Hypersonic Laboratories

Hypersonic Laboratories is the creator of gaming and social metaverse platform HELIX (Hyper Expansive Lifelike Interoperable eXperience). In HELIX, players create a single character in Parallel City, an open-world virtual city inspired by NYC. Users can engage in different game modes to earn cryptocurrency and use it to purchase items, vehicles, weapons, and apartments to customize and expand their character's life. HELIX is centered around the concept of NFT-based digital items that players can purchase, sell, or trade in an open exchange called “HeX.” These items are organized into different categories, including wearables, vehicles, and properties. Users can also stake tokens to earn rewards within the HELIX ecosystem.

The platform will have approximately 25,000 land NFTs available for minting and players can own these properties in Parallel City, which serves as their own personalized home base within the metaverse. Prices of digital land range from ~ETH 0.225-95 (~USD 1,830–175,000 as of April 2023). Users can customize their space, display NFT items, buy furniture and collectibles, and socialize with other players in it. HELIX also offers players the ability to create and host servers, similar to the popular RP mod FiveM for GTA V. This allows players to develop custom scripts and have different gameplay variations within Parallel City. Further, HELIX Creator is a separate software that enables players to create and list their own creations and items for sale.

HELIX also features a user-friendly, built-in "Build Mode" that is similar to creative modes in Fortnite or Minecraft, in which players can customize their space without needing advanced knowledge of 3D software. HELIX is built on the Ethereum blockchain, utilizing the Polygon network for in-game transactions, with assets being modeled on the Unreal Engine 5. As of April 2023, the company launched its Developer Preview Build of HELIX to Founders Pass NFT holders.

The company planned to launch the full version of its product as a free-to-play game in 2024.

Funding and financials

The company’s latest funding round was in May 2024, where it raised USD 7 million in a round led by Play Ventures. Funds were earmarked to expand the Hypersonic Laboratories team and prepare for the closed alpha launch of its metaverse platform, Helix, later this year.