SHARDBOUND

1. ABSTRACT

Shardbound represents a paradigm shift in massively multiplayer online role-playing games. By combining the nostalgic appeal of classic 2D pixel art MMORPGs with the revolutionary capabilities of Solana blockchain technology, we have created a gaming experience where players truly own their achievements.

In traditional MMORPGs, players invest thousands of hours building characters and acquiring items, only to have those assets locked within proprietary systems. Shardbound changes this dynamic by tokenizing in-game assets as NFTs, enabling true ownership, peer-to-peer trading, and a player-driven economy that rewards skill and dedication.

Our mission is simple: create the MMORPG we always wanted to play—free, fair, and truly owned by the community.

2. VISION & MISSION

Core Principles

• Free-to-Play, Not Pay-to-Win: Core gameplay is entirely free. Premium features are cosmetic only.
• True Ownership: Your items, your characters, your choice. Trade, sell, or keep forever.
• Browser-First: No downloads, no installations. Play instantly from any device.
• Community-Driven: Players vote on updates, events, and the future of the game.

3. ORIGIN STORY

Shardbound began in early 2023 as a passion project among a group of developers who grew up playing classic MMORPGs like Tibia, RuneScape, and Ragnarok Online. We spent countless hours in those worlds, formed lifelong friendships, and watched as the genre slowly shifted toward pay-to-win mechanics and corporate monetization.

The spark came during a late-night Discord conversation about Solana's capabilities. One of our founders asked a simple question: "What if we could build the MMORPG we always dreamed of, but with true ownership?" That question became our north star.

We spent six months prototyping, testing different blockchain solutions, and ultimately chose Solana for its speed, low fees, and growing gaming ecosystem. The name "Shardbound" emerged from our lore—a world fractured into shards, each containing unique biomes, dungeons, and mysteries waiting to be discovered.

By late 2023, we had a working prototype. By mid-2024, we had a community of thousands of alpha testers helping us shape the game. Now, we're ready to share Shardbound with the world.

4. GAMEPLAY OVERVIEW

Classes

Players choose from five distinct classes, each with unique abilities and playstyles:

World Structure

The world of Shardbound consists of interconnected "Shards"—floating landmasses that were once a unified continent. Each Shard contains unique biomes, monsters, resources, and dungeons:

• Verdant Shard: Lush forests, beginner zones, and the starting city of Eldergrove.
• Ashen Shard: Volcanic wastelands with fire elementals and rare ore deposits.
• Frost Shard: Frozen tundra housing ancient ice dungeons and legendary bosses.
• Void Shard: Endgame content with the most challenging raids and rarest loot.

Core Gameplay Loop

Players explore shards, complete quests, battle monsters, gather resources, and participate in player-vs-player combat zones. The game features both solo content and group activities including 5-player dungeons and 20-player raids. All progression is skill-based—time invested directly correlates to character power.

5. PLAYER-OWNED ECONOMY

Unlike traditional MMORPGs where the game company controls the economy, Shardbound features a truly player-driven marketplace built on Solana. Every item drop, crafted weapon, and rare cosmetic exists as an NFT that players can trade freely.

How It Works

• Rare item drops are minted as NFTs with provable scarcity.
• Players trade items peer-to-peer with instant settlement.
• The marketplace uses $SHARD as the primary currency.
• A 2% marketplace fee funds development and community rewards.

Item Rarity System

Legendary items are extremely rare, with some having only 10-50 copies in existence. This creates genuine scarcity and gives hardcore players valuable assets for their dedication.

6. WHY SOLANA?

We evaluated multiple blockchain solutions before committing to Solana. Our decision was driven by three critical factors:

7. TOKENOMICS

$SHARD is the native utility token of the Shardbound ecosystem. It serves as the primary currency for marketplace transactions, premium cosmetics, and governance voting.

Token Distribution

Utility

• Marketplace currency for all NFT transactions
• Purchase premium cosmetic items and battle passes
• Governance voting on game updates and features
• Staking rewards for long-term holders

8. ROADMAP

9. TEAM

Shardbound is built by a team of veteran game developers, blockchain engineers, and lifelong MMORPG enthusiasts. We're fully doxxed and committed to transparency.