This post will discuss several important features of the Decentraland vs Sandbox game. Whether you’re an investor, app developer or consumer who’s interested in NFTs, you’ll learn more about how each of these platforms works.
Lots of people are interested in learning more about what metaverses offer to them. They see that several people have made money in these virtual worlds. Decentraland and Sandbox are the leaders in this sector.
What are Decentraland and Sandbox?
Decentraland and Sandbox are metaverses. A metaverse is a set of virtual worlds that are connected. You can think of it as a vast area of virtual space. Each metaverse is built on the blockchain.
You can buy land in a metaverse just like in the real world. When you buy land, you can use it to do a lot of things. You can even start a business on your land.
For example, some buyers have started casinos on their land. Others host concerts on their virtual land. You can even use your land to open your own gallery and showcase non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Some consumers are not interested in investing in the metaverse to that extent. However, they still want to explore what the metaverse has to offer. So, for example, they can purchase tickets to a concert in a metaverse by using tokens for that metaverse.
You can do transactions in a metaverse by using its native cryptocurrency. Some metaverses have one or two cryptos while others have three or even more. Sometimes you’ll need a particular type of crypto to conduct a specific transaction.
For example, if you want to buy land in Sandbox, you’ll need to use the native crypto for Sandbox. So, you can use the $SAND currency to buy land in that metaverse. Similarly, you can use $MANA to participate in various activities in Decentraland.
DAQs in Decentraland
All metaverses aren’t exactly the same in their structure. Some metaverses have a central government. However, others are decentralized.
For example, Decentraland is more like real life, where people are free to make their own choices. However, Sandbox is similar to Minecraft. So, you have mods in that virtual world.
Decentraland is decentralized. However, Sandbox has a central authority. It will be more decentralized in the future. You can buy NFT collectibles and virtual land in both metaverses.
Decentraland is run by Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). Everyone who owns land in Decentraland or owns $MANA tokens for this metaverse can vote on decisions that affect the virtual world. You don’t have that kind of freedom in Sandbox.
Sandbox plans to switch to DAQs. You’ll need to own $SAND crypto if you want to participate in governance. That way, you can vote on changes to the platform.
SDKs for Developers
The Software Development Kits (SDKs) for both metaverses let you build lots of games. You can reach the world with fun applications that both children and adults will enjoy.
Developers can build different categories of assets. Each platform lets your creations merge in the same space. Each type of development has its own specification which you provide as a developer.
Both of them facilitate financial transactions.That is, Sandbox and Decentraland both facilitate virtual economies. You can purchase the games and other assets that are developed in these ecosystems by using their tokens. Both of these virtual worlds are built on the Ethereum blockchain, so the transactions are done quickly.
What can consumers do in Decentraland and Sandbox?
Consumers can participate in a wide range of activities on the metaverse. Entrepreneurs make lots of goods and services available there. It’s easy to find one that suits your interest.
For example, some developers are building luxury resorts on the metaverse. Just as in the real world, you’ll need to purchase the products that you want. Both metaverses have their own crypto tokens. You can use tokens from your crypto wallet to shop in these virtual settings.
You’ll also need to pay gas fees. That is, you’ll need to pay fees associated with using the Ethereum blockchain. You’ll need to have $ETH in your crypto wallet for that purpose.
Set your cryptocurrency wallet to Ethereum before you start exploring. This way, the gas fees will be automatically deducted from your wallet. Remember, you’ll be browsing a setting that’s designed to be realistic and you want transactions to be as seamless as possible.
Both metaverses are 3D settings. So, they don’t look flat images in a single plane. They mirror real life as much as possible. So, they combine aspects of virtual reality, gaming and augmented reality.
Increasing Connections
Sandbox and Decentraland help people to establish connections online. You can even partner with someone in a different country to build a new product. You don’t have to travel to a physical gallery to view art from many different countries or build your brand as an artist.
They both make it possible to interact online in a way that’s similar to interacting with a real person. So, as technology develops more, they will get better at creating a virtual presence for each individual who uses these platforms.
These 3D virtual worlds have several goals. For one, they aim to connect people. In that way, they’re like social media. You can talk with other people who are across the road or in other countries. You can also play games with them, create NFTs or participate in other activities.
People have become more active in these metaverses over the last two years. That’s partly been because of the coronavirus pandemic. People around the world still can’t travel or move freely. Metaverses make it easier for people to spend time together, even when they’re not physically near.
Governments can even buy land in these virtual worlds. The government of Barbados is currently working on building a virtual embassy in Decentraland. It’s the first Caribbean nation to have an embassy in the metaverse. It’s also the first sovereign country to do that.
Decentraland vs Sandbox Game – Managing your Assets
Your assets in both of these metaverses are managed with the blockchain. So, you keep track of your land, NFTs and such via the Ethereum blockchain.
Decentraland has three tokens. These are known as $WEAR, $MANA and $LAND. Sandbox has four tokens. These are called $SAND, $ASSETS, $LAND and $GAMES.
Decentraland has a game that members of the public can play. However, it doesn’t have a $GAME token. All of the tokens serve as fuel for economies in the metaverse. For example, if you’re visiting a metaverse, you can buy goods with tokens.
Sandbox started off as a game before it became a network. That’s why some users prefer its gamified experience. They can participate in games, challenges and quest to earn rewards while buying land and monetizing their parcels of land.
You can purchase these tokens at most exchanges. However, some exchanges might not have one or two. With tokens, you can buy tickets to live events, pay for admission at an art museum or even learn at Decentraland University.
Buying Land in the Metaverse
You can buy land in both Decentraland and Sandbox. The former has 90,601 parcels of land. You can build a variety of digital properties on this virtual land. Land in Decentraland includes districts, estates, plazas and other categories that mirror real life. For example, districts are parcels that have similar themes.
Sandbox has more parcels of land. It has 166,464 parcels of land. Some parcels are grouped into estates. One person owns each estate. Other parcels are grouped into districts. Two or more people own a district.
Although these are virtual settings, the rules for buying land are similar to those for purchasing land in real life. For example, land sales are usually announced a week in advance. You can purchase land directly on these metaverses.
However, just as you can go through a broker or third party in real life, you can do the same here. When you go through a third party, you will pay more for the land. Most parcels of land cost between $12,000 and $15,000.
The Advantage of Age
Decentraland is a pioneer. It was the first metaverse to produce a proof of concept.
Decentraland has been around for longer than the Sandbox. So, it has the advantage of age. It has more partnerships because it’s been working on building its brand and connections. Its partners include the South Korean government, Samsung and Polygon. Sandbox doesn’t have as many big partners. One of its biggest partners is the Japanese company, SoftBank.
Decentraland has had time to let more people build galleries, casinos and other properties in the metaverse. Individuals bought some of these parcels. They developed them and even sold them at a profit. Brands also purchased several parcels for commercial development. For example, Sotheby’s has their own virtual gallery in Decentraland.
As mentioned earlier in this post, Barbados is building an embassy in Decentraland. That’s because that metaverse is one of the most popular crypto worlds. It’s also bigger than Sandbox.
Privacy in the Metaverse
You can’t really have 100% privacy when you’re online. However, Decentraland provides more privacy. That’s because of its decentralized structure. It allows peer-to-peer communication. So, a central server won’t hear what you’re talking about with friends.
Decentraland vs Sandbox Game Development
When you use Decentraland to develop software, you can only use the client on your desktop. This means that the Sandbox is more user friendly, since you don’t have this limitation.
Sandbox has a Game Maker tool. You can use it to design games for that metaverse. It’s easy to use, even if you’re not an experienced game designer. You can download the Game Maker from Sandbox’s website.
Game Maker is a free download. You won’t pay to use it. However, you’ll need Sandbox crypto to publish your game. Specifically you need to purchase or rent LAND so that you can publish your game on it.
In Decentraland, you don’t have any control over what happens in other games. For example, you can’t control what players in your game can bring in from other games. So, developers think differently about game mechanics in this crypto world.
Decentraland vs Sandbox Game Investment
At EA Trading Academy, we don’t make recommendations for your investments. Each person should do their own due diligence. Ensure that you research each metaverse before you put money into any type of asset.
However, it’s important to note that Decentraland currently has a bigger market cap than the Sandbox. Its market cap is $5.9 billion while Sandbox’s market cap is $3.7 billion. The circulating supply of $MANA is also bigger than the circulating supply of $SAND.
Sandbox currently has a more concrete and detailed plan for the future than Decentraland. Some investors feel that the organizational structure of Sandbox gives it an advantage with respect to planning for the future. As mentioned earlier in this article, Sandbox has a central government right now. Decentraland doesn’t and owners must vote before anything on the platform can change.
Brand Engagement – Decentraland vs Sandbox Game
Brands know that they can make a profit in metaverses. Some of them sell products on Decentraland because it has lots of users. You can buy lots of NFTs from Coca-Cola in Decentraland.
For example, several people bought their first virtual mini fridge from Coca-Cola in Decentraland. You can put your fridge in the digital house on your virtual land. Opening a bottle of Coca-Cola in Decentraland is a bit like opening one in real life. You’ll hear the fizz of carbonated water.
Samsung also has a digital store in Decentraland. The brand even debuted 837X in Decentraland. That’s modeled on their flagship 837 store in New York. Right now, Decentraland captures more of the market for brands that want to engage fans in a metaverse. However, Sandbox is working hard to make their immersive world attractive to investors.