cryptopolitan.com
Sandbox is the worst-performing of all Metaverse projects to date according to a recent report. Sandbox’s average floor price had fallen from a high of 2.86 ETH in 2021 to a low of 0.13 ETH in 2024. That’s a whopping 95% drop in the measure.
The report further linked that decline in Sandbox‘s prices to the general trend within the Metaverse space. It revealed that mean floor prices here have fallen by 72% From their 2021 peak prices. These figures have opened debate on what could have happened to a sector that seemed very promising a few years ago.
Waning interest behind Sandbox
Industry players have weighed in on what they feel ails the sector. The general consensus is that the main culprit is waning interest in technology. That could be due to the technology’s prohibitive costs. Besides high bandwidth, users need high-spec computers and AR and VR gadgets that are beyond the reach of many. For instance, one of Apple’s top-tier Vision Pro headsets retails for $3,499, while one of Meta’s newest Meta Quest Pro headsets goes for $1,000.
The decline in Metaverse values could also be linked to the downturn in the market during late 2021 and early 2022. According to data from Google Trends interest in the Metaverse peaked above 100 during the crypto economy tear in 2021. However this trend shifted when a bearish crypto market emerged later in 2021 leading to a drop in search volume dropping to around 5, by August 2024.
Metaverse projects change tact to stay up
Following these losses, several projects have had to change tactics to stay afloat. One of them is Tokens.com, whose virtual real estate portfolio lost 80% of its value. That prompted the firm to rethink its strategy, choosing to rebrand as Realbotix and pivoting to the development of humanoid robots instead.
Likewise, NFT Worlds relaunched TOPIA Worlds in 2023. That rebranding, building on its community support and TOPIA-yielding staking mechanism helped it navigate the downturn better than its peers. Despite registering a 65% decline in its floor prices, TOPIA Worlds fared better than its peers, who, as the report shows, reported losses upwards of 72%.
Despite a decline, in consumer enthusiasm and decreasing floor prices the tech industry still finds the Metaverse appealing. Meta, previously known as Facebook is one of the pioneers in embracing this technology.
Other major players such as Microsoft, Nvidia and Alphabet are also investing heavily in developing their versions of the Metaverse. These initiatives serve as an indication that the Metaverse may be down but definitely not out.