Remember back in summer '16 when Pokemon Go took the world by storm? Hardcore fans, amateurs, and even those who could care less about Pokemon were all united with one purpose in mind: Gotta catch 'em all!
Those were the good old days. Not only was Pokemon Go revolutionary at the time, but it also showed that nostalgic games like Pokemon are still a staple of pop culture.
I recently came across a promising project that offers a similar approach to Pokemon Go. To be more definite, it's when the worlds of Pokemon and Axie Infinity collide. If that isn't intriguing enough for you, let's dive further into the project.
What's the project about?
Pixelmon will be a play-to-earn (P2E) virtual metaverse where you can train, trade, and fight your very own Pixelmons against others in the world. Players will be able to earn rewards via ETH or Pixelmon by beating foes in battle.
The first generation of Pixelmon (called the "genesis" species) will have over 100 unique species with 10,000 Pixelmon total. At this very moment, Gen 1 Pixelmon has yet to drop. However, Gen 1 eggs will be available for purchase and minting soon.
In their roadmap, @ThePixelmon (the dev team) indicated that in Phase 1, which is set to roll out in Q2 2022, they will be purchasing land in The Sandbox for the alpha version of the game. Individuals will be able to explore three distinct areas: A Pixelmon Hub, Training Centre, and a Battle Arena.
The integration with Sandbox is only the first rendition of its gaming metaverse ideology. @ThePixelmon is creating its very own Pixelverse while testing the early version of the game in The Sandbox.
Users who have minted Gen 1 eggs will be able to hatch their eggs in the alpha version. One thing that stood out to me is that the evolution mechanic for Pixelmon will cause heavy deflation of the Gen 1 supply.
As we all know by now, scarcity with high demand generally leads to an increase in prices. So try to get in early if you're looking to flip Gen 1 Pixelmons for ETH.
Owning Gen 1 Pixelmon will also come with other benefits. For one, Gen 1 Pixelmon holders will gain early access to land and species in the metaverse. My best guess is that when Gen 2 Pixelmon and land are introduced into the sphere, Gen 1 holders will be able to get first dibs on land.
Although it is still relatively unknown, I feel like the real estate system will be introduced with their version of the metaverse, also known as the "Pixelverse." It will include land, apartments, villas, mansions, castles, tents, houses and more for purchase, rent and mortgage.
The dev team plan to release second, third, fourth and fifth generations of Pixelmon species into the Pixelverse over the next few years. Just like with Axie Infinity, users can breed their Pixelmon to create new and unique species that could potentially sell for a whole lotta ETH.
Why is it a promising NFT project?
I'm bullish on this project for several reasons. First, it's cool, and as I said in the beginning, it's in with the times. To be completely honest, they are bound to have a stable player base because of the project's similarities to Pokemon.
Second, @ThePixelmon's marketing strategy has been a success. 20,000+ organic followers on Twitter in less than two weeks with constant engagement, collaborations, and giveaways? Those who are in digital marketing know this is very tough to accomplish. Kudos to the Pixelmon team!
Third, the dev team consists of individuals who have worked for brands like Activision and Disney. According to @xdoubleq on Twitter, who had the chance to speak to the development team 1-on-1, the team isn't anything to scoff at. They are established, experienced, a positioned well for this project..
Fourth is a question of accessibility. As @Pandora just recently stated:
"such a model require[s] vast allocation of funds invested even at the beginning stage."
This is a huge turn-off for those who wish to legitimately earn crypto via gaming. Thankfully, the creator of @ThePixelmon has promised that everyone will be able to play Pixelmon. Like in Pokemon, this will be accomplished through basic starter Pixelmons that anyone can use.
Finally, and arguably one of the most important reasons as to why I'm bullish on the project, is their presence on Discord and Twitter. Anyone in the NFT space knows that constant engagement in both platforms is a tell-tale sign of future demand for the NFT project.
What's lucrative about their alpha Discord server is the limited capacity set at 1,000. Invites are given through Twitter, though generally through a random giveaway. This strategy puts eyeballs on the project, as well as builds hype. I mean, who doesn't want to be a part of an exclusive community!
Take a look at the project here: https://twitter.com/ThePixelmon and here: https://www.pixelmon.club/roadmap
Sources:
https://twitter.com/xdoubleq/status/1471172927278108676
I am not a financial advisor. Please do your own due diligence before making a decision based on my article, as I am not responsible or liable for your investment decisions.
