Otherside is a metaverse project launched by Yuga Labs, the creators of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). It is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) that allows players to interact and communicate with each other in real-time. Otherside integrates NFTs into the metaverse, by giving the Non-Fungible Tokens a variety of use cases in the virtual world, expanding the utility of BAYC NFTs and allowing players to bring in third-party NFTs. In this virtual world, players can explore an open world, go on quests, own land, and harvest resources.^[1][2]

Overview

The Otherside is a virtual world in which players can collect, extract, and use four types of resources: Anima, Ore, Shard, and Root. Artifacts are rare, collectible in-game assets that are also an important part of the gameplay experience. ^[9][10][12]

In addition to the core gameplay features, The Otherside also offers a marketplace called the Agora, where players can buy raw materials, an arcade machine, and The Codex, a document that provides information about the metaverse and is continually updated by players as they progress through the game. ^[9][10][12]

The land in the Otherside metaverse is separated into 5 sectors: Biogenic Swamp, Chemical Goo, Rainbow Atmos, Cosmic Drea, and Infinite Expanse. These 5 areas of land are broken down to 200,000 plots of land called “Otherdeeds” that can be purchased or minted by users.^[9][10][12]

The Otherside metaverse also includes an immersive, interactive storyline that centers around Kodas, mysterious celestial beings who serve as guides to the Otherside. The developers have intentionally kept the nature and capabilities of Kodas vague, adding an element of mystery and surprise to the game. All users, addressed as “Voyagers”, are invited to participate in the Voyager's Journey, an 11-part storyline. Voyagers have the opportunity to explore, shape, and interact with their own slice of the Otherside, including the ability to harvest, craft, trade, and sell items. They also play a significant role in shaping the platform through exclusive events, playtesting, and co-development of the Otherside Development Kits (ODKs). ^[2][13][14]

Otherdeeds

Otherdeeds are NFTs that represent virtual land parcels within the Otherside metaverse. Each land parcel has one or more of the four resource types and is built on one of five sediment tiers. Otherdeeds may also contain artifacts and rare Koda creatures that occupy 10% of plots, which determine the rarity and value of the NFT.^{[1][2][9][12]}

The total number of Otherdeeds is 200,000, with 100,000 currently in circulation. Out of the remaining Otherdeeds, 10,000 were reserved for BAYC holders, 20,000 were reserved for Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) holders, and 15,000 were reserved for the developers working on Cosmic Dream, Infinite Expanse, and Rainbow atoms.^{[1][2][9][12]}

Otherdeed holders, or users, have full ownership and control over their plots in the Metaverse. Each Otherdeed provides its own artifacts and facilities, as well as the ability for users to incorporate their external NFT collections into the virtual world as playable characters. It is important to note that the concept is still under development and there are many more exciting features to come for Otherdeed holders. According to the Otherside NFT Purchase Agreement, collectors who purchase an Otherdeed NFT own the personal property rights to that Otherdeed and have the right to sell, transfer, or dispose of the NFT as they see fit. However, they do not have any rights to the image or intellectual property associated with the Otherdeed.^[11][13][15]

Starting from the beginning of 2023, Voyagers will be able to customize the story behind their Otherdeed and see the changes reflected on the Otherside atlas. This will allow users to personalize their experience by giving their Otherdeed a unique name and shaping the story associated with it.^[17]

Otherside Development Kit (ODK)

The Otherside Development Kit (ODK) is a set of tools that allow users to create and trade content for the Otherside metaverse. This content includes objects, avatars, and wearable items that can be used within the Otherside and other metaverses that follow the Open Object Standards. These standards include a metadata ontology for common gameplay behavior, support for 2D and 3D images and models, and a universal scripting system. To create objects in the Otherside, users can author templates and then manufacture the objects using resources. The ODK also includes moderation tools to ensure that all objects meet the Open Object Standards and do not violate any rules. Otherside is built by developers and users working together, and the ODK is designed to facilitate this collaboration and ensure that all content is interoperable within the metaverse.^[13][16]

• Manufacturing tools: Otherdeed holders, or Voyagers, can collect resources within the Metaverse to manufacture objects. The specific resource requirements for each object type must be met in order to complete the manufacturing process. Once finished, the objects can be used within the game.
• Authoring tools: Voyagers can use authoring tools to create and exchange templates for objects in the Otherside Metaverse. These tools allow for the creation of 3D objects with the option to add animations and audio for user interaction. They also enable Voyagers to design and build structures within the Metaverse.
• Automated detailing: The manufacturing process for objects in the Metaverse includes several steps to ensure that the standards are met. These include automated optimizations to add details to materials, such as shades and colors, and testing scripts for compatibility.
• Moderation checks: To ensure that objects in the Metaverse meet community guidelines, the manufacturing process includes a moderation check. Users must apply tags to restrict certain types of content, from specific groups. Each user has the ability to control the content displayed within their world.
• Resource trading: Resources in the game can be traded or earned. While there are not many details available on how resources can be earned through gameplay, it is likely that more resources will be required to build larger objects. Some objects may also receive special properties during the final manufacturing process.

History

The Otherside metaverse was launched on April 30th 2022 by Yuga Labs.^[3]

On March 19th 2022 Yuga Labs made an announcement of the development of Otherside along with a official trailer to the metaverse, peaking the interest of many in the crypto space.^[4][5]

On March 22nd 2022, an announcement was released stating that Yuga Labs has raised $450 million for the development of Otherside in their seed funding round bringing the company at a valuation of $4 billion. The main investors included Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z in the NFT space), Animoca Brands, The Sandbox and FTX. ^[6][7][8]

The initial release of NFTs for the Otherside metaverse was met with some challenges. Prior to the release, a portion of the 200,000 plots of virtual land, called Otherdeeds, were reserved for members of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) community.^[9][10][11]

On April 30, 2022, 55,000 plots were released for sale and sold for a total value of over $300 million, making it more successful than other popular metaverse platforms Decentraland and The Sandbox at launch. Initially, Yuga Labs, the creators of Otherside, planned to release the NFTs through a Dutch auction to avoid high transaction fees caused by network congestion. However, this method has been criticized by the NFT community and Yuga Labs decided to release the NFTs in limited waves instead. Despite this change, the network was still overwhelmed, resulting in high transaction fees that caused some purchases to fail and left only those with large amounts of capital able to participate. Yuga Labs apologized for the incident and announced plans to move the ecosystem to a new blockchain network in the future to prevent similar issues. ^[9][10]

On July 16, 2021, over 4500 players participated in the Otherside's beta test also known as The First Trip demo, which featured a tour of the virtual world and a boss fight. The demo took place on a series of floating islands with small settlements and wooden buildings, and was guided by a large Bored Ape and a Koda creature. The tour visited key areas including The Swamp, The Sphere, and The Obelisk, where the boss fight took place. The demo was developed by Improbable.io using their unique Morpheus technology, and was widely praised for its seamless and lag-free performance. This has generated excitement for the full release of Otherside. ^[9][10]

On December 19th, Yuga Labs announced the appointment of Daniel Alegre, formerly the President and Chief Operating Officer of Activision Blizzard, as its new CEO. With his background in the gaming industry, Alegre will lead the company in building an immersive metaverse and uniting its diverse communities. Yuga Labs believe that his expertise will be instrumental in helping Yuga Labs shift its focus towards this goal as shown in their Yuga Labs News page:^[17][18][19]

"We’re excited to bring Daniel’s experience and expertise to help stretch the boundaries for what is possible for Otherside and offer new ways for Voyagers to deepen their participation in the development of Otherside."

On December 23rd 2022, Yuga Labs announced that Otherside's Second Trip is set to launch in late March 2023 and will feature new environments, mechanics, and the ability to accommodate more users than the previous First Trip. The Second Trip is said to be more gamified and energetic, and the introduction of these new elements will enhance the user experience and allow the space to be open more frequently.

On a Saturday in 2023, Yuga Labs hosted its Second Trip, giving approximately 7,200 players a 90-minute preview of its Otherside metaverse, which is set to officially launch later in the year. The event was primarily for holders of Otherdeed non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and their guests. During the Second Trip, players were transported into a sci-fi fantasy world that combined elements of MMORPG and NFT culture. Participants were divided into four teams led by various personalities and competed in a game involving tasks and exploration. ^[20]

Yuga Labs' Second Trip followed the First Trip held in July 2022, which had 4,600 players participating. Players who attended both trips are eligible to claim an Obelisk, a digital collectible commemorating their experiences. Yuga Labs plans to host more Trips before the official launch of Otherside, using each event to gather feedback and refine the platform. ^[20]