tl;dr – Shroud of the Avatar is a PC based MMO by Richard Garriott and his team at Portalarium. They have just agreed to work with Neverdie and to use his token in their project. Details have not been confirmed.
Shroud of the Avatar is the first game outside the Neverdie product lineup exploring how to utilize Neverdie Coins (NDC). The two companies also announced today that Garriott would become an advisor to Neverdie Studios.
Source: Partnership with Neverdie Studios – Initial Coin Offering (ICO)
More details about the token on the ICO page. This is an endorsement to buy.
What is Shroud of the Avatar?
This is the latest MMO from Richard Garriott and team. Folks who play MMOs will know of his fame and the Ultima series of games. In 1997 he and his then team launched one of the first MMOs, Ultima Online (UO), and is credited with brining the word "Avatar" in common use in the modern world. During Ultima Online some players fairly sizeable real fortunes in the thousands of dollars.
This new game has a similar fantasy-esque setting and is in many ways a spiritual successor to UO. Many of the game features and mechanics will be familiar to anyone who has played any MMO.
The game has not published by one of the big companies but rather the developers went the indy route. They kickstarted back in early 2013 and are aiming to launch this year. The higher pledge levels included the right to place a house and lot. The incentive was not just a house and lot, but that lots have a finite supply. Moreover, Richard Garriott is actively supporting a player market that sells in-game items for real money. This means that lots will have real value.
For those with bigger budgets they can essentially buy a town and become a governor. The potential for a free market is a real appeal for many MMO player entrepreneurs such as Neverdie.
Disclaimer: I am a backer of this game, but have not purchased this token. FYI, I backed the project during the kickstarter in 2013.
Who is Neverdie?
Neverdie Jon Jacobs earned fame by making a lot of money in the MMO Entropia Universe. He owned a nightclub and eventually sold it.
From Wikipedia:
In 2005, Jacobs mortgaged his home to buy a virtual asteroid for US$100,000, being the most valuable virtual item ever sold at that time. The next day, he got an offer to sell the asteroid for US$200,000, but he refused. The asteroid space resort was named Club Neverdie after its owner's avatar name. In 2010 Jon Jacobs sold the Asteroid Space Resort to various other Entropia Universe participants for a total of US$635,000
Why did he choose SotA as a participating game for his coin?
Neverdie is a backer of Shroud of the Avatar and owns the one of the largest house lots in the game: a castle lot which is only available to people who backed at the Lord of the Manor level ($10,000+). This suggests that he has faith in the project and must see a business opportunity. Despite people's complaints about "whales" it is worth pointing out that if someone with proven business savvy has an interest in the game then it suggests that there is money to be made by the players.
Not everyone plays the game to make money but it is interesting to know that there is a potentially functioning and healthy market (at least, it is getting there).
Anshe Chung
In addition, it is worth adding that AnsheX (owned by Anshe Chung) is also involved the game. They are reselling accounts and items. She became famous from earning a million dollars from playing the MMO game Second Life.
Caution: this is not an endorsement of AnsheX.
Disclaimer: this is not investment advice.
Disclaimer: this is not the opinion of my employer.