New Studio Core Loop Raises $12 Million To Build Blockchain Sandbox MMO

It's a new week, so that must mean that another blockchain MMO is in the works. This one comes from new game studio Core Loop, which has raised $12 million to develop "a sandbox massively multiplayer online game using blockchain technology," as reported by VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi.

Created by a pair of mobile-game veterans, Core Loop's game didn't originally have blockchain as part of its concept, but its addition was cited as a reason why the latest round of funding came through. "We think it can work and it does feel like adds a lot to the game. It doesn’t take away from the game," said co-founder Dan Chao, ostensibly with a straight face.

As with many startups looking to draw people away from more established titles from bigger studios, Core Loop promises a focus on community for its game, letting players take the place of AI merchants and also allowing them the opportunity to choose not only their class but their role in the world, with the listed possibilities including story writers, warriors, merchants, and leaders.

The game will be free-to-play, and "players will be able to go on adventures and kill monsters without ever experiencing any blockchain." Obviously, if you really want to build your wealth, you'll need to interact with those aspects, which doesn't sound that far off from what games like Entropia Universe and Second Life have been doing for over a decade. Venture capitalists never got so excited about those games, however.

You can learn more about Core Loop and its MMO ventures on the company's website.