A couple of weeks back we invited our community to help us create a new Unioverse planet, as part of our New World Genesis program and – wow! – they delivered. 

We received more than 70 entries from Unioverse fans who submitted names for the new planet, as well as information about its star system and global conditions. Our Selection Committee, made up of Unioverse Co-Founders and Narrative Leads, pored over each entry and narrowed it down to six finalists. Over this past weekend, the finalists were presented to the Unioverse Community, which picked their favorite. 

So, we are thrilled to announce the new name of the Unioverse planet is…

Ceiba

Let’s send out a big Servitor-sized congratulations to Luke Salvalaggio, who not only came up with the winning name but also helped bring this planet to life by creating such details as: 

• Ceiba is the second planet from the system’s binary stars, Quetzel and Coatl. 
• A Ceiban year is 729 Ceiban days.
• Due to the gravitational interactions with its moon, Ceiba spins faster than Earth; a Ceiban day is approximately 22 Earth hours.
• Ceiba gravity is approximately 0.95g.

You can read even more about this fascinating new addition to the Unioverse on its very own Unioverse Wiki page, where Salvalaggio’s work (and credit!) will live on for the life of the Unioverse.

Now that you’ve seen how much fun worldbuilding can be, you too can get in on the action and have your work immortalized in the fabric of the Unioverse. 

Now that Cebia has a name and some basic geography, it’s time to populate this planet with some living things. For this round of worldbuilding, we want you to come up with some sentient beings for Ceiba.

You can find more criteria for what we’re looking for on the New World Genesis submission page, but here’s a quick taste of what you can expect: 

Is there only one sentient species on the planet? More? What are they like (appearance, habitats, behaviors, etc.)? Are different races or subspecies present? What stage of development are they in (recently sentient, evolved, space-faring, etc.)?

Think you’ve got a great idea for new lifeforms? 

Step 1: Read Luke’s winning entry in the wiki to better understand some basics about Ceiba. 

Step 2: Read Chapter 8 of Unioverse Origins, which will provide more details about the planet.

Step 3: Visit the official New World Genesis submission page to learn the specifics about what we’re looking for and how to enter. 

Submissions will once again be read by our Selection Committee, which will winnow the entries down to a handful of finalists that the Community can vote on. 

And just to make sure you don’t forget, winning entries become an official part of the Unioverse canon – so your work will be experienced by Unioverse fans all over the world! 

If you’ve been following our Worldbuilding Secrets podcast (you have been following our Worldbuilding Secrets podcast, right?), then you’ve enjoyed a masterclass in storytelling and, as the name suggests, worldbuilding. 

Now we want you to help us build a world. That’s right, there’s a new planet in the Unioverse, and we want you to tell us all about it. Here’s how it works and how you can get involved.

Background 

If you’ve been reading our Unioverse Origins story drops (you have been reading our Unioverse Origins story drops, right?), then you know that in the latest issue (#7) Malcolm Orion jumped to a strange new planet. Five hundred years after that initial discovery, the inhabitants of that planet now want to join the Merge. 

That’s where you come in, because the Unioverse is a community-owned franchise and now we really want the Community to participate!

New World Genesis Program

Each week for the next four weeks, we’ll give you two creative prompts asking for your input in what we are calling The New World Genesis Program. These will range from the simple, like naming the planet, to the more complex, like mapping its star system and describing the societal structures of its inhabitants. 

We really want you to put some thought into your answers because they will be read by our co-founders Tony Harman and Wyeth Ridgway, and our narrative team of Brent Friedman, Andy Baker and Josh Viola. They’ll go over all the submissions and narrow it down to the top contenders. 

Finalists will be posted to Discord where the Community will get the final vote on each prompt. And trust us, having your submission picked is more than just a feather in your cap…

Credit Where Credit is Due (and Signed Art, Too!)

The winning entries as voted by the Community will have their work entered into the official Unioverse Wiki with accompanying credit. That means your work and name will live on as long as the Unioverse exists! Talk about bragging rights… 

But wait! There’s more! Winners will also get a cool print of the planet you helped create signed by Stuart Jennett, the Unioverse’s lead artist! How cool is that?!

Next Steps

OK. So you’re all set, what do you do now?

First thing to do is get caught up on the Unioverse story. So check out the Unioverse Story Wiki and read all the Unioverse Origin chapters.

Then join our Discord, if you haven’t already. That’s where voting will occur, and it will give you a chance to connect with other creatives and see what else has been submitted. (Plus, you can’t vote if you’re not on our Discord!)

Once you’ve done that, here’s a schedule for the first prompt: 

• Monday 02/20 – New World Genesis Program Goes live – 12 PM EST
• Thursday 02/24 – Submissions Close – 3 PM EST
• Friday 02/25 – Top 10/15 announced and Voting Opens – 3 PM EST
• Saturday 02/26 – Voting Closes at 8 pm EST
• Sunday 02/27 – Winner announced and Wiki goes live 3 PM EST

You can find the official New World Genesis program submission form here.

So join Discord, mark your calendar, and help make the Unioverse even more amazing!

There is nothing special about an entertainment franchise selling merch. Every movie studio, TV network and videogame developer opens their own store in an attempt to pluck even more pennies from your purse.

But what if, instead of handing your dollars over to BIG ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY for a T-shirt that a zillion other people also have, you could design your own T-shirt AND sell it AND keep all the money? That’s exactly what we’re doing with the Unioverse.

To borrow from a popular tech magazine:

TIRED: Companies making money off you with merch sales.

WIRED: You making money off the Unioverse by selling your own merch.

If you’ve been following the Unioverse from the beginning, you already know you can do this because we’ve told you. Repeatedly. But now we are at a point where we can show you how to actually do it. After reading this, you can start making and selling your own Unioverse merch today. Here’s how:

Step 1 – Check the terms

Before we get to the fun stuff, let’s clear the decks with the little bits you should know beforehand.

• To be clear, you can download our assets for free.
• You can sell whatever you make and keep all the money.
• There are some Unio-no-nos that you should be aware of before you begin. You can probably guess the basics: no hate speech, no libel, don’t use other intellectual property, etc. It really should not affect your creativity or entrepreneurial spirit at all. Be sure to read the Unioverse Community Content Creations License, and check out our legalese-to-plain-English translation.

Step 2 – Download Unioverse art and assets

OK. With the legal stuff out of the way, the real fun begins! We have already posted a bunch of Unioverse art that you can download (for free!). There are character models of our first Unioverse Hero Reyu, and a ton of concept and environment art as well. Choose what you want here.

Unioverse Assets List

Example Downloadable Reyu on Transparent Background

Example Downloadable Unioverse Concept Art

Step 3 – Make stuff!

Once you have your Unioverse art, it’s time to start making stuff! Combine images, cut them up, remix them, re-color them — whatever you like. Just make stuff! T-shirts, comic books, stickers, lunchboxes — really run with it. (Remember to include the Unioverse Community Content logo on your work!).

Here are some examples one of our excellent designers put together:

Once you have a design, there are lots of options if you just want to make something for yourself, friends and family at home (think: iron-on printer paper for T-shirts). But if you want to step things up a notch…

Step 4 – Open your store!

The Unioverse Community Content License allows you to sell your goods, and, because we are living in a technologically marvelous time, there are plenty of places online to turn your creations into merch and sell them.

We went ahead and created a UnioverseFan store on Threadless.com. In fact the good folks at Threadless have a special offer for Unioverse users: Sign up for Threadless through this link and get a $5 gift code! (You’ll need to abide by whatever terms and conditions are required by your store of choice.)

The designs we created are available on T-shirts, stickers, skateboard decks, and — a favorite around here at the office — a Reyu shower curtain. Bonus: If you buy anything through our Threadless store, all the money goes to World Central Kitchen.

Step 5 – Tell the world!

Whether you made something for yourself, or created a full-blown store, let us and everyone else know about it! Tag us on Twitter, share it on Discord, put it on Instagram. We built this franchise to be community-owned and we definitely want to see what the community creates!

One last thing

The concept of a community-owned franchise is entirely new. While we don’t anticipate online shops blocking you over IP issues, that may arise as more and more people upload their own creations. If you do run into trouble, let us know and we’ll look into it.

Co-Authored by Christian Williams and Ryan David Williams of Ashbury. 

The ultimate goal of the Unioverse is to create a revolutionary new model for how franchises like Star Wars or Marvel should exist. A model that rewards participation above consumption. Where creative people around the world are empowered and encouraged to not just play our games – but to build our world. 

To do this, we’re making the Unioverse a community-owned franchise, and we’ve been working with renowned Web3 law firm Ashbury to create a new intellectual property framework to power that vision. Something like this has never been done at this scale, because it’s hard. But we’ve been working hard(er) to figure it out.

As we create and expand the Unioverse, we’ll create and release characters, artwork, locations and other digital assets that you can use to tell your own stories, create your own comic books and print your own T-shirts (and even keep all the money you make doing so!). The Unioverse is yours to build (and profit from!). 

But every well-ordered universe needs (a small number of) rules to ensure fairness and respect for all its citizens. The rules of the Unioverse are embodied in what we call the Unioverse Community Creations License. Our friends at Ashbury tried to use everyday English, but sometimes they couldn’t avoid some legal jargon. Thankfully they helped us build the fancy legalese-to-english translator below.

At the end of the day, here’s what we want you to know: We want you to both play and build in the Unioverse. We even want you to make money doing so! Yes, there are a few caveats, but these rules will actually make the Unioverse stronger and your participation in it more enjoyable. 

You can read the full terms of service here and visit the Unioverse Assets page to start downloading some of our artwork. Have questions? Hop over to our Discord to chat with our mods and other fans about how you’ll help build the Unioverse. 

UNIOVERSE ™ Community Creations License

By using Unioverse Community Assets (defined below), you agree to this license:

1. Unioverse Community Assets. From time to time, we may make available artwork, building blocks, infrastructure, environments, characters, code, or other types of digital content (collectively, “Unioverse Community Assets” or “UCA”) that is available for anyone in the world to use, as long as they follow the rules in this license. Please note that we are not obligated to make UCA available by any specific deadline or with any specific regularity.

TRANSLATION: We are creating Unioverse Community Assets for our community to use as long as you follow these rules. Also, we will determine what assets are released and when. These assets will be posted on the UCA webpage. 

2. Eligibility. To be eligible to use this license, you must be either (a) an individual of at least 18 years of age, or (b) an entity that (together with its affiliates, subsidiaries, parents and related companies) has (i) no more than 50 employees, and (ii) no more than $5 million in annual revenue. If you do not meet this criteria, but still want to use UCA, please contact us at [email protected]

Translation: UCA is for everyday gamers – not big companies. And let’s be real, if you’re a large organization, you can afford your own content. So please don’t hijack ours. On the flip side, if you truly want to collab with us on the Unioverse, feel free to reach out. 

3. Ownership. We own all rights, title, and interest in and to all UCA, including all copyrights, trademarks, and any other intellectual property rights. However, we give you permission to use UCA according to this license.

TRANSLATION: We still own the Unioverse Community Assets, but we’re giving you permission to use them. 

4. License. We grant to you a non-exclusive, revocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, display, perform, modify, and create derivative works of UCA, for any purpose, whether commercial or personal, except for the restrictions in Section 6. For example, you can use UCA to create podcasts, films, plays, books, comics, clothing, merchandise, home goods, stickers, art, photography, and other works not prohibited by Section 6. We reserve all rights not expressly granted to you in this license. 

TRANSLATION: You can use the Unioverse Community Assets to make tons of stuff: Podcasts, movies, plays, comics, clothing… you get the point. And you can sell whatever you make. But…spoiler alert…there are exactly five things you can’t do. Keep reading. 

5. Unioverse Community Creations. Anything you create under this license is known as “Unioverse Community Creations” or “UCC.” You agree to the following terms for all UCC created by you:
   1. You own the rights in all original work that you create using UCA.
   2. You grant a license to anyone, including Random Games, to use characters, events, locations, names, ideas, or any other concepts (“Unioverse Concepts”) from UCC created by you, even if these Unioverse Concepts are not derived from UCA, for the purpose of contributing to the Unioverse. On behalf of yourself and your heirs, successors and assigns, you agree not to bring any claim against anyone in connection with their use of Unioverse Concepts created by you. On behalf of yourself and your heirs, successors and assigns, you waive all of your rights, including all moral rights and intellectual property rights, to restrict, whether through legal, technological, or any other means, anyone’s use of Unioverse Concepts created by you. 

TRANSLATION: You own your original work, but you must share concepts from your work with the Unioverse Community. You can’t sue or take other legal action against anyone for using your concepts, ideas, and characters. TRANSLATION OF THE TRANSLATION: Chill. Be cool. Share your stuff. Just like we shared with you.

6. Restrictions. This license has restrictions. If you violate the restrictions or any other term of this license, we have the right to revoke your license. If we revoke your license, you must immediately stop your use of all UCA and UCC. You cannot use this license to: (1) create or contribute to any type of software, video game, video game experience or non-fungible token; (2) violate the intellectual property rights of any third party or combine UCA with any intellectual property that you do not own or have a valid license to use; (3) disparage or damage Random Games or the Unioverse; (4) break the law or promote illegal activities; or (5) engage in behavior that constitutes hate speech, harassment, abuse, fraud, defamation, discrimination, or obscenity. We have the authority to determine, in our sole discretion, whether you have violated this license. We also have the authority to designate another entity, such as a decentralized autonomous organization (“DAO”), to make that determination for us.

TRANSLATION: OK, so here are the five things you CAN’T do with Unioverse assets. Let’s call them Unio-no-nos: 

• Don’t create products that fans will expect to come from us, meaning…
  • No software (for example, no making a Unioverse social network or metaverse)
  • No videogames (you actually can make games, you just need to work with us to do so. Find out more on our Developers page)
  • No Unioverse NFTs
• No using someone else’s intellectual property (so Luke Skywalker can’t star in your story. In fact, Disney might sue us just for mentioning his name.)
• No hating on Random Games or the Unioverse (before you get all worked up – every company has this clause)
• No breaking the law
• No hate speech, harassment, abuse, fraud, defamation, discrimination, or obscenity. (Don’t be toxic, don’t be a jerk) 

7. Attribution. Unioverse Community Creations are about building up the Unioverse community. When you use UCA, you must clearly indicate that your work is UCC by:
   1. Clearly displaying the UCC Logo on all UCC that you create. The logo is available here and must be displayed such that it is reasonably perceivable by the average person. We are granting you a license to use the UCC logo for this singular purpose. You cannot use the UCC logo for any other purpose;

TRANSLATION: If you create something for the Unioverse, you have to include the Unioverse Community Creations logo so fans know this work was created by the community. 

2. Indicating on any website where the UCC is displayed or made available that your work was created under this license by either (1) including the full text of this license, or (2) including a link to this license; and

TRANSLATION: If you post your work somewhere online, include this license or link back to it. 

3. Not using the official UNIOVERSE™ logo, or any other Random Games trademarks without express written permission from us.

TRANSLATION: Don’t use the official UNIOVERSE logo for anything. Ever. 

8. No Promises. We are making UCA available to anyone in the world for free. All UCA are provided “as is.” We make no explicit or implied promises, guarantees, or assurances about the quality, safety, accuracy, or legal status of any UCA, and we have no liability for any claim related to UCA, UCC or your use of either. You are solely responsible for your use of UCA and UCC and your creation of UCC, and you assume any and all associated risks.

TRANSLATION: We think these Assets are pretty dope, but we can’t guarantee that they’re perfect. Use at your own risk.

9. Terms of Service. Except as stated above, the Random Games Terms of Service applies to your use of this website, UCA, and UCC. 

TRANSLATION: But wait, there’s more. This isn’t the only fine print that applies to your interactions with the Unioverse; our standard website terms of service also apply. 

10. Updates. We may update this license from time to time, and new updates will be posted on this webpage. Updated versions of this license are binding on you with respect to your creation of UCC on or after the date indicated in the updated license.

TRANSLATION: We’re completely reimaging franchise ownership, so don’t hate on us if we don’t get it right the first time. But don’t worry…any changes to this license will not affect work you created before the change. 

That wasn’t so bad, was it?