How The Sandbox’s Shocking 50% Layoff Signals a Bold Bet on Meme Coins That Could Rewrite the Future of the Metaverse
Remember when The Sandbox was the shining star of the metaverse, promising a digital utopia where folks could buy virtual land, craft epic worlds, and trade NFTs like there was no tomorrow? Well, hold onto your hats — that dream is taking a serious detour. In a move that has surprised many, The Sandbox is slashing over half its staff and pivoting away from its original metaverse vision to dive headfirst into the meme coin frenzy. Yes, you read that right. The company, under new leadership from Animoca Brands’ Robby Yung, is gearing up to launch a meme coin launchpad on Base, signaling a dramatic shift in strategy. It’s a bold gamble in a space where fortunes have flipped faster than you can say “blockchain.” So, what does this mean for The Sandbox and the broader crypto ecosystem? Let’s break it down. LEARN MORE.
Animoca Brands’ Robby Yung takes over as CEO of The Sandbox as the founders exit daily operations.
Key Takeaways
- The Sandbox is laying off over 50% of its workforce and moving away from metaverse projects.
- The company will soon unveil a meme coin launchpad on Base.
Share this article
The Sandbox, the high-profile metaverse and NFT platform backed by Animoca Brands, is undergoing a large-scale restructuring and executive transition, according to a new report from The Big Whale, a France-based media outlet covering the crypto and web3 ecosystem.
🔴 Exclusive @TheBigWhale_
The metaverse @TheSandboxGame is laying off more than 50% of its staff and the founders have been pushed aside
A memecoin launchpad on Base (modeled after @pumpdotfun) is expected to be announced soon pic.twitter.com/kE46tG2PCF
— Grégory Raymond 🐳 (@gregory_raymond) August 27, 2025
The company is reducing its global workforce by 50%. The layoffs impact teams in Argentina, Uruguay, South Korea, Thailand, and Turkey. The company also plans to close its Lyon office in France.
As reported, Arthur Madrid and Sébastien Borget, co-founders of The Sandbox, are stepping back from daily operations. Animoca Brands CEO Robby Yung has been appointed as the company’s new CEO.
The Sandbox is said to be pivoting from its metaverse ambitions toward web3 applications. The company plans to introduce a meme coin launchpad on Base.
Once positioned as a leading metaverse project where users could buy virtual land, build structures, host events, and trade NFTs, The Sandbox is reorienting amid fading engagement in metaverse platforms following the boom of 2021–2022.
SAND, the native token of The Sandbox, was changing hands at $0.28 at press time, down about 97% from its $8.4 peak in November 2021, CoinGecko data shows.
Share this article
Post Comment