The classic pet-raising game, Neopets, is joining the Metaverse with their official Alpha launch TODAY! Neopets Metaverse is a reimagining of the original Neopets and features the cute cartoon pets you know and love in an all-new Play-and-Earn, Free-to-Play game. Powered by Web3 and Solana , Neopets Metaverse will feature NFT pets, brand new mini-games, customizable housing, and the Battledome for PvP battles. For those looking for a Pokémon-like experience in the Metaverse, this just might be what you’ve been waiting for. Let’s dive in!
What Is Neopets?
For those who are unfamiliar with Neopets, it’s actually been around since all the way back in 1999. While it has jumped between several owners and publishers (including even being owned by Nickelodeon at one point), the game has consistently been available since its release and is actually still popular today. The game is currently owned and operated by JumpStart Games , which is owned by Chinese MMO developer NetDragon Websoft .
The original Neopets game allowed players to collect and raise 2D pets and was something like a cross between Pokémon and a Tamagotchi . Players compete in mini-games to earn neopoints which can then be used in the games’ economy to buy and sell various items and upgrades. According to the report we found , Neopets claims that there were still 100,000 active daily users in 2021. That’s a pretty big number for a super simple 20-year old 2D web game.
Moving to the Metaverse
With Neopets Metaverse, the longstanding franchise will be moving full force into the Web3 generation. With NFTs, blockchain mechanics, and their own digital currency, Neopets is embracing the Play-and-Earn mantra that has become popular as of late. Whether you like NFTs or not, it’s hard to argue that Neopets is the perfect game for this type of model. The original web-game was essentially the grandfather of Play-and-Earn long before the blockchain and ownership model that NFTs provide even existed.
Think that’s hyperbole? Let’s take a look at the original game’s mechanics:
- Unique Digital Currency? Check!
- Player-owned Customizable Avatars or Pets? Check!
- Player-owned Customizable Housing or Land? Check!
- In-game Mechanics to Earn Digital Currency? Check!
It’s easy to see the similarities and understand why Neopets would want to jump on the bandwagon and try to steal some of the hype surrounding the Web3 movement. It’s basically tailor-made for their game. The new Neopets Metaverse will feature all of these same mechanics, obviously evolved to fit the Web3 standard, but with new and improved graphics and gameplay. Not only will they be moving to a 3D engine with much better looking environments and pets, but they will also feature brand new mini-games along with some old favorites.
The Neopets Metaverse is being built on the Solana blockchain, and you can actually already purchase Neopets on any Solana-powered marketplace. Magic Eden, for instance, has a wide range of pets available, and compared to other NFT collections, they’re actually somewhat affordable. The current floor price for a Neopet is roughly 1.4 SOL, which equates to about $50. It will be interesting to see if JumpStart and NetDragon can convert existing players with these higher prices or if they will be more focused on simply courting the existing NFT collectors who are much more accustomed to paying the inflated price tag that comes with NFTs.
Join the Alpha TODAY!
If you like the original Neopets, or you’re a fan of Pokémon, Neopets might be worth a look. While it isn’t doing anything revolutionary, it’s a long running franchise with a large existing userbase, which is more than a lot of Web3 games can say. The mini-games look simple, but fun, and the art style is pretty on-par for what you would expect. All-in-all, we think the game looks intriguing, if you’re looking for something new in the growing Play-and-Earn realm, this is a pretty good choice.
You can find out more about the alpha at their official website . As of right now, it’s expected to go live on August 26th, 2022 (today).
So what do you think? Did you play the original Neopets? Are you interested in this new and improved version? Let us know your thoughts!
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