Splinterlands recently started rewarding Soulbound NFTs to the players. In this post I will be covering what exactly is a Soulbound NFT and how is it different from a standard NFT.
I will also share my thoughts on why I feel Soulbound tokens are going to completely revolutionise the gameplay of Splinterlands and why other games may also move this way.
What Exactly is a Soulbound NFT?
Soulbound NFT is basically exactly what it sounds like. It is a NFT which is bound to the soul of the original owner or recipient. So this NFT can never be sold or transferred. Yes, this is a nightmare for NFT flippers but at the moment very few use cases are in practice of Soulbound NFTs.
The first time I heard about the concept even I was quite skeptical and did not expect it to be of much practical use. It made sense only for personal ID linked NFT which made sense to be restricted to the original owner but I did not expect this concept to hit mainstream any time soon.
This is the reason why I was surprised when I started receiving Soulbound NFTs while playing Splinterlands.
What are Splinterlands Soulbound NFTs?
If you have been involved in NFT gaming space then I am sure you are already familiar with Splinterlands. If not please refer this previous article I wrote on the gameplay - https://www.publish0x.com/crypto-projects-sams-reviews/splinterlands-beginners-guide-to-gameplay-xpzpvvm
Splinterlands in a nutshell is a NFT based strategy game where you need to create a deck of cards to match against a randomly selected opponent. When you win you get a variety of rewards including native tokens and reward chests which may contain NFTs of varying rarities.
Every player has his own strategy with some preferring to slog out at gameplay everyday to maximise their returns while others prefer to go the pay to play route and take shortcuts buy buying strong cards directly from the marketplace and there are also players who combine these 2 strategies. There are many speculators also involved who are stocking up on the cards expecting them to appreciate in value in the near future.
Splinterlands card trading marketplace is one of the biggest in the ecosystem and daily trade volumes are pretty high.
This was the reason my first reaction was of of shock when I was rewarded my first Soulbound NFT while playing Splinterlands and noticed that it could not be sold or transferred and unlike other NFTs I could not see what was the current $ value of the card as per market demand.
Why Soulbound NFTs are going to Transform Splinterlands?
At the first glance Soulbound NFTs might seem odd as Splinterlands active marketplace is a key component of the whole platform. Having NFTs that can’t be traded might seem counter-productive and makes one wonder why would the team launch something that will not generate any revenue or fees for them.
After pondering over it for a while I realised this was a masterstroke by the team. The Soulbound tokens in principle have to be earned, they can’t be bought. When you see a high number of regular NFTs in a players account you wonder whether he plays a lot or has spent a lot of money. With Soulbound NFTs there is no doubt. A player with many high level Soulbound NFTs has regularly been slogging at it in the game.
Soulbound NFTs like others can be levelled up by combining the same cards together. To achieve high levels like 8 to 10 will require 100s of same NFT type. This would require a lot of playing.
A person having a level 8 Soulbound NFT is a clear indicator of a hardcore Splinterlands lover.
This badge can not be paid for it can only be inherited through blood (virtual) and sweat.
I have a strong feeling that in future Splinterlands will give extra benefits to elite Soulbound NFT holders.
This in the future might create another kind of unexpected market for Soulbound NFTs. A player can sell his whole account for a price and the Soulbound NFTs will also be transferred with the handover of the account. It would technically be selling your soul on the blockchain. Maybe I meant a bit overboard on the last line there but. I am sure you understand what I meant.
I am really excited for the future of Soulbund NFTs, let me know what you think about them.
Cheers,
SamBTC