Technical Roadmap for Land 2.0
Prioritizing Production, Fun, and Urgency in 2026
After synthesizing the feedback from the "Land Barrons" group, I want to outline what I believe is the necessary technical and economic path for Splinterlands Land development. In analyzing these perspectives, I am placing the heaviest weight on the insights provided by Vugtis. As one of our most intelligent community members and the largest landholder, his perspective on the industrial "end-game" is the most logically sound framework for ensuring the long-term value of our assets.
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The Vugtis Framework: Moving Beyond Basic Harvesting
My primary focus for 2026 is moving Land from a passive resource-gathering phase into a complex industrial economy. Vugtis is correct: we cannot stop at just "having buildings." We must implement a Refinement and Production Loop.
Building Tiering and Refinement: I believe the technical priority must be the ability to upgrade and refine production buildings. This creates a necessary sink for DEC and resources, ensuring that the economy doesn't just inflate with raw materials but requires constant reinvestment.
Item & Spell Manufacture: This is the "North Star." I agree with Vugtis and Matt Clarke that the entire Land ecosystem is incomplete until these resources are converted into tangible assets that impact the battle meta.
Bridging the Gap: "Easy Wins" and the Gamer Mindset
As I look at the roadmap, I also want to integrate some critical points raised by Beaker, which I believe are essential for the health of the game. While the technical "heavy lifting" is happening, we need more immediate things that directly influence gameplay.
I believe we need some "easy wins" to keep the community engaged:
Gameplay Integration: We need cards that can be created on Land and actually used in the game immediately.
Cosmetic Crafting: I’m a big proponent of adding an "easy" list of craftable items, such as skins or avatar cosmetics. This gives players something to aim for right now.
The "Fun" Factor: Most importantly, it needs to be fun. I share Beaker’s gamer-centric mindset: we need to reach a point where we are "doing the thing" and playing the game because it’s enjoyable, without constantly worrying about pure value or ROI calculations. If we lose the fun, we lose the players.
Technical Quality of Life and Sustainability
While the industrial loop is the engine, the user experience is the oil. To keep players motivated—especially smaller holders—we must address the following:
The "Whitepaper 2.0": As both Oaaguy and Beaker suggested, we urgently need an updated whitepaper. We need to see exactly how buildings and maintenance costs will work in practice.
The Small Player Challenge: I am concerned that maintenance costs could discourage smaller players with only a few plots. We must design these systems so that small holders are motivated to expand rather than feeling forced to sell. We want a thriving ecosystem, not a top-heavy one that excludes the "smaller" gamer.
A Call for Aggressive Development
Now, I want to be very direct regarding the current state of progress. Looking back at 2025, I’ll be honest: the development speed was less than optimal. While the introduction of Aura and Land cards provided some foundation, it was not enough to justify the timeline we've seen.
For 2026, my stance is simple: We must be aggressive. We cannot afford another year of incremental "half-steps." The community, especially major stakeholders like Vugtis and the passionate players like Beaker, deserve a completed vision.
I am advocating for a timeline that prioritizes the full rollout of Land 2.0 by the end of this year. We need the production buildings, the refinement mechanics, and the item-manufacturing loop functional. The "Land experiment" has been in the works for a long time; 2026 must be the year we stop talking about potential and start delivering the full industrial and "fun" utility we were promised.
I agree with much of what's said above, especially about the need to have use cases for ANY new resource when it's introduced, not after. No more stockpiling new resources with future promises of utility. We also need items and spells and/or craft-able in game cards ASAP.
One other vital part of land that in my opinion needs immediate attention is the UI. As is, the in game land UI (especially the individual plot management screen) is atrocious and unacceptable. I have wasted countless hours repeating tasks and scrolling endlessly to certain PP points in my rather large card collection. A simple card filter on this screen (similar to the one we already have on the card collection screen) will go a long way to improving this screen's practical functionality.
I strongly agree with the need to allow small players the opportunity and ability to participate. Based on SPL history, I am also extremely concerned that maintenance costs will make land impractical and unaffordable to maintain. I am more than happy to continually re-invest my land 'earnings' to grow and develop my land, but if I am expected/forced to bring in thousands more on top of my already substantial land investment, that may be the last straw for me.
We also DO need to see an upgraded white paper and hopefully a simplified vision. With our limited budget and limited resources and devs at our disposal, land as laid out in the WP and production charts may be an impossible ask to reach anytime soon.
Thank you Jimmy!
Lot of what you are saying is covered there already but the UI part is not so I am glad your comment will provide valuable additional to the list.
Very nice write up, thank you!
You are welcome. Thanks for the comment
If I'm not mistaken, I think I heard in the past that it was Yaba's goal to make all land owners, even if the player only owns a single common plot, to be happy and proud that he/she owns it.
Maybe in the near future, a common plot with a higher level building would be worth as much as a legendary plot with nothing on it. Gives the single plot owner incentive to keep building his land plot even if he has the most basic one.
Even I say that. That is my goal as well.
But the only way to get there if the resource prices are much higher and the only way to make that is to make more utility.
Great summarized post capturing the community’s views. I think it’s a very solid perspective.
That said, the most important part will come in the upcoming weeks when Mancer is back from holiday and gets back into the weeds with Matt to make concrete plans. Really looking forward to hearing what they’ve been cooking, wen next TH.
Yes, Mancer is back on Monday!
He should get a big smack on his head, just like the rest of us get it at our respective workplaces :)
Is this going to be a proposal then? I'd fully support it even though my land is only able to do a couple specific things right now. It would be cool if you could terraform your plots at a certain cost of course. Then maybe I wouldn't have so much wood and I could finally get some iron and stone. Besides swapping on the market.
No, that is not purpose of the proposal system.
DAO can't control game development, but we can make suggestions. This is our suggestions.
Ah, okay. I guess I was confused since you have a role in the DAO. I understand now.