Decentralized metaverse platform Next Earth is a digital twin of the globe. It’s where users can buy up plots of virtual land that represent real places.
The metaverse is the word on everyone’s lips right now continuously. Even, the virtual world has exploded into the popular consciousness.
A virtual land grab is underway, as parcels of digital real estate, represented by non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are being snapped up for millions of dollars.
Unsurprisingly, big corporate players are making moves in the metaverse. Just like Facebook has rebranded as “metaverse first” company Meta. Microsoft also has bought games company Activision in a $69 billion metaverse play. Further brands from Walmart to Samsung have ventured into the digital realm.
However, decentralized metaverse platforms are pushing back against efforts.
The Fast Growing Next Earth
Next Earth offers a stark alternative to corporate-controlled metaverses. It’s a decentralized metaverse infrastructure based on a digital twin of the Earth. That means that, unlike other popular virtual land projects, Next Earth’s land tiles aren’t based on an arbitrarily scarce virtual territory. In fact, each tile represents a 10m x 10m plot of virtual land, corresponding to a real-world location. Further, It can be purchased and built on by members of the community.
Since its launch in August 2021, Next Earth has seen more than 395,000 NFTs minted. The mining is around $895,000 commission which is earned by users. NFT copies of Manhattan, the most valuable land on the planet, were the first to sell out in Next Earth’s virtual land. The biggest sale so far is the MET New York, resold for $32k with an original mint price of $100. Popular real-world landmarks like the Egyptian pyramids, the Colosseum, and football stadiums also trade like hotcakes. But there’s still plenty more to grab.
“We believe that the metaverse has to be something different than Web 2.0.”- Gábor Rétfalvi
Versatility and Commerciality
Next Earth is intentionally versatile, with use-cases ranging from commercial activity to monetizable artwork and entertainment. Also, it’s not about a mint rush for particular tiles. “The platform is all about giving an economic incentive,” Rétfalvi said. “And the way to do that starts with owning land. But it doesn’t really matter if you have those tiles in the middle of London, or if you have those tiles in the middle of the desert because those tiles will be the key to using different features.”
The early settlers of Next Earth, about 30,000 landowners, have already begun populating the tiles with pixelated arts, advertisements, and more. And they aren’t just farming the land tiles; in fact, one of the emerging art spaces is built on the water, right around the harbor of a popular location.
As well as leading the charge for a fair metaverse, Next Earth is also aiming to effect change in the real world. A portion of revenue from every NFT trade goes to environmentally-conscious causes, determined by the community members.
So far the community has voted to send $800,000 of the charity budget to charities including The Ocean Cleanup, Amazon Watch, Kiss the Ground, and SEE Turtles.
