Among the numerous blockchain gaming projects showcased at NFC Lisbon, Life Beyond stands out as one of the most remarkable. Developed by Life Beyond Studios, acquired by Animoca Brands in 2022, this game boasts a team comprising seasoned veterans from the video game industry. Their ambitious goal is to establish the “AAA” standard within the Web3 realm.
TL;DR:
- Life Beyond is a standout blockchain gaming project showcased at NFC Lisbon, developed by Life Beyond Studios and acquired by Animoca Brands in 2022.
- It offers a science fiction adventure set in a spatial metaverse where players build a civilization on the remote planet Dolos, combating threats and claiming land.
- The ambitious goal is to evolve into a metaverse where players can socialize, transact, and engage in various activities, with a dedicated community of 50,000 gamers actively participating in the game’s development.
Life Beyond, a Spatial Metaverse
Set in a science fiction universe, the game embarks the players on an adventure to build a civilization on a new world. Humanity, having colonized Mars, begins seeking resources beyond the solar system. After the discovery of a wormhole, humanity gains access to a remote planet named Dolos.
In this persistent world, players, referred to as agents, combat a spreading and dangerous threat. As agents clear the land, they can claim it, building anything from homes to hospitals, bakeries to taverns.
Life Beyond’s ambition is to evolve to a metaverse, where players can socialize, transact and perform various activities. “I have been obsessed with the metaverse since 2014”, says Life Beyond’s co-founder and CEO, Benjamin Charbit. “At the time, I was working on Assassin’s Creed and specifically involved with the multiplayer aspect. Then I read the first book by Neal Stephenson, Reamde. And that’s when I thought that the future of social platforms lies in combining social experiences with open-world gaming.”
Reflecting on his own experience as a gamer, he’s certain that the social aspect alone can’t constitue an entry point to any metaverse experience. “By playing, we develop emotional connexions”, he explains. “Life Beyond is a social adventure. We all come together to settle on the planet Dolos.” Last year, 20.000 players went on a mission to explore the planet, but had to retreat after being attacked. They are now in a spaceship in orbit around the planet.
What are the Next Steps?
As of today, Life Beyond boasts 50,000 players. “Our current community consists of 50k hardcore gamers who are enthusiastic about Web3,” Charbit explains. “They are here because they love gaming and what Web3 represents. They actively participate in the game’s development and are incentivized by not just financial opportunities but also social recognition”.
In Charbit’s view, critics targeting actual metaverse and blockchain gaming projects appear quite unfair. To him, one had to accept that we are still in early stages of something that will develop over many years. “In the traditional world, I would have never given access to Life Beyond until the game was totally ready. It’s important to understand that we are still early in the cycle, and quality will come. We are just opening the door earlier than usual”.
For now, Charbit intends to keep building by engaging the community. “We have initiated an exciting cycle where we release updates every month, covering various aspects such as storytelling and gameplay”, he says. “Currently, we have a combat simulator in which players can challenge each other, compete in competitions with prizes. This is an opportunity for us to gather maximum feedback and improve the game based on player experiences”.
Another development approach involves forging more connections between the virtual and physical realms. Charbit, mentioning an upcoming announcement, emphasizes that onboarding renowned brands is a crucial aspect of this process.
Ultimately, building links with other gaming and metaverse projects is also on the roadmap.
