-expression, an extension of virtual identity and a way for brands to engage with consumers in innovative ways, will expand in the coming years.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Future of the Metaverse

AI is already playing a role in shaping the Metaverse, but its influence in Web3 games is different from the broader gaming industry. While traditional games use AI to improve NPC behavior or optimize performance, in the meta-universe AI is integrated in ways that empower creators and communities.

At The Sandbox, AI helps users generate assets and design experiences faster, allowing them to focus on creativity rather than technical barriers. However, the company believes that AI is a tool to enhance, not replace, human-generated creativity.

Artverse: a bridge between digital and physical art

In addition to his key role in shaping the meta-universe, Borge also founded Artverse, a digital art gallery and cultural center located in the bustling 3rd arrondissement of Paris. Launched in 2024 with Arthur Madrid, Artverse fuses digital and physical art, offering a space where artists, collectors and enthusiasts converge to explore and celebrate digital creativity.

Artverse differs from other NFT marketplaces in that while they predominantly sell NFTs, their focus goes beyond digital transactions. They provide physical spaces where digital art can be experienced in ways familiar to traditional collectors.

Artverse is not just a digital art gallery, it is a House of Culture that connects the digital and physical worlds. At its core, it is a platform where artists, project managers, and members of the Web3 community can connect, share ideas, and showcase their work.

To bridge the gap between traditional and digital art, Artverse forms strategic partnerships with two key goals: educating traditional collectors about the unique value and potential of digital art and NFT, and creating physical spaces where digital art can be experienced in ways that resonate with traditional art audiences.

Strategies for community development around the Artverse

At The Sandbox, Borge worked with game studios, fashion brands, and digital artists, focusing on empowering players and creators. The goal is to engage aspiring creators who may have felt excluded by complex game development software or a steep learning curve.

One example of how Artverse brings together traditional art, digital art and the meta-universe is an upcoming exhibition with Richard Orlinski, the best-selling French contemporary artist since 2015. In this exhibition, Orlinski pays homage to an iconic figure of Web3 and cryptocurrencies: the Shiba Inu. Each collector will receive both a physical Shiba sculpture and a corresponding digital NFT that can be used in The Sandbox meta-universe.

The meta-universe and digital art continue to evolve, finding new ways to engage with audiences through the merging of virtual and physical spaces. The Sandbox and Artverse projects demonstrate that the future belongs to platforms that can build communities and provide accessible tools for creativity and self-expression.