Space Nation Online: A New Sci-Fi Gaming Frontier
Space Nation, a budding transmedia franchise, has "soft launched" its massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), Space Nation Online, with aspirations of becoming the next Star Wars. This newly released game is built on blockchain technology and aims to be the centerpiece of its expanding sci-fi intellectual property (IP). The developers are currently in a 12-week soft launch phase, limiting player access and stabilizing the in-game economy. Once this phase concludes, the game, built on the Ethereum scaling network Immutable zkEVM, is set for a global launch to attract a broader Web2 audience.
The Core of the Space Nation Franchise
The MMO serves as the core experience in the broader Space Nation franchise, which plans to include a series of animated shorts, spinoff games, and a TV series. While aiming to become a sci-fi saga like Star Wars, the game seeks to improve upon the classic MMORPG World of Warcraft by introducing a Web3 powered economy.
A New Approach to MMORPG Economics
Space Nation co-founder and CEO Jerome Wu, who previously managed World of Warcraft's operations in China, believes that MMORPGs often feel like work due to monotonous tasks. Space Nation Online aims to improve this by offering higher rewards for these tasks and lower rewards for more entertaining ones. This allows players to either engage deeply in the game's virtual economy or purchase resources to enjoy the more fun aspects.
For example, players can choose to become miners, spending time gathering minerals to sell to others who need them for crafting weapons and ships. In return, they earn the in-game currency CHR, which can be exchanged for real money, enabling a play-to-earn model without needing direct interaction with Web3 technology.
A Virtual Society with Real Economic Potential
MMORPGs create a virtual society with different player roles and divisions of labor. Space Nation Online aspires to build a virtual economy worth billions, drawing inspiration from games like World of Warcraft and Fantasy Westward Journey. Wu believes that its cryptocurrency elements will make the economy more efficient.
Intergalactic Battles and the Future Metaverse
The Space Nation universe promises epic battles, with player-organized guilds competing to control planets in the galaxy. These guild battles are anticipated to grow in scale with the soft launch. Set in the Telikos Cluster, a distant galaxy, the game tells of humanity's survival after the solar system's destruction by aliens. Players fight enemy factions and aliens to colonize and restart civilization.
Beyond Gaming: Expanding the Space Nation Universe
While focused on the MMORPG, the franchise is also developing other experiences. Animated shorts have been released, and a prequel TV show screenplay is underway by Roland Emmerich, director of films like Stargate and Independence Day. The team aims to establish Space Nation as a household name, tapping into the renewed interest in space exploration initiatives like SpaceX.
