There’s a new MMO on the horizon quite literally: It’s called Hyperspace, and it’s the first game from Scottish game studio Carbon Based Lifeforms. The press release is almost enough to make an MMORPG fan giddy; it’s a free-to-play sci-fi sandbox with a retrofuturistic vibe and player-driven economy where you can be a “a galaxy-spanning explorer, a high-tech craftsman, or a rebellious intergalactic outlaw.”
Oh yeah, and it’s a crypto-driven play-to-earn venture.
“Hyperspace players can create their character based on one of eight playable races, each with their own expanded lore and culture within a much larger universe, and participate in several activities with classes which include; Hunter, Gatherer, Explorer, and Trader, allowing them to customize their experience to suit their style of play. The space-themed gaming experience transports players to an expansive galaxy that’s filled with thousands of star systems, multiple territories, and four galactic currencies, giving users endless opportunities within an ever-evolving sandbox.”
At the end of the press release, Carbon Based Lifeforms gets around to describing itself as a “studio on a mission to redefine the play-and-earn industry” and calls Hyperspace “the first token-free and chain-agnostic free-to-play-and-earn metaverse game that’s set within a unique galactic backdrop.” According to the play-to-earn (actually, they’re trying to call it play-and-earn) FAQ on the official site, players will do their “earning” by essentially creating content and selling it to each other – and the studio takes a transaction fee, of course. The devs say there won’t be a token launch, NFTs of game items, anything pay-to-win, or pre-sale items like ships. In effect, it sounds like a mash-up of ROBLOX, Entropia, and EVE, with $1.7M in pre-seed funding backing it up.
If that didn’t already make you write the game off, you’ll want to know that test registration is open on the official site. The game is reportedly in “early production with a four-year roadmap ahead,” which is to say, there are no screenshots or videos just yet. So either way, you have several years to feel disappointed at the direction of the genre before there’s actually a game anyway.
