Apple will never call its new Vision Pro spatial computing platform a VR headset. But it’s a VR headset, albeit with some of the best Augmented Reality features ever released, connecting the dots between the immersive metaverse of Mark Zuckerberg’s dreams and crypto comes Victoria VR.
The upcoming game promises stunning graphics and immersive gameplay, taking advantage of the many capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro alongside the power of Web3 technology.
The game is pitched as “the first Blockchain-based MMORPG in virtual reality with realistic graphics built on Unreal Engine and owned by its users.” And its developers want it to be more than a game, fully embracing the concept of an alternate reality.
And yes, there is already an eponymous utility token. And out of the gate, collectors seem to be bullish.
The game’s tokenomics revolve around the Victoria VR token, key to transactions, rewards, and user engagement within the platform. Its value has grown from a modest $0.006 in September 2023, vaulting over 106% between February 1 and 2, peaking at $0.046 before settling at $0.04 once the news about its upcoming app spread.
However, this surge pales in comparison to its zenith during its launch between December 2021 and January 2022, when it reached highs of $0.6.
In other words, OG Victoria VR token holders would need to see a 1,400% bull run in order to break even—and that scenario may go beyond the scope of mere bullish expectations all the way to pure faith.
Of course, Apple has had a fraught relationship with crypto and in-app economies, banning token-gated content in other apps to sustain its massive App Store revenue.
Phillip Shoemaker, who was instrumental in shaping the App Store’s guidelines with Steve Jobs, summed up Apple’s skepticism, telling Decrypt that “Apple had a problem with crypto from day one.” This sentiment is mirrored in Apple’s past actions, where it has shown a tendency to ban or impose restrictions on crypto apps.
Given this landscape, remains to be seen if Victoria VR will be able to launch as currently envisioned.
The Victoria VR model is outlined in a whitepaper that describes the game as being “designed from the ground up with citizens empowered to build and develop the future of the world themselves, with the world evolving and living without its original creators.”
Victoria VR designed its in-app economy to reward active participation and contribution to the metaverse, where half of the revenue generated from in-game asset sales is redistributed among stakers and active metaverse users. This approach incentivizes users to not only engage with the platform but also contribute to its growth and vibrancy.
By actively participating, users can earn tokens, pushing toward a self-sustaining economy where every action and interaction holds the potential for reward.
Victoria VR is a robust attempt to use Apple’s Vision Pro to merge Web3 and the metaverse together. Could it blaze a new pathway to viability and mass adoption of crypto? Or will it be relegated to the ranks of other crypto games that over promised and under delivered?
We’ll get a better sense of the answer when—or if—the game is launched this spring.
Edited by Ryan Ozawa.
