The Sandbox
The Sandbox business and news from across the web.
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Inside The Sandbox Bridge Hack: Attacker Minted Exactly 100 SAND Short of the Vault
The Sandbox disclosed a bridge exploit that resulted in approximately $1.5 million in economic damage, with the attacker netting nearly $987,000. The attack exploited a token contract capability on Base and BNB Smart Chain, allowing the attacker to mint unbacked SAND tokens. The Sandbox plans to compensate affected holders with a 1:1 SAND replacement from its treasury.
The Sandbox bets on AI: Robby Yung on the studio tools reshaping its future
The Sandbox is preparing to launch Sandbox Studio, an AI-focused toolset designed for experienced game developers, with a tentative release window in October. CEO Robby Yung explained that the new tools aim to streamline production by automating repetitive tasks and will allow creators to export their games to platforms like Steam and mobile app stores, expanding beyond The Sandbox's own virtual world.
The Sandbox Sets October Studio Debut After Engine v14 Rollout
The Sandbox is targeting October for the public release of its Studio game creation toolkit, following the August 12 debut of Studio Beta and Engine v14. Engine v14 introduces a unified SceneNode system for organizing game elements and promotes prefabs to first-class building blocks. A Game Jam with a $7,500 prize pool, judged by Larry Hryb, is also underway with submissions due September 11.
The Sandbox gives Studio-built community games their own spotlight on sandbox.game
The Sandbox has launched a new featured section on its website to showcase games created by the community using its AI-native creation tool, The Sandbox Studio. The Studio, currently in beta with a public launch targeted for October, allows creators to build and distribute games directly through the browser. This initiative aims to highlight community talent and provide a platform for emerging titles ahead of the tool's full release.
The Sandbox Rebuilds Its Creator Stack: Engine 14 Lands in Studio Beta
The Sandbox has released Engine 14 as part of its Studio Beta update, introducing significant architectural changes to its development framework. This update replaces the legacy Actor/SceneComponent structure with a unified SceneNode format, improving asset placement and prefab handling. Engine 14 also enhances multiplayer replication and makes AI tools publicly available, aiming to position The Sandbox competitively against engines like Unity and Unreal.
The Sandbox Opens $7,500 “Overgrown” AI Creator Game Jam on August 12
The Sandbox is launching its "Overgrown" AI Creator Game Jam on August 12, 2026, utilizing its new AI-driven creation toolkit. The event offers a $7,500 prize pool, with Larry Hryb serving as lead judge, aiming to democratize game creation on the platform.
NEXUS Brings Its DMCC Gaming Partnership to gamescom Following ChinaJoy Debut
NEXUS is expanding its gaming partnership with Dubai's DMCC Gaming Centre and other global partners at gamescom, following a debut at ChinaJoy. The company will showcase its acceleration program for game studios, which includes Web3 onboarding and distribution via its ONE store platform, boasting 38 million users. NEXUS also plans to demonstrate its AI agent economy on ONEchain and highlight titles like the agent battle royale ClawRoyale.
The Sandbox to Broaden LAND Utility Ahead of Q4 2026 Studio Rollout
The Sandbox is enhancing its LAND utility features, with significant upgrades planned for Q4 2026 coinciding with the public rollout of The Sandbox Studio. These changes aim to increase the visibility and monetization options for games published on LAND, allowing creators to earn a larger share of revenue. LAND owners will also gain the ability to host and curate games developed by others, effectively acting as digital publishers.
Sébastien Borget Launches Creative Minds Jam #1 in Hong Kong with The Sandbox and Animoca’s Minds
The Sandbox co-founder Sébastien Borget has launched Creative Minds Jam #1 in Hong Kong, a hackathon organized in partnership with The Sandbox and Animoca Brands' Minds platform. Borget will serve as a judge for the event, which aims to bring together creators, builders, students, and innovators to explore new ideas. This initiative aims to broaden the presence of both The Sandbox and Minds within the Hong Kong creative community.
The Sandbox invites LAND holders to Discord talks ahead of Studio’s public debut
The Sandbox co-founder Sebastien Borget is engaging LAND and SAND holders on Discord for feedback on the upcoming public release of The Sandbox Studio. This AI-native game engine, which converts text prompts into playable games, has attracted over 12,000 applications since its alpha launch, with a public debut planned for October. The company is seeking input from its community to refine the toolset before its wider availability.
The Sandbox Studio Draws More Than 12,000 Applicants to Its AI Alpha
The Sandbox Studio's AI-powered game development environment has received over 12,000 applications for its alpha program, with only 30 creators selected so far. The company is prioritizing rapid feedback and iterative development by keeping the initial group small. Weekly admissions will continue, alongside a closed alpha Game Jam to test the production workflow.
The Sandbox Announces Alpha Creators Game Jam with $5,000 Reward
The Sandbox has launched its first Game Jam for alpha creators, running from July 2 to July 31, 2023, with a $5,000 prize pool for the top five submissions. This event coincides with the introduction of The Sandbox Studio, an AI-enhanced game engine designed to streamline development. The platform emphasizes user-generated content and has seen continued creator engagement despite industry challenges.
Web3 Games Continue to Close as Funding Dries Up
The Web3 gaming sector is experiencing widespread closures and a significant funding drought, with nine games halting operations in 2025 alone. Venture capital and crypto-specific funding have declined sharply since late 2023, impacting studio sustainability despite an increase in token launches. While many projects fail within four months due to an overemphasis on tokenomics and underdeveloped gameplay, a few like Alien Worlds and Splinterlands demonstrate potential through community engagement and robust economic practices.
SANDchain Successfully Completes Phase 1 of Testnet Development
SANDchain has successfully completed Phase 1 of its testnet development, achieving 6.9 million transactions and creating over 310,000 new accounts organically. The project will now move into Phase 2, focusing on integrating AI enhancements from Animoca Minds to boost creator engagement and system operations. The company also highlighted significant community growth across platforms and the formation of 35 strategic partnerships, including with The Sandbox and Animoca Brands.
Steve Aoki’s Arcade Park returns in The Sandbox Season 7 with parkour paths and a pool club.
Steve Aoki's Arcade Park has returned to The Sandbox for Season 7, featuring a new dual-path parkour challenge with easier and more difficult routes leading to a pool club. This season emphasizes community-created content, with over half of the experiences developed by independent creators. Players can compete for a prize pool exceeding 650,000 SAND, with some experiences now accessible directly through web browsers.
The Sandbox NEW Playtest Is Live
The Sandbox has launched a playtest for its new mobile battle royale game, The Sandbox NEXT, running from March 26 to April 5. Developed using Unreal Engine, the game allows integration of player-owned assets and features both solo and multiplayer modes. This move signifies The Sandbox's strategic shift towards enhanced mobile accessibility and broader market reach.
Next Mobile Battle Royale Playtest Starts March 26
The Sandbox has announced "Next," a new mobile battle royale game developed with Unreal Engine, featuring two distinct maps for solo and multiplayer modes. A playtest for "Next" will run from March 26th to April 5th, with registration closing on March 25th. The game integrates with The Sandbox platform, allowing for seamless transfer of identities and assets, and offers NFT rewards for daily quests.
