ShardTalk: Interview With Alex Cupra Of Ethverse

In this episode of ShardTalk, the team from Ethverse shared more insights on their game. 

ShardTalk is the gaming interview segment that connects our readers to people who are shaping the blockchain gaming space. This episode features a talk Alex Cupra, an anon dev who created Ethverse on their Minecraft Ethereum based game. So, let’s get right to it!

Name: Ethverse
Genre: Open, decentralized virtual universe
Quick Info: Ethverse is built using the Minecraft gaming engine and Ethereum blockchain.

Q1. What is the reason for choosing the Ethereum blockchain to build your game on?
Alex: Ethereum already has a mature ecosystem with marketplaces, dApps, NFT protocol, wallets, decentralized exchanges, a massive user base and everything we need to build and grow Ethverse. There are also many scaling solutions available on Ethereum which we can use when we expand our user base.

Q2. Will Ethverse be free to play?

Alex: Yes, Ethverse will be free to play and explore. However, you will still need Minecraft Java edition to access Ethverse.

Q3. What are some of the special features that make Ethverse stand out from other world builder projects such as Decentraland and what Enjin is doing with Minecraft?

Alex: Enjincraft is a Minecraft blockchain plugin for their wallet integration that allows users to use and trade blockchain-based assets in Minecraft. Ethverse is a blockchain-powered Metaverse in Minecraft which not only integrates blockchain-based assets but also has a vast list of features that are added in-game which makes it more than a crypto wallet in Minecraft. Ethverse users can own land registered on the blockchain which is also an integrated part of the Ethverse DeFi ecosystem. Users can monetize their skills and assets in-game and on the marketplace. Ethverse also includes multiple wallet support and supports both on-chain and off-chain transactions to optimize the user experience.

While both Decentraland and Ethverse are blockchain-powered Metaverse projects, both the projects have different paths. Decentraland is focussed on building infinity engine and will be limited by the capabilities of decentralized content distribution. Whereas Ethverse is using Minecraft which has exceptional scaling capabilities. Moreover, Minecraft is a mature platform with over 100 million monthly active users. ETHVerse also incorporates decentralized finance capabilities which are first of a kind in any Metaverse project.

Q4. Could you explain more about the DeFi features Ethverse has?

Alex: Ethverse incorporates multiple DeFi capabilities. Land and other assets can be collateralized to borrow tokens and unlock the time value of tokens and assets. Lenders can lend tokens and earn interest from the DeFi platform. Ethverse is a complete ecosystem with a token economy designed for players to uncover the value of assets within the ecosystem.

Q5. What can we expect from the public beta launch? What are some features that will be available to your players?

Alex: The public beta launch will include many features that are essential for users to experience Ethverse.

1. An in-game wallet which allows users to send tokens to each other. This is an essential feature to onboard first-time crypto users as well.
2. We have also implemented land rights functionality which allows landowners or anyone assigned by the landowner to build on their land.
3. Land auctions will start around our public beta launch and there will be some premium land parcels available for grabs.
4. We will also be featuring an in-game store from where users can shop for in-game items.

Q6. What opportunities exist within the ecosystem for players to earn a wage?

Alex: There are multiple opportunities available for players to earn within Ethverse ecosystem.

1. Creation of assets that can be sold and monetized on Ethverse marketplace
2. Players can utilise their Minecraft building skills and construct many creations where they can list on the marketplace. They will be able to earn tokens from the sales of their creations.
3. Users can also organize and moderate in-game events.

Q7. How do properties accrue value in the game?
Alex: Properties accrue value based on demand, supply and the location of the land. So, a piece of land near our main marketplace can potentially be more commercialized as all the users will pass from there. Land will be digitally scarce assets which will be tradable. The value of Land can be determined from the current demand or by using them as collateral to borrow tokens.

Q8. What does adding blockchain to Minecraft enable that wasn’t previously possible?
Alex: There are already some projects that are building solutions to integrate blockchain to Minecraft but their scope has been limited to providing a wallet which is a good starting point. What has been missed is in-game changes to integrate the principals of blockchain in Minecraft and create an ecosystem around it. Ethverse is a Metaverse with a complete ecosystem.

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