Futureverse News - September 2024
Welcome to the September edition of Futureverse News, your go-to source for everything happening across our ecosystem and beyond
Welcome to the September edition of Futureverse News, your go-to source for everything happening across our ecosystem and beyond. Get ready for a fresh wave of updates this month, as we wrap up the latest partnership announcements, product developments, and events shaping the future of our industry. Let's dive in and take a closer look at the highlights hot off the Futureverse News desk.
Readyverse Studios announced game-changing partnerships with Wētā Workshop and Neo Tokyo
This month, Readyverse Studios announced two exciting partnerships to bolster the development of its upcoming multi-genre battle royale game, OPEN. The first is with Oscar-winning special effects and prop company Wētā Workshop. Known for its work on The Lord of the Rings and Avatar franchises, the Wētā team will contribute to shaping OPEN's visual and narrative aspects.
The Readyverse co-founders Aaron McDonald, Shara Senderoff, Dan Farah, and Ernest Cline released a statement saying that joining forces with Wētā Workshop allows the team to create content never before seen in gaming. "It's an honor to build our vision hand-in-hand with the best," the team said.
Wētā's Sir Richard Taylor added that working with Readyverse Studios has allowed it to "explore a visually stunning and incredibly immersive world unlike anything we have done before.”
OPEN's immersive multiverse will feature nostalgia-infused biomes with characters and cultural legends from iconic franchises. Challengers embark on game-show styled, multi-round collaborative and competitive game modes, but only one hero can emerge victorious.
Among globally recognized IP, such as Reebok, Cool Cats, and the Delorean Motor Company featured in the teaser, OPEN will feature a Ready Player One biome where fans can engage in competitive experiences inspired by the novel and film itself.
Additionally, Readyverse Studios has secured a long-term partnership with Neo Tokyo, a dynamic networking group for people who are passionate about shaping the future of the gaming metaverse. Introducing its Citizens characters into the OPEN game world, Neo Tokyo's IP is the latest in a long line of global brands taking their first steps in this genre-defining gaming experience, with more to be revealed soon.
To unpack this huge announcement, Futureverse Head of Social Krista Gambrel hosted a fascinating AMA with Ernest Cline, Dan Farah, Aaron McDonald, Shara Senderoff, and the Neo Tokyo team.
Powering up for Permissionless III
We’re just days away from touching down in Utah for Permissionless III. We’re proud to be Ruby sponsors at this year’s event, where some of the most influential minds in crypto gather for three days of networking, engaging content, and live conversations. Aaron McDonald is one of the keynote speakers, kicking things off with The Dawn of Open Gaming on the main stage – a session to keep an eye on if you’re curious about what’s coming next in the world of gaming.
The team can’t wait to connect in person, share the latest Futureverse technology, and discuss the groundbreaking innovations shaping our industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to say hello and explore the future of gaming with us!
The excitement isn’t limited to the stage. The Readyverse team just wrapped up internal testing for a new experimental AI game world that will be running during Permissionless. Stop by the gaming lounge to try out the prototype experience, learn about the technology powering The Readyverse, and see how it enables users, developers, and brands to create interconnected experiences.
Watch this Space: A new series on X brings the company and community closer together
Open Space is a new monthly Spaces series moderated by Krista and hosted by Aaron McDonald. It aims to create a public forum for our community to speak with Aaron and other company leaders, ask burning questions, and join an open discussion about the direction of Futureverse. Each one centers around a specific theme, allowing our community and leadership to come together for ongoing, meaningful conversations. Keep an eye on our social channels to be the first to hear about the next Open Space.
The Third Kingdom faced a UFO invasion
In September, the Futureverse community had its first look at The Third Kingdom Season 1: Cataclysm, Episode 1. This next-gen strategy simulation game offers players the chance to compete for rewards of up to 312,500,000 ROOT. Each player steps into the role of a landowner, managing resources in a once-thriving world now thrown into chaos. Strategic decision-making is key as players aim to level up (prestige) and work towards the ultimate goal of restoring the Kingdom, unlocking valuable rewards along the way.
During the launch, the Kingdom faced what can only be described as a UFO invasion, with a fierce battle pushing the game to its limits. As the community stepped in to help shoot down UFOs and share valuable feedback, the team took the learnings on board, with a focus on identifying optimizations that would help the Kingdom flourish.
We’re actively addressing feedback, rolling out updates, and working towards a full reset. Rewards are on the way to players who helped shoot down UFOs, plus:
- All Prysms will be undeployed.
- All Kingdom Coins will be returned to players.
- All Prysms will retain their production bonus percentages.
- Season 1 will begin fresh, with players being able to select a new biome.
A note from leadership
Inside Korea Blockchain Week 2024: Here’s everything you need to know
We had an incredible time connecting with communities, builders, and partners in Seoul for Korea Blockchain Week 2024. Working around a jam-packed schedule, the team presented keynotes, attended industry events, and shared interactive demos of Jen, Reebok Impact, and The Third Kingdom Season 1: Cataclysm with the world.
During the week, Aaron joined a compelling panel alongside industry heavy-hitters like Improbable’s Herman Narulaa and Avalon’s Sean Pinnock to discuss what drives user engagement towards metaverse mass adoption. The main outcome of the session can be boiled down to three simple things – make it fun, make it engaging, and make users’ decisions matter. Aaron also spoke about AI for consumer use cases on the XRP Ledger, and discussed how AI-infused innovation intersects with blockchain technology.
A casual Futureverse Vibe event hosted in partnership with our friends at Catalyze and PundiX encouraged builders and innovators to explore the future of web3, AI, and the open metaverse. In a Futureverse-themed cocktail bar, participants could hear stories about open gaming innovation and network freely with experts, developers, and entrepreneurs.
Our team members were run off their feet in the gaming zone at KBW, engaging with builders and innovators to share our vision of an open future. They showcased how AI technology and blockchain innovations are transforming our vision into reality, and then, after two full-on days running the stand, it was time to head home. Thanks to everyone who stopped by – whether you came to learn about our technology or just to say hello, it’s always good to connect with like-minded people as we build the future together.
Blink and you’ll miss it
Ottó announced a new partnership with Ripple
We proudly announced our new partnership with Ripple, integrating Ripple Custody into Futureverse. This collaboration enhances the security and scalability of our self-developed Ottó Blockchain, enabling verified access to DeFi and ensuring digital assets are securely stored before minting.
The Third Kingdom like you’ve never heard it before
FLUF World teamed up with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra – famous for their work on projects like Parasite, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Total War – to create a cinematic soundtrack for The Third Kingdom. The orchestra’s next-level talent and focus on every detail was key in bringing the game’s rich soundscape to life.
RAICERS rolled out default assets
The RAICERS team announced an important update to the AI-driven racing manager game. The latest release allows anyone to get behind the wheel and experience the strategy-based sim thanks to new default Drivers, Karts, and Brains.
FuturePass extended bridging to XRPL
Now you can bridge ROOT, ASTO, SYLO, and ZRP tokens, alongside XRP, between the XRP Ledger and The Root Network – all in your FuturePass Dashboard. Recent updates to the pallet extend the XRPL bridge to allow for two-way bridging of any token between the XRP Ledger and The Root Network.
Futureverse in real life
Korea Blockchain Week 2024: XRPL Hackathon
Korea Blockchain Week 2024 launched with a bang at the XRPL Hackathon, organized by Catalyze Research and sponsored by us, Ripple X Dev, Peersyst, XRPL Commons, and XRPL Korea. Eight teams competed in The Root Network's Gamifi/Socialfi track, which ultimately narrowed down to four talented finalists – two of which leveraged the Jen Music API – before the overall winner was announced. Congratulations to everyone involved, and a big shoutout to Russ Saito for judging and presenting the award to the winners.
Behind the mic
It was an action-packed September for our community in APAC, with Aaron wrapping up the month by hosting a thought-provoking AMA on the Futureverse Japan X account. Our co-founder and CEO shared his take on The Third Kingdom, trends in the ecosystem, the latest collaborations, and more.
Ecosystem happenings
Rox’s recap from Korea Blockchain Week
One of the most insightful and comprehensive overviews of KBW 2024 came from Rox at Girin Labs, who provided in-depth analysis in a detailed thread. Rox’s thread captured the energy and atmosphere of the event, offering insights and highlights from various sessions, like the public demo launch of the Girin Wallet. If you’re looking for a download on the best parts of KBW 2024, this thread is a must-read.
The Root Name Service integrates with Notifi
Big news for the Root Name Service arrived in the form of an integration with the Notifi Network. This powerful partnership brings real-time .root Identity-related alerts directly to your email and Telegram. Now it’s easier than ever to stay up to date with the latest news and expiration alerts for Identities on The Root Network, with more features coming soon.
Moai Finance stepped up in Seoul
Jeff from Moai Finance presented at KBW’s XRPL Zone, sharing insights and learnings from his experience building a cross-chain DEX aggregator for seamless swaps – a key building block for institutional DeFi. We’re proud to have talented humans like Jeff building on The Root Network.
Tradeverse officially migrated to the latest Futureverse SDKs
Tradeverse continued to keep its foot on the gas, with Mark Ibanez announcing the integration of the latest Futureverse SDKs to enhance performance, particularly for their local development environment. The talent and determination behind Tradeverse continues to grow, with Guilliaume Evt the latest to bring a wealth of knowledge, plus a background in XRPL and marketplace development, to the team. We'd also like to thank Mark for acknowledging Richie Rich's contribution to a smooth and fast transition, and we can't wait to see what happens next.
Humans of Futureverse
Tom Murphy
Systems Engineer at Futureverse
Tom brings a wealth of experience in Web Media Production, Technical Support, and Web Development, making him an invaluable part of the team. He’s focused on building out our internal and external IT processes and creating a secure environment for our operations. Some of Tom’s major contributions include the Futureverse website, integrating our internal communication tools, and upgrading our support system architecture. Outside work, you’ll find him spending quality time with his rescue dog, Yam, and perfecting his latte art skills. Tom’s deep understanding of the digital landscape and passion for helping others are just some of the reasons we love having him here.
Thanks for joining us for the September edition of Futureverse News. We hope you feel more connected than ever to the pulse of what’s happening in our ecosystem. Our aim is to keep you in the loop on all the latest product announcements, thought leadership articles, and company updates. Stay tuned to our social channels for weekly wrap-ups covering the exciting developments shaping our virtual worlds. Until next time, remember, we’re not building the future. You are. 💫