China Introduces Next-Gen Blockchain Game ‘MetaCene’ to Reinvigorate Crypto Gaming Landscape

Image from metacene.io

China has been quietly crafting MetaCene, a cutting-edge blockchain MMORPG, for nearly two years with a budget of $5 million. The game is on the verge of its public debut.

The creators of MetaCene aim to create a “sanctuary for a large player base.” The game immerses players in a post-catastrophic world where they engage with six primary categories of in-game NFTs to “reshape civilizations.”

MetaCene stands out for its focus on player-driven entertainment, governance, and content creation, facilitated through its tech framework, decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) for social guild governance, and in-game design tools.

The team elaborated,

“Capturing the true essence of Web3, we transcend the ordinary by seamlessly combining the AAA aspirations of Web2 gaming with the revolutionary technologies of AI and blockchain.”

According to the developmental timeline, a second alpha test is slated for Q3 of this year, with the mainnet blockchain set to launch in the same quarter.

By the last quarter of the year, the team aims to release the commercial version 1.0 of the game, with version 2.0 targeted for 2024.

Bloomberg suggests that both investors and creators in the crypto gaming space are keen to develop a game “that isn’t merely a platform for questionable financial schemes.”

Alan Tan, the game’s creator, commented,

“The notion was that gamefi players were in it just for the money but not for the fun. But that was just because developers opted to focus on the ‘fi’ but not the ‘game’.”

According to Bloomberg, while MetaCene is still in its infancy, early feedback indicates that a well-constructed game incorporating crypto elements outperforms a crypto-centric economy with an attached game.

Plans for Revenue and Upcoming Fundraising

Established in October 2021 by industry veterans with over 20 years of experience from companies like Shanda Games, Blizzard, and Perfect World, the MetaCene team is led by Alan Tan and includes Cary Chen, Lion Cheung, Owen Fung, and Last Chan.

This past August, MetaCene conducted its alpha test, a time-limited event allowing players to explore three main regions within the game, establish guilds, complete missions, and earn rewards.

Out of the 2,961 participants, nearly 90% participated in Player vs Player (PVP) activities, according to post-test statistics. Players racked up 461,916 minutes of gameplay, generated USDT 6,166 in transactions, and set up 1,225 new digital wallets.

Bloomberg pointed out, “It’s a free-to-play model, yet some aspects will seem like opportunities to spend money.” The company also plans to take a percentage from each crypto transaction among players.

To further support development, MetaCene is planning to secure an additional $8 million from venture capital firms.

The company is presently in search of game ambassadors.

In a recent announcement, the team launched Metropolis Sentry, an interactive engagement system that enables players to accomplish tasks and earn rewards, including redeemable in-game gear and NFTs.

The game also features crystal mining as a way to earn currency, which doesn’t require active player involvement.