Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox — Interview Series

The Sandbox, a prominent decentralized gaming platform, has recently announced its intention to collaborate with ITV Studios to bring the ever-popular Love Island and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! to its world. To learn a bit more about what the future holds for The Sandbox and its fledgling LAND owners, we decided to reach out to COO and co-founder, Sebastien Borget.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us about the recent developments in The Sandbox. Before we slip into the metaverse, please could you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you, and what brought you to this position in the gaming industry?

Sebastien: I am Sebastien Borget, the COO and co-founder of The Sandbox. Together with Arthur Madrid, I’ve co-founded 3 companies (2 of them have been acquired). I have over five years of experience in blockchain and 13 years of experience in mobile gaming. Our mission is to democratize access to creativity by allowing anyone to make the games and experiences of their dream, without a single line of code. The fusion of these two industries is what brought us to the idea of turning The Sandbox from a hit mobile game into a decentralized virtual world where players could truly own their creations, monetize them as they wish, and use them with our Game Maker or off-platform.

I also became the President of the Blockchain Game Alliance in 2020, a non-profit organization of 600 key members in the blockchain industry.

So, tell us a bit more about The Sandbox. What is it, and what can potential users expect to gain from it?

Sebastien: The Sandbox is a unique virtual world where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences using NFTs & SAND (the main utility token of the platform). There is a little something for everyone in The Sandbox – we have partnered with over 400 brands and IPs from all around the world across TV, entertainment, film, comic books, fashion, music, DJs, celebrities, and gaming industries to bring tailored neighborhoods onto The Sandbox virtual lands map.

We foster a supportive community where our creators can connect with like-minded individuals, share ideas, and collaborate on experiences and ideas. This sense of community support and recognition incentivizes builders, gamers, and creators to join our ecosystem. The play to earn aspect of The Sandbox also incentives our users and provides them both virtual and IRL benefits and perks.

And then there’s the collaboration with ITV Studios, too. Could you tell us about the latest zone, ShowCity — specifically, the Love Island and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! experiences?

Sebastien: Yes, we are very excited about our most recent partnership with ITV Studios to create ShowCity. This neighborhood is for fans, dream chasers, and entertainment lovers and offers valuable proximity to some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. The introduction of Love Island and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! came out of the successful previous partnership we had with ITV Studios where we worked with The Voice and Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen.

DID YOU KNOW – becoming a Premium LAND Owner gets you an exclusive asset pack inspired by ShowCity partners!

Seize the moment and step onto center stage to become the STAR you always knew you could be! 👩‍🎤🕺 Grab your LAND in #ShowCity!https://t.co/sZeBaUHR4j pic.twitter.com/lJSqmT3zvk

— The Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) July 25, 2024

Could you tell us about some of the physical and digital rewards that LAND owners will be able to acquire from ShowCity?

Sebastien: All LAND owners will receive a first-edition physical ShowCity hat, while Premium LAND owners will also receive a matching bomber jacket. Additionally, Premium LAND owners will earn a limited-edition virtual reality TV asset pack featuring iconic items from the shows such as a Love Island water bottle, The Voice’s buzzer, and an I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! winner’s crown, among others.

We all love to watch and follow reality TV shows because they trigger strong emotions, feelings, and connections with the contestants. Traditional social media provides limited options for expressing our support towards a contestant and making us feel like we’re a part of the show. Viewers are sometimes invited to vote, like, or repost, but The Sandbox provides many more ways to extend fandoms outside of the show. Gamification and virtual worlds allow reality TV fans’ dreams to become reality, for example putting them in command as a coach on The Voice or being themselves as a candidate on a virtual Love Island.

Creators can use these assets to enhance gameplay and foster connections with their reality TV neighbors. Neighborhood members can also anticipate additional surprise rewards and perks that will be revealed upon ownership.

We’d love to hear some tips from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Do you have any advice for those who’ve yet to pursue a stake in The Sandbox?

Sebastien: Come be a neighbor! Anyone can start playing on The Sandbox and join active events that are currently happening. My recommendation for new LAND owners would be to keep an eye out for upcoming partnerships and new neighborhoods that have themes you’re passionate about. ShowCity has some great options for reality TV fans, but we have many more in the pipeline for all interests.

What’s next for The Sandbox? Do you have your sights set on any other potential expansions or collaborations? If so, please could you tell us a bit about it/them?

Sebastien: We recently announced another great partnership with the legendary manga series, Attack on Titan, as well as an Avatar Collection from the Korean comic book Solo Leveling. Manga and comic books have a strong presence on The Sandbox and allow fans to invent their own adventure. We also have a special event ongoing with The Little Prince where users can transform their Avatars into the character if they own a special NFT. This is a unique feature where players can take part in this enchanting adventure. They will also soon be incorporated into an upcoming LAND sale and joining a brand new location soon to be released on The Sandbox Map.

We are also announcing some partnerships in new industries such as sports – more on that front soon!

Is there a way for active users to stay up to date with The Sandbox? Are there any social channels, streams, or live events that we should be taking note of ahead of the fourth quarter?

Sebastien: Yes, players, creators, and builders can stay up to date on the latest news from The Sandbox by visiting www.sandbox.game and following us on Twitter, Medium, and Discord.

Amazing! Thanks for your time!

For more information on The Sandbox’s upcoming projects, be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. Alternatively, you can visit the website for additional updates here.