From Banished to Builder: Hytopia Emerges as Minecraft’s NFT-Powered Rival

The world of Minecraft NFTs took a hit in 2022 when Mojang Studios announced a ban. However, one project, NFT Worlds (now Hytopia), refused to fold. Instead, they pivoted and are now building their own blockchain game, aiming to become a Minecraft and Roblox hybrid with a focus on user-generated content and ownership.

NFT Worlds carved a niche by selling NFT-linked virtual lands within a customized Minecraft server. These lands were sold for as much as tens of thousands of dollars before the ban, bringing in over $163 million in trading volume.

While some mocked the project, creators felt blindsided by the ban, claiming their approach didn’t violate Minecraft’s EULA at the time. Undeterred, NFT Worlds rebranded as Hytopia and began developing its own game on a custom blockchain – Hychain (built on Arbitrum technology). Hychain aims to be a platform for other game studios to build on, just like Xai, another layer-3 gaming chain.

This weekend, Hytopia takes a significant step with the launch of a Hychain Guardian Node sale. Similar to Xai’s Sentry Nodes, these NFT-based keys will allow users to participate in securing the network and earn rewards. Over three years, owning a Guardian Node grants a share of network fees and TOPIA tokens (Hytopia’s governance token).

Hytopia itself is set for a beta launch in early April. ArkDev describes it as a blend of Minecraft’s blocky aesthetics and Roblox’s user-generated content freedom. Players can create and share their games within Hytopia, similar to Roblox’s millions of player-created experiences. However, unlike Minecraft, Hytopia embraces open creation – no NFT is required for entry.

The original NFT World land parcels still hold value within Hytopia, but not as virtual land ownership. Instead, NFT holders will receive various benefits focused on content creation and development. These perks include lower fees for selling in-game content and increased visibility for their creations within Hytopia.

While Hytopia may struggle to shed its Minecraft association entirely, ArkDev sees a larger vision. He believes blockchain can revolutionize in-game item trading, currently a black market phenomenon in Web2 titles. Blockchain integration could allow in-game item sales with a cut for developers, potentially attracting established Web2 studios to the model.

Hytopia’s journey from a sanctioned project to a potential leader in user-generated, blockchain-powered gaming is a fascinating one. Can Hytopia carve out its niche and usher in a new era of in-game ownership and monetization? Only time will tell, but their ambitious approach and focus on user empowerment are sure to be closely watched.