The Seven Biggest Differences Between The Sandbox And Decentraland (2024)

Spencer Mullen

Published in

SandStorm Meetup

Science fiction is becoming a reality.

First coined in Neal Stephenson’s iconic 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, the metaverse concept is one of the most talked-about technological trends today. Through the metaverse, online users can interact in immersive, shared virtual spaces.

Powered by the Ethereum network, Decentraland is the biggest decentralized gaming metaverse in the world. While Decentraland has grown in popularity and size, open NFT metaverse The Sandbox has also exploded in growth. The rise of The Sandbox has presented a direct challenge to Decentraland’s title as the top play-to-earn metaverse on the internet. While both Decentraland and The Sandbox have similarities, as both are play-to-earn metaverses based on the Ethereum network, there are major differences that will be outlined in this article.

DECENTRALAND

Decentraland’s ERC-20 token is MANA, the metaverse’s digital currency that allows players to purchase virtual real estate, items and other assets.
Decentraland’s ERC-721 non-fungible tokens represent the metaverse’s unique assets, such as LAND property and other items.

THE SANDBOX

Unlike Decentraland, The Sandbox utilizes the ERC-1155 standard. ASSETS in The Sandbox are built on the ERC-115 standard, which are tools or items that can be created by players. ASSETS can be sold on the marketplace or utilized in the Sandbox Game Maker.
Like Decentraland, The Sandbox’s digital currency is based on the ERC-20 standard. Players use SAND to purchase or sell LAND or ASSETS.
Like Decentraland, LAND in The Sandbox is built on the ERC-721 standard. Each LAND is a non-fungible token in which games and other interactive experiences can be built upon.

While the ERC-721 standard has laid the foundation for NFT technology, the 1155 Standard can be used to create fungible, non-fungible, and even semi-fungible tokens. The ERC-20 tokens are interchangeable, and the ERC-721 token standard is used to create a complete unique set of assets. While Decentraland has not yet adopted the ERC-1155 standard, play-to-earn games such as The Six Dragons and Age of Rust are early adopters of the standard. ERC-1155 standard’s flexibility is a perfect match for play-to-earn metaverses like The Sandbox.

DECENTRALAND

Decentraland’s graphics are often criticized for being either glitchy or laggy.
Decentraland’s graphics have drawn comparisons to Second Life, one of the earliest and most popular metaverses in the internet’s history.

THE SANDBOX

The Sandbox’s voxel-based graphics are reminiscent of Minecraft or Roblox.
The Sandbox’s VoxEdit tool allows players to construct environments and items.

The Sandbox’s graphics are often compared to enormously influential gaming titles such as Minecraft or Roblox. The Sandbox’s VoxEdit tool, which allows players to construct environments and items, is one of the most prominent aspects of the entire game.

The Sandbox’s Game Builder feature allows users to build upon their purchased land and create their own interactive gaming experiences. The VoxEdit tool in The Sandbox guarantees a plethora of user generated content, and Voxelart is far easier to produce when compared to Decentraland’s design language.

Decentraland’s graphics have drawn comparisons to Second Life, one of the earliest and most popular metaverses in the history of the internet. While Decentraland’s graphics are often criticized for being glitchy, the main appeal behind the metaverse that has led to a huge growth in users is its decentralized economy.

DECENTRALAND

90,000 Plots of Land
Each Sized 16x16
Average LAND price is roughly $1200
Landowners are able to generate a passive income through hosting games or contests.

THE SANDBOX

166,464 plots of land
Each Plot of Land is sized 96x96
Average Price of LAND in The Sandbox roughly $530.
A group of LAND can be merged together in The Sandbox, forming an Estate.

While Decentraland has 90,000 plots of land, each with a size of 16mx16m, The Sandbox Game has 166,464 plots, 96mx96m each. Because Decentraland is a significantly smaller metaverse in comparison to The Sandbox, even smaller plots of land in Decentraland are very expensive. In both Decentraland and The Sandbox, players can purchase virtual land and create attractions for other players. Players can also host contests and giveaways on their land in either The Sandbox and Decentraland. A group of Land merged together in The Sandbox can be formed to create an Estate, and those who own the large swaths of LAND in The Sandbox will play a major role in the game’s governance. Players who own land in either The Sandbox or Decentraland will be able to generate a passive income, which makes purchasing virtual real estate in the metaverses an extremely smart investment.

DECENTRALAND

Like The Sandbox, Decentraland has a Game Builder tool that is easier to use and requires no coding.
However, Decentraland has an SDK tool that requires knowledge of coding and gives developers flexibility when creating interactive scenes.

THE SANDBOX

Only has a Game Builder feature, which involves no coding.

While The Sandbox is scheduled to have its first public alpha test this summer, Decentraland is currently a far more developed project. Decentraland is an older project, as it was first opened to the public in February 2020, but more importantly it is built on a far more intricate platform. The Decentraland SDK tool is a convenient tool for developers when creating their own interactive Decentraland scenes. Developers can use the SDK tool to create 3D graphics, sounds, and actions. Most users use the Builder feature for creating scenes in Decentraland, which is significantly more simple and does not require any knowledge of coding.

DECENTRALAND

Has more adult-oriented attractions like casinos, nightclubs, rooftop parties, or galleries.

THE SANDBOX

Partnered with more kid-friendly brands such as The Smurfs and Care Bears.
The Sandbox’s graphics are reminiscent of Roblox and Minecraft, two platform games that are extremely popular with kids.

As it currently has partnerships with kid-friendly brands such as The Smurfs and Care Bears, it is clear that The Sandbox is targeting a younger audience in comparison to Decentraland. The Sandbox’s graphics are also reminiscent of games like Minecraft and Roblox, all of which have a large youth fanbase. Decentraland’s most popular venues are more adult-oriented such as casinos, nightclubs, rooftop parties, and galleries. While The Sandbox and Decentraland are both Ethereum-based metaverses, their goals and ambitions do not perfectly align with each other. Decentraland has recently partnered with Boson Protocol, a project that aims to import real-world ecommerce into metaverses like Decentraland.

DECENTRALAND

Has partnered with Coca-Cola, fine jewelry broker Sotheby, and other e-commerce brands.
Atari will be building an Atari-themed casino on a Decentraland plot of land.

THE SANDBOX

Has partnered with well-known brands such as Square Enix, Atari, Rollercoaster Tycoon, and even Hell’s Kitchen.
Biggest partnership to date with Skybound Entertainment’s The Walking Dead franchise.

The Sandbox has done an incredible job when it comes to cultivating high-level IP partnerships. Some LANDS in The Sandbox are owned by well-known brands such as Square Enix, Atari, Rollercoaster Tycoon, and even Gordon Ramsay’s hit cooking show Hell’s Kitchen. This has led users to buy up LAND adjacent to these major players in large droves. Recently, The Sandbox announced its partnership with Skybound Entertainment’s The Walking Dead. Voxel-based versions of fan-favorite characters from The Walking Dead, like Rick Grimes and Michonne, will be featured in the game. Players will also be able to either recreate memorable moments from the franchise or create their own original adventures with friends.

While The Sandbox may be more focused on gaming adventures, Decentraland is keen on becoming the leading metaverse for online gambling. Last month, Decentraland announced its partnership with Atari, one of The Sandbox’s most well-known partners. Atari will be building a massive online casino inspired by Atari games in Decentraland. Coca Cola has also recently partnered with Decentraland, and through a virtual rooftop party to celebrate the launch of their new NFT collection. Jewelry and watches broker Sotheby has made metaverse history after launching the first virtual gallery in Decentraland. Decentraland’s focus on online gambling and e-commerce is one of the biggest distinctions in comparison to The Sandbox.

DECENTRALAND

The value of MANA has skyrocketed by 750% over the past year.
Investing one thousand dollars in MANA last year would have turned into $8500.

THE SANDBOX

The price of SAND has surged over 1500% over the past year.
Investing one thousand dollars in SAND last year would have turned into $16000.

MANA is the digital asset that is used to pay for goods and services in Decentraland, while SAND is the counterpart digital asset in The Sandbox. The price of MANA has skyrocketed by 750% over the past year, and investing one thousand dollars in MANA last year would have turned into $8500. However, the performance of SAND over the past year is even more impressive. The price of SAND has surged over 1500% over the past year, meaning that if you invested one thousand dollars in The Sandbox last year you would now have over sixteen thousand dollars.

CONCLUSION

The Seven Biggest Differences Between The Sandbox And Decentraland (7)

Both The Sandbox and Decentraland are enormous success stories, ensuring that there are more Ethereum-based metaverses to come. Play-to-earn gaming projects that have attracted well-known talent and internationally recognized studios indicate that it is only a matter of time until play-to-earn becomes the most popular method of gaming in the world. Regardless of whether Decentraland or The Sandbox become the biggest metaverse in the crypto world, the future could not look brighter for either project.

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SOURCES:

https://hackernoon.com/the-sandbox-vs-decentraland-vs-enjin-which-is-the-best-blockchain-gaming-platform-09u34ai

https://medium.com/bosonprotocol/boson-protocol-acquires-prime-real-estate-in-decentraland-in-six-figure-deal-33ad08a21423

https://solberginvest.com/blog/build-in-decentraland/

https://solberginvest.com/blog/decentraland-vs-the-sandbox/

https://thecurrencyanalytics.com/blockchain/making-money-with-blockchain-gaming-sandbox-sand-vs-decentraland-mana-vs-enjin-30456.php

https://www.ledgerinsights.com/coca-cola-to-launch-nfts-in-decentraland/

https://signalscv.com/2021/07/atari-launching-a-crypto-casino-that-will-work-with-its-old-games

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/blog/sotheby-s-decentraland-nft-virtual