Played in first person view, Dual Universe takes place in a vast realistic universe made of millions of planets, and focuses on emergent collective gameplay based around exploration, mining, crafting, trade, politics and warfare.

The concept of Dual Universe is described by Novaquark as a “Boundless MMO”: based on an innovative server technology called CSSC (Continuous Single-Shard Cluster), the game enables everybody to play in the same world, at the same time, without any slicing of the game universe into instances or zones. In addition, for the first time in a single-shard MMO, the world is entirely modifiable and an unlimited number of players will be free to build together, cooperate or compete. The focus has been made on giving the keys back to the MMORPG fans: using the building blocks provided by the game, the in-game community will make the choices and create the content they will play in.

Novaquark has acquired the talent of Hrafnkell Oskarsson, one of the original designers of EVE Online. Together, Novaquark and Oskarsson will be working on Dual Universe, the giant multi-planetary sandbox universe where potentially millions of people will be able to invent new stories for themselves, create new political systems, economies, cities, and empires.

EVE Online, the game that Oskarsson originally designed (together with Reynir Harðarson), is one of the most acclaimed online multiplayer virtual games, well known for its emergent gameplay and impressive large-scale player-driven stories. While very different from EVE Online, Dual Universe shares a cultural heritage with it, and the experience of Oskarsson will be invaluable to help build this next generation of a persistent emergent universe. Together they will allow users to leave their mark, make a difference, contribute content and have social interactions, all to bring a sense of meaning back to gaming.

“Competitors in the MMO genre tend to rely on simplified models to connect a few hundreds, sometimes a few thousands of players together in the same arena or instance, which are often not persistent and not interconnected,” says Founder and CEO Jean-Christophe Baillie. “The experienced content is made by the company, and the players “consume” it. We have a new proprietary technology to change that and let millions of people together inside the same persistent, never stopping, virtual universe, where they are free to modify the world and create their own stories as they see fit.”

Traditional approaches in gaming and entertainment are based around companies spending substantial amounts of money to create content, and sell it. Most of the time, players have little influence on the value of the platform, as they passively consume the content, and then move on to another game. Novaquark aims to reverse this logic with its one-of-a-kind technology providing users with a stage to collectively create the content and share it together, at an unprecedented scale. The value of Novaquark comes entirely from its users and the material they generate, giving the power back to them instead of a centralized system.

Beyond its initial release, Dual Universe is set to be a long term continuous development project and will grow with regular updates.

At the heart of Dual Universe is a truly innovative proprietary technology, that was developed to lay the foundations of the game: the CSSC (continuous single-shard cluster) manages one single universe with potentially millions of people interacting in it at the same time, with no loading screen. Coupled with this is an innovative voxel engine enabling players to physically modify the world and foster a persistent, continuous form of reality where meaningful contributions can accumulate.

Dual Universe Gameplay Features

• Seamless co-existence: Millions of people exist together at the same time within a continuous “no-loading screen” virtual space, with the actions of one affecting the rest. Empires will form and die, and alliances and betrayals will shape the destiny of the world.
• Modifiable and evolving environment: Rather than a world that is static and scripted, Novaquark provides one that is constantly changing and progressing based on actions taken by users.
• Giant player-made ships and constructions can be inhabited and host large crews.
• Immersive first person view in a futuristic sci-fi universe.
• Space to enact a common inner desire for new beginnings: Dual Universe works around the old dream of humanity for people to have a second chance at creating a new life for themselves, in a way even bigger than life itself.
• Realistic in-game economy (based on market orders and financial tools).
• Platform for content creation: Players can use harvested materials to build anything from spaceships to cities to political and territorial systems, at any scale they want. There can be war, drama, action, conflict, all put into one giant universe for people to take control of, and that never stops.

Technological Features

• Continuous Single-Shard Cluster: the technology behind the “Boundless” MMO approach.
• Procedurally generated planets, revealed as players explore further and further.
• 25cm precision voxel technology to modify the environment or construct buildings/ships
• Unlimited LOD (Level of Detail) technology allows planet-sized construction to be built
• 64bit Planetary Engine: Smooth transitions from planet surfaces, through atmosphere and into space with no limits to how far the player can travel or see.