In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, Dylan Grabowski talks with Sebastien Borget, co-founder and global ambassador of The Sandbox, the Web3 virtual world where players create, own, and monetize experiences.
Borget shares the Sandbox journey – from a 2D mobile title with 40 million downloads to a 3D blockchain world partnering with more than 400 global brands. He explains how early frustrations with compensating creators led to embracing NFTs, how CryptoKitties and Animoca Brands shaped his path, and what lessons he’s learned after building through multiple bull and bear markets.
The conversation also explores the launch of SANDchain, a ZK-powered L2 designed to help content creators across gaming, art, and social media earn and engage their audiences on-chain. Borget outlines why the future of the metaverse depends on ownership, resilience, and collaboration rather than hype.
What you’ll learn
- How The Sandbox evolved from a 2D mobile game to a leading decentralized virtual world
- Why creator monetization drove the adoption of NFTs and tokens
- How long-term builders endure hype cycles and maintain community trust
- What SANDchain is and why it focuses on creators, not just gamers
- Lessons on partnerships, brand collaborations, and sustainable Web3 ecosystems
- And more!
Sebastien Borget is the co-founder and global ambassador of The Sandbox, a decentralized virtual world empowering users to create, own, and monetize gaming experiences. With more than 15 years in mobile, cloud, and gaming startups, Borget has helped shape Web3’s creator-driven economy and remains one of the sector’s leading advocates.
About The Author: Arthur Bone
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