POLIS

Dual Token

To understand the Star Atlas DAO, first we need to understand the macro framework of Star Atlas. Our project works with two different tokens. The first is ATLAS, the transactional token of our ecosystem, which serves as in-game currency, and is responsible for providing liquidity to the game operations, allowing players to pay and receive value for the goods and services they provide inside the ecosystem. ATLAS will serve you in your metaverse activities, from allowing you to purchase the fleet that will defend your home worlds and friends to paying for contractors to build and provide the services you need to thrive in the galaxy. In addition, ATLAS has infinite use cases as necessary in-game currency, enabling you to be paid for your in-game activities and services to others. It is the lifeblood of the Star Atlas metaverse.

The second token is POLIS. If ATLAS corresponds to the pulsating life in the veins of our metaverse, POLIS is the brain that organizes and directs the limits of every organ in our metaverse body. The POLIS token’s leading utility is the expression of political rights inside the Star Atlas metaverse. It has a fixed supply of 360,000,000 tokens and allows players that lock them within the DAO Framework to accrue rewards in more POLIS and to vote on proposals that affect the fabric of the various layers of political governance inside the Star Atlas metaverse.

— The Star Atlas DAO — The Game of POLIS

White Paper

The original White Paper describes POLIS as a multifunctional governance token, with applications both in-game and in directing real-world economic policy.

In-Game

Within the Star Atlas metaverse, political influence is yet another strategic consideration in the management of territory and the navigation of space. Controlling this political influence introduces a number of advantages for player status, which is represented by the POLIS token. Holders of POLIS will be in a unique position of jurisdictional ownership over entire regions, regardless of who owns title (NFT) to the land and equipment rights. These players will be able to restrict some of the activity that can occur while under their oversight, impose taxes on other players, charge tolls, and otherwise create a separate set of laws with which other players must observe. However, POLIS represents voting rights, not dictatorial ownership. In this regard, it will likely require multiple players to collaborate on these rules, fines, fees, tolls, etc., lest they be superseded by a more powerful group of players. Decentralized Autonomous Corporations would do well to take advantage of this tool.

Real World

Externally, control of POLIS will enable the gaming community to influence decision making of the Star Atlas development team. This will follow a period of centralization of decision making, likely 2-3 years of game development and balance. At the conclusion of the centralized period, holders will be able to influence game economics (i.e. inflation rates), asset release schedules, game direction, and will otherwise provide some degree of ownership in development decision making.

Economic Paper

The Economic Paper describes POLIS as the governance token used at each level of governance, representing financial stake in the game, voting power in the DAOs where it is staked, and control of the Treasury. It has a fixed supply that will not grow (unless a decision to the contrary will be made by governance down the line).

Control of ATLAS Minting

As an asset, POLIS is a low-velocity, long-term store-of-value that incentivizes governance of the ATLAS economy for its long-run production. The POLIS DAO is tasked with the minting, distribution, and redistribution of ATLAS within the ATLAS treasury, and earn portions of the returns in ATLAS to the developments they vote to fund.

Drive Development

With a long-term perspective, DAO governors will ultimately be able to drive the direction of Metaverse development. Even to the extent that the founding Star Atlas development team could be voted out as the primary vendor for game assets and game design. Other areas of more immediate focus include: economic revisions, feature releases, asset release schedules, and optionality to incorporate player-created content.