In Brief:
- The Sandbox NEXT‘s playtest is live, running from March 26 to April 5, with pre-registration open until March 25.
- The title is the franchise’s first mobile battle royale, built on Unreal Engine, and supports player asset integration.
- The move marks a strategic shift toward mobile accessibility and broader market appeal under new management.
The Sandbox NEXT launches playtest
The Sandbox has launched the playtest for NEXT, its first standalone mobile battle royale, with access available from March 26 through April 5. Pre-registration closed on March 25, and spots are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
NEXT represents a pivotal shift for The Sandbox, a platform historically focused on desktop and browser experiences. The new entry aims to tap into the mobile gaming market, previously boasting 40 million downloads, and is guided by recent leadership changes, including greater involvement from Animoca Brands following the departure of its founders.
Technical details and gameplay
Built on Unreal Engine, NEXT marks a significant technical departure from the Unity framework used previously. This transition aims to meet the quality and competitive demands of mobile gaming. The game features multiplayer extraction and survival mechanics and retains continuity with The Sandbox, allowing players to use their existing NFTs and progress.
Players will engage in matches in two distinct environments: the Desert, emphasizing long-range combat, and the City, designed for close-quarters play. The game supports solo and multiplayer modes, accommodating up to 20 players. Teaser content suggests a combination of firearms and melee weapons will offer varied combat styles within the same match.
NEXT also integrates avatars from over 56 branded collections, allowing users to employ their NFT wearables actively, converting passive collectibles into gameplay assets.
Mobile strategy enhances accessibility
The release of NEXT aligns with The Sandbox’s broader goal of expanding accessibility to its ecosystem. The ongoing Season 7 has introduced browser-based games as an entry point, while NEXT aims to reach players on their most-used devices. The battle royale genre’s popularity in mobile gaming serves as a strategic entry for The Sandbox, facilitating onboarding for users familiar with traditional gaming formats.
Robby Yung, CEO of The Sandbox, emphasized this strategy: “Like our recent launch of WebGL games, The Sandbox NEXT is part of our plan to increase the reach of The Sandbox so players can discover, play and come back more often, whether they’re on desktop or on their phone.”
Overview of The Sandbox ecosystem
The Sandbox operates as a voxel-based metaverse platform under Animoca Brands, enabling players to create, own, and monetize digital experiences. The platform collaborates with over 400 partners, including prominent brands and artists. The native token, $SAND, facilitates transactions within the ecosystem.
The LAND system allows ownership of virtual real estate as NFTs, promoting player-generated content and experiences. With the introduction of NEXT, players can leverage their existing assets and identities in a mobile gaming landscape, merging on-chain ownership with active gameplay.
As the playtest continues until April 5, further enhancements are expected as The Sandbox team gathers player feedback for ongoing development.
