Baidu’s New Blockchain Game Wants You to Help Build a Universe

Chinese internet giant Baidu teased a new blockchain project earlier this week — one that invites users on an “interstellar journey”.

According to the newly-launched Du Yuzhou site from the company, players will be given access to “a magical world made up of all kinds of rare elements”. Everyone who signs up will receive 100 random elements each from which to craft their own unique planet. As users grow said planets, the gravity of the spheres will also increase, allowing them to attract new elements.

Not making too much sense so far? That’s cool — turns out the idea of the game is partly to educate people on blockchain and how it works. The “air-dropped elements” are meant to represent the rewards blockchain technology can offer, while it seems there will be certain lessons on blockchain’s usefulness and functionality embedded in the game.

The company announced the project by stating that, “Du Yuzhou is not to launch another cryptocurrency, but a digital society experiment.” Fortunately, they managed to refrain from unveiling this “society experiment” with a Chairman Mao lookalike.

“Chairman Mao” Blockchain Endorsement Causes Consternation

There’s not too much more detail at this point, but the home page for it all looks intriguing enough that we might well be tempted to join Baidu in playing blockchain god here. The universe-building game is set to launch properly next week.

Brush up on blockchain in China:

China Explained: Where Now For China’s Blockchain Market?

China’s Local Governments are Getting into Blockchain