Hytopia Aims to Bounce Back After Minecraft NFT Ban
When Minecraft announced its ban on NFTs in 2022, one project that was hit the hardest was NFT Worlds. However, the project has since rebranded as Hytopia and is now ready to make a comeback on its own terms.
NFT Worlds had minted and sold scarce chunks of in-game land as NFTs on the Ethereum scaling network Polygon. These NFTs were sold for tens of thousands of dollarsโ worth of ETH on secondary marketplaces, generating a trading volume of $163 million before the ban was announced.
Despite facing criticism for attempting to monetize in-game content, NFT Worlds argued that Minecraftโs end user licensing agreement (EULA) did not specifically prohibit the use of crypto technologies on third-party servers at the time. The project claimed to have been in contact with Microsoftโs EULA team prior to the ban but received no notice of the impending decision.
Instead of giving up, NFT Worlds decided to pivot and build its own game rather than relying on a centralized giant with a closed ecosystem. The result is Hytopia, a rebranded game that is nearing release and will also launch its own blockchain called Hychain for other game studios to build on.
Introducing Hychain and Guardian Node Sale
Hytopia will soon launch a Hychain Guardian Node sale as it takes a step towards decentralization. This sale follows a similar approach used by Xai, a layer-3 gaming chain on Ethereumโs scaling network Arbitrum. The sale offers NFT-based Guardian Node keys starting at a price of 0.1 ETH (about $340).
- A total of 50,000 keys will be made available.
- Users operating the network software will be eligible for a share of 250 million TOPIA reward tokens over the next three years.
- Guardian Node operators will also receive a share of 25% of all network transaction fees.
The Hychain Guardian Nodes play a crucial role in monitoring the network and verifying its state. While their usefulness is currently limited, an upcoming Arbitrum network upgrade is expected to make them more essential within the next three to six months.
Hytopia: A Blend of Minecraft and Roblox
After the completion of the node sale, Hytopia will soon become playable, with a beta launch estimated for early April. The game combines elements from Minecraft and Roblox, offering players a blocky voxel vibe similar to Minecraft but with more flexibility for gameplay and creation within the world.
In Hytopia, players can create and share their own games and worlds, just like in Roblox. After the beta period, Hytopia will be freely open for anyone to play without requiring an NFT.
For those who purchased virtual land during the NFT Worlds era, these NFTs will still hold value in Hytopia but for different reasons. Instead of scarce land, NFT owners will enjoy various perks focused on developers and content creators:
- NFT owners will have lower fees when selling their in-game content in Hytopia games.
- NFT owners will receive better visibility for their created games.
- NFT owners can participate in TOPIA staking rewards.
A New Model for In-Game Item Trades
Hytopia aims to demonstrate a model for supporting in-game item trades that typically occur in black markets for Web2 titles. By leveraging blockchain technology, these trades can happen within the game itself, with developers receiving a cut of the sales.
If this concept gains traction, it could incentivize Web2 developers to consider adopting blockchain technology for their games. Hytopia believes that once this model is proven, many traditional Web2 games will embrace it and build on top of it.
Hot Take: Unlocking the Future of Gaming
Hytopiaโs journey from the setback caused by Minecraftโs NFT ban to its rebranding and upcoming release demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of blockchain projects in the gaming industry. By creating its own game and launching Hychain, Hytopia aims to carve out a space for itself in the decentralized gaming landscape.
The introduction of Guardian Nodes and the innovative use of NFTs in Hytopia showcase the potential for blockchain technology to revolutionize in-game economies and empower both players and developers. As Hytopia opens its doors to players and content creators, it has the opportunity to shape the future of gaming by providing a platform that combines familiar gameplay elements with new possibilities enabled by blockchain.
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