Several players have hidden Bitcoin within the No Man’s Sky video game for other players to find and claim.
There quite a few ways for cryptocurrency to find mainstream acceptance. Bitcoin and other virtual currencies could be adopted as a payment option by regular businesses, and a growing number of artists are tagging their art with their wallet addresses for donations. One area of society that cryptocurrency could easily fit in is video games. Two brothers have taken it upon themselves to have a bit of fun by hiding an amount of Bitcoin within No Man’s Sky.
Cryptocurrency Treasure Hunt in No Man’s Sky
For those who don’t know, No Man’s Sky is an open-world, sci-fi game that launched with a tremendous amount of hype. However, the post-launch reaction was negative as players found themselves with little to do in the game. Later patches have added some necessary features to make the game enjoyable, such as adding multiplayer.
One of the features of the game is perfect for a cryptocurrency scavenger hunt. The game contains a universe of 18 quintillion planets, and two brothers have hidden a small amount of Bitcoin on two planets in the Endanko System.
Players can claim the bitcoin by finding the specific Communication Stations located on the two planets (each planet has one). Each station has a portion of the seed. The gamer who finds both can claim the cryptocurrency. Interested players can see if the prize has been claimed by checking the wallet.
The amount of Bitcoin hidden in No Man’s Sky is small (.004 in total, or about $26). A company, SpacePirate Games, has reportedly upped the ante to around $200.
Cryptocurrency in Video Games
While the prize won’t allow the winner to buy a Lambo, it is a fun contest. Video games and Bitcoin are a great match in several ways. First, the borderless system of payment dovetails nicely with the global nature of online gaming. An example would be a person (or group) holding a contest (costume, racing, etc.) in a game like World of Warcraft and offering to pay Bitcoin to the winner. No muss, no fuss. There are plenty of ways for gamers themselves, not to mention the game’s developers, to offer Bitcoin prizes for various competitions.
Second, online gamers are used to using digital forms of currency. Most games feature items that are bought with digital currency that players buy with fiat. Want to get that shiny new skin for your character? Then you’ll need to shell out some bucks to convert to that game’s digital in-game currency to buy it. Developers can cut to the chase by allowing players to just use cryptocurrency.
However, there is a snag in cryptocurrency really becoming an integral part of gaming: the volatility. Substantial price swings are enough to give game companies fits. A decent profit could become an actual loss if the price of Bitcoin (or whatever cryptocurrency the game accepts) drops dramatically.
Companies do prefer a reliable source of revenue, which is why subscription models are still in place for a number of games. Not to mention the retail price of games like Overwatch. If cryptocurrency can become more stable. price-wise, then its adoption by gaming could happen all the quicker.
Do you play No Man’s Sky? Will you be searching for the hidden Bitcoin? Let us know in the comments below.
Images courtesy of No Man’s Sky and YouTube/@HelloGames Tube.