To learn more about this project, check out our deep dive of [Star Atlas: The Next Generation of Blockchain Gaming](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/what-is-star-atlas-atlas-polis-the-next-generation-of-blockchain-gaming).

Watch the new [Star Atlas Trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFSSd39pAY).

## What Is Star Atlas (ATLAS)?

Star Atlas is a massive multiplayer online game that takes place in a virtual gaming metaverse. It is being built on Unreal Engine 5, allowing the game to feature cinema-quality, real-time environments. Star Atlas takes place in a futuristic science fiction setting in 2620, where three major factions have emerged and are competing for resources and control: humankind, a consortium of alien races and sentient androids.

The game combines different genres. It is part strategy in that you have to develop tactical plans of action on how to interact with other players and factions. Part of it is exploration, as the game features an abundance of stars for exploration and exploitation. Since players can travel to and explore these stars independently through first-person flight, it is in part a flight simulation. Lastly, players can mine resources and derive revenue streams from doing so, making it also a role-playing game.

After choosing a faction, players initially start in faction security zones without combat to explore basic gameplay. Later, they can venture out to medium-tier security and open gameplay where combat is possible.

Fundamental gameplay pillars are:
* Deep space exploration;
* Combat;
* Building space stations and ships;
* Choosing in-game professions to mine resources;
* Forging alliances to scale control of resources.

Assets acquired in the game can later be exchanged for real-world currency.

Star Atlas was announced in January 2021 and is being built on the [Solana](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/solana) blockchain. It is backed by several Solana-based projects, such as [Serum](https://coinmarketcap.com/de/currencies/serum/), a decentralized exchange, and [FTX](https://coinmarketcap.com/de/currencies/ftx-token/), a centralized exchange. Although Star Atlas doesn’t have a detailed release schedule, its metaverse tokens are scheduled to begin trading in August 2021.

## Who Are the Founders of Star Atlas?

Star Atlas was founded by CEO Michael Wagner, COO Pablo Quiroga, and head of operations Deb Lucas. Prior to founding Star Atlas, Michael Wagner worked at a VC fund and at Multichain Ventures, a company focused on producing blockchain-focused products. Pablo Quiroga is the founder of a supplement startup and worked in biotechnology before co-founding Star Atlas. Deb Lucas has a finance-based background with posts at Charles Schwab and Barclays.

## What Makes Star Atlas Unique?

Star Atlas aims to deliver an immersive metaverse gaming experience that encompasses several genres and combines a cinema-quality gaming experience with an ability to earn virtual assets that can be exchanged for real-life currency. It plans to supersede its competitors by outperforming them in several areas. So far, no blockchain game combines as many different gameplay possibilities as Star Atlas. While some games offer the option to earn via staking, or battle other players for virtual assets, or explore its virtual world and form alliances, no game does all of the above simultaneously.

Players can use the ATLAS token as in-game currency to purchase assets, but they will also be able to buy [NFTs](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/non-fungible-token) on the NFT marketplace that will function as ships and other in-game equipment. At the same time, players will be able to choose a profession, such as CEO, broker, bounty hunter, pirate and a large number of others to fulfill roles on spaceships. Spaceships will also have the option to combine resources and compete not only individually, but also collectively. These so-called decentralized autonomous corporations will be able to construct entire space cities with accompanying micro-economies. The POLIS token, the second token of the Star Atlas universe, will serve as a governance token in these space cities, as well as for governance decisions regarding the game.

Star Atlas also plans to offer an NFT marketplace and an NFT release schedule to distribute and trade in-game assets. Moreover, by being integrated with the Serum DEX, ATLAS token holders will have the option to provide liquidity, or sell and buy their token holdings.

#### Related Pages:

Check out [Axie Infinity (AXS)](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/axie-infinity/) — a pet-oriented trading game incorporating NFTs.

Check out [AnRKey X (ANRX)](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/anrkey-x/) — another highly popular NFT game.

Learn how NFTs work in our [guide to non-fungible tokens](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/what-is-a-non-fungible-token-nft).

Get the latest crypto news and latest trading insights with the [CoinMarketCap blog](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/categories/blog).

## How Is the Star Atlas Network Secured?

Star Atlas will be set up on the [Solana](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/solana) blockchain. The team selected Solana for its fast transaction times and minuscule transaction fees, making it, as of today, the only blockchain capable of hosting such an ambitious game.

Solana is a layer one blockchain with a [proof-of-stake](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/proof-of-stake-pos) [consensus mechanism](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/consensus-mechanism) with partial Byzantine Fault Tolerance. It has 200 nodes operating worldwide that can, at their peak, process up to 50,000 transactions per second. Solana performs a set of coordinated optimizations to achieve such impressive performance and processes transactions in a multi-threaded way, which sets it apart from slower blockchains.

## When Will Star Atlas (ATLAS) Trading Begin?

Star Atlas announced to allocate an amount equal to $1 million through an initial exchange offering on FTX in August. An additional $500,000 is to be distributed on an initial decentralized exchange offering on Raydium.

## Can Star Atlas Hit $1?

Since the team has not announced a total token supply, it is hard to assess whether Star Atlas will be able to hit this price target. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most ambitious blockchain games to date and enjoys the backing of some very heavy hitters in the crypto space. It is to be expected that its tokens will strongly appreciate from their initial price if Star Atlas can deliver even parts of its highly ambitious whitepaper.

## Where Can You Buy Star Atlas (ATLAS)?

ATLAS will be traded on [FTX](https://coinmarketcap.com/de/exchanges/ftx/) and [Raydium](https://coinmarketcap.com/de/exchanges/raydium/).

If you want to learn more about how you can start buying cryptocurrencies, you can read more in our guide [here](https://coinmarketcap.com/how-to-buy-bitcoin/).