Social games and Blockchain: exploring the Metaverse of Decentraland

Abstract

Online Social Networks gained a crucial role in people's everyday life, acting as the medium through which people can interact with each other. The introduction of blockchain technology prompted a new generation of social media based on the concept of Non-Fungible Token (NFT) and other Web3 technologies, giving birth to the Metaverse. Decentraland is one such platform, where users can explore a 3D virtual world and communicate with each other. The main feature of Decentraland is that the virtual world is divided into parcels, implemented through NFTs, that can be traded among users and where owners can create buildings or mini-games for other users to play with. In this work, we explore the virtual world of Decentraland by presenting the main details of the virtual world and by focusing on the economic impact of NFT trading on the description of the parcels. In detail, the parcel's description can be used to advertise the proximity of the parcel to infrastructures or special projects to attract potential buyers. This paper's findings show the impact and the magnitude of this phenomenon, highlighting entire quarters that adopt this technique throughout the map by overriding the playful aspect of the platform.