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🖼 Wallet Wars’ raW Pass NFTs sells out in 5 minutes
RaW Pass, a new non-fungible token (NFT) collection linked to the upcoming Web3 game Wallet Wars, sold out within 5 minutes after its first mint on Wednesday, blockchain infrastructure developer Balthazar DAO announced. The assets act as upgradeable ships for Wallet Wars, a Space Invaders-inspired NFT game created by Animoca Brands-backed Balthazar DAO, and give users access to rewards and governance rights. RaW Pass is a collection of 5,555 NFTs which debuted with a 0.035 Ether (around US$5) mint price. John Stefanidis, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Balthazar DAO, told Forkast that his team has produced non-inflationary NFTs to avoid a speculative economy. “In fact, its ship NFTs are only valid for one season and are deemed worthless after the season ends,” said Stefanidis. “We want to focus on gameplay, an enjoyable user experience and building on a powerful ecosystem that rewards players and raW Pass holders.” Blockchain technology can unlock a new game economic layer, including transferring and owning in-game items. However, developers in the blockchain gaming sector still face the challenge of discovering a model that retains player engagement. Balthazar DAO says 90% of the net earnings — anticipated to be around US$500,000.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 AptosOne introduces Graffio, a user-centric NFT art canvas
Graffio, a new product from AptosOne, has been released. In the form of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), the platform provides users with a distinct canvas for displaying their art. The announcement was made on the official X/Twitter account of Aptos Network. The network shared a step-by-step guide to help users get started with Graffio. Aptos Network has simplified the process of creating art-based NFTs. To continue using Graffio, however, users must adhere to several Aptos-established rules. Aptos Network is powering this communal art creation. Therefore, it boasts low fees, high throughput, sponsored transactions, and effortless social media logins through Identity Connect. Users can rest assured that Aptos is backing the system, as they can also contribute to the product. Aptos has invited users to show their creativity on the canvas; however, the network will also moderate the entire process. Aptos Network has simplified the process of creating art-based NFTs. To continue using Graffio, however, users must adhere to several Aptos-established rules. At the same time, Aptos made it clear that the network has the right to clear, moderate, or edit the canvas. The Aptos community has shown a warm response to the news, helping Graffio start on a positive note.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
💰 Shiba Inu NFT Project Sets Launch Date on Shibarium
ColonelCoup stands proudly as the official mascot of Shib CoOP, an inclusive community comprising forward-thinking developers, passionate investors, and ingenious creatives united in their dedicated pursuit of advancing the SHIB metaverse. With the ColonelCoup collection poised to mint on the auspicious date of Wednesday, October 11, excitement and anticipation reverberate throughout the Shiba Inu ecosystem. ColonelCoup embraces an innovative approach to NFT acquisition by employing a blind minting mechanism. During the minting process, users will purchase NFTs without prior knowledge of the specific item they will receive. This adds an element of surprise and rarity to the collection, heightening the overall appeal for collectors seeking unique and exclusive pieces. Following the minting phase, the NFTs will remain shrouded in secrecy for a tantalizing three days until the eagerly anticipated reveal on Saturday, October 14. To actively participate in the mint event and secure coveted ColonelCoup NFTs, users must hold both SHIB and BONE tokens on the Shibarium network.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 NFT Games Are Not to Be Considered Gambling, Votes French National Assembly
On Tuesday, the French National Assembly passed the so-called Sorare law, introducing the first dedicated regulatory framework for video games tapping NFTs and crypto-powered monetization schemes. Referred to as the "Jonum regime," which stands for games with monetizable digital objects, the text seeks to balance fostering innovation among French startups and ensuring user protection. For the first time in legal terms, this legislation defines Jonum, paving the way for a potential new regulatory framework. “SREN may contribute to legitimize the sector which is fast-growing and had suffered from scams the last few years,” Karima Lachgar, CEO and head of group legal and regulatory strategy at Olky Wallet, told Decrypt. Now, the text must undergo examination by the Constitutional Council, which has the authority to review and potentially reject it–something several deputies are still hoping for. Per reports from Les Echos, opponents have pointed out that the law would give preferential treatment to crypto games rather than online casinos. If that plays out, Lachgar even suggested that under the new law, gambling platforms may move “to enter into the play-to-earn and Web3 sector like PMU.”
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🪙 ApeCoin DAO Launches All-New NFT Accelerator
According to reports, and following the successful approval of Ape Improvement Proposal (AIP) 209, ApeCoin DAO is poised to launch an NFT accelerator program alongside Forj - an NFT platform of Animoca Brands origin. As first reported by Decrypt, Forj has been bestowed the responsibility of constructing and running the new accelerator program, with ApeCoin DAO providing the funding to facilitate it, as detailed in AIP-209, which was first proposed in ApeCoin’s forum in early 2023. ApeCoin’s new collaboration with NFT-creation platform, Forj, may come as a much needed boost to the current state of the NFT industry. ApeCoin’s choice of using the Forj platform is alleged to have stemmed from its pre-existing network, owing to its Animoca affiliation, as well as its apparent track record across gaming, music, collectible items, and the entertainment industry. The news may come as a much needed boost for the NFT industry which, having soared to near-unbelievable levels in 2021 and early 2022, has since collapsed in value and monthly transaction volume.“We chose to launch on ApeCoin because it has the most collaborative and socially engaged community across Web3", Forj’s CEO is reported to have said.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 NFT giants are protesting Blur and OpenSea over royalty rates
Major players in the non-fungible token (NFT) space, including Yuga Labs Inc., creators of the Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks, along with Pudgy Penguins collection, are reevaluating their partnerships with dominant marketplaces like Blur and OpenSea. Some are either suspending new listings or contemplating such actions, according to reports from Bloomberg. This year, both Blur and OpenSea have significantly reduced the royalty percentages that creators receive from secondary market transactions. Yuga Labs has taken the initiative to halt trading of its newest NFT collection, Mara, on Blur and OpenSea, stating that only marketplaces that maintain adequate royalties will have the privilege to list their tokens. The company even disclosed job cuts in light of the adverse market conditions. Originally, Blur made headway in the market with its competitive low-fee structure, rapidly overtaking OpenSea and forcing the latter to reevaluate its fee policies. As of now, Blur’s base royalty fee is pegged at 0.5%, while OpenSea has transitioned to optional creator fees. Collectively, these platforms are responsible for around 70% of all NFT transactions.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Nano Labs Launches iPollo Metaverse Photography Studio Service
Nano Labs Ltd (Nasdaq: NA) ("we," the "Company" or "Nano Labs"), a leading fabless integrated circuit design company and product solution provider in China, today announced the introduction of a new photography studio service (hereafter, "the New Service") within its iPollo Metaverse business segment. The New Service, which merges 3D scanning and printing services, aims to offer innovative experiences in digital avatar collection and the creation of lifelike 3D figures. The New Service, featuring an image scanning cabin, adeptly captures athletes' memorable moments, solidifying its status as one of the most sought-after technological applications in the Asian Games Village. Integrated with iPollo's 3D scanning, printing, and AR technologies, the iPollo Metaverse crafts varied digital environments for multiple IPs, enhancing user engagement and hastening the digital transition of IPs into the Metaverse realm. Furthermore, iPollo's 3D full-color printing technology brings digitized IPs to life in exquisite form, while providing personalized services to users through its iPollo Store, thereby showcasing the allure of the Metaverse. Moreover, the Company has successfully initiated the tape-out of Cuckoo 3.0.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Baidu unveils mini metaverse for virtual human Du Xiaoxiao
Baidu World 2023 conference, Baidu has revealed Baidu Xiao Universe, a metaverse-like mini ‘virtual space’ where the users can interact with Baidu’s AI-powered digital human Du Xiaoxiao. Built in collaboration with Shenzhen-based tech start-up Lingjing Zhiwei, the ‘mini space’ is a ‘digital amusement park’ that incorporates digital technology, entertainment and social functions. At the beginning of this year, Baidu made the ambitious claim that the MetaStack function of its metaverse platform XiRang enables companies to independently build metaverse spaces in just 40 days. The new ‘Baidu Xiao Universe’ mini space, built with Lingjing Zhiwei, also aims to optimise virtual worlds to be feature-rich but also require less computing power. These efforts are helping to make the virtual world more accessible as a marketing tool. With Du Xiaoxiao as their guide, the visitors can complete mini tasks and ‘unlock more computing power’ to enable more features, watch an AI-generated music video featuring Du Xiaoxiao, interact with branded content such as a quiz and socialise with each other.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 Sega Co-COO Shuji Utsumi Is Optimistic About the Potential of NFTs in Gaming
Sega Co-COO Shuji Utsumi has shared optimistic thoughts on blockchain gaming and the unique role NFTs could play in the future of video games—months after previously telling Bloomberg that he felt play-to-earn games are “boring.” “Within blockchain games, owning assets and, in some cases, earning money, could become player wants that haven’t existed before,” Utsumi said in an interview first published as a sponsored post with Dengeki Online last month and translated into a blog post this week. “This is indeed a transitional phase for the industry,” Utsumi added. Utsumi’s comments come as part of a broader conversation about how the Sonic the Hedgehog publisher has licensed its Sangokushi Taisen card game’s IP to blockchain firm Double Jump.Tokyo, which is developing a new trading card game (TCG) called Battle of Three Kingdoms with NFT cards inspired by the original 2005 game. The new Sega-licensed TCG will primarily target Asia’s gaming market, will offer more than 100 different cards at launch, and will be supported post-launch with continuous game patches and updates, according to the post. Utsumi said that the new game was licensed to help “revive” the original game’s IP while still making sure to “protect what needs to be protected.”
NFTs | OpenSea | News
📊 Metaverse In Automotive to Reach $27.18 billion, Globally, by 2032 at 29.9% CAGR: Allied Market Research
Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Metaverse in Automotive Market by product (Hardware, Software), Technology (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality), and Application (Simulation, Testing and Designing, Advertising, Online Car Purchasing): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032". According to the report, the global metaverse in automotive market generated $2.18 billion in 2022, and is anticipated to generate $27.18 billion by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 29.9% from 2023 to 2032. Factors such as surge in focus on leveraging the metaverse for marketing campaigns, increase in demand for modern vehicle shopping experiences with immersive virtual showrooms, and growing demand for intuitive metaverse design for product development and manufacturing. However, car maintenance and repairs by metaverse, and incorporation of metaverse in automotive infotainment are anticipated to hinder market growth. On the other hand, cost associated with installing and maintaining premium components and issues related to cybersecurity and privacy provide a remarkable growth opportunity for the market players operating in the market.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Reddam House Embraces Innovative Learning with VR and the Metaverse
Reddam House Helderfontein and Waterfall, part of the Inspired Education Group, have wholeheartedly embraced the realm of virtual reality (VR) and metaverse-based learning within their classrooms. Following a triumphant initial trial across five international schools, the metaverse-based learning program is now in the process of implementation in 17 other Reddam schools worldwide. The convergence of VR and the metaverse materializes as a catalyst for enriched and more efficacious learning undertakings. Reddam House Helderfontein and Waterfall, students have seamlessly integrated VR headsets and the metaverse into their academic routines, thereby embarking on scientific experiments, embarking on virtual journeys to iconic landmarks, and peering into the intricate inner mechanisms of volcanoes. By skillfully intertwining VR and metaverse tools into the curriculum, these schools have ingeniously fostered immersive and interactive learning domains, which not only captivate the imagination of their students but also present diverse subjects in a profoundly innovative light. This pedagogical paradigm, deeply attuned to varying learning styles, provides a promising glimpse into the vistas of education in the digital epoch.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Microsoft’s Activision buy may see more metaverse in the office and crypto in gaming
A lot was said about the metaverse when the Microsoft deal to acquire Activision Blizzard was announced in January 2022. The attention was mainly on business communications rather than gaming. If public statements and leaked documents are any guide, the Activision deal could promise more for the future of crypto than the metaverse. The metaverse had high visibility in Microsoft’s announcement of its deal for Activision in January 2002. Nadella’s emphasis on work is telling. He listed four things and referred to them as “all three” — apparently, “meetings and games” count as one. Microsoft’s metaverse platform, Mesh, which began previews this month, is positioned as a complement to its Teams business communications platform. Spencer questioned what the metaverse even is in an interview with Bloomberg in August. “My view on Metaverse is that gamers have been in the Metaverse for 30 years,” he said. He said little about the Web3 metaverse except that he was “cautious” about play-to-earn. He was later quoted as calling the metaverse “a poorly built videogame” and saying, “Building a metaverse that looks like a meeting room, I just find that’s not where I want to spend most of my time.”
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 LINE NEXT Unveils “Sweet Monster Guardians” Web3 Game with NFT Integration
LINE NEXT Inc., the subsidiary of LINE dedicated to advancing the NFT ecosystem, has revealed the worldwide launch of GAME DOSI’s second game, “Sweet Monster Guardians,” spanning 180 countries. Notably, the game will not be available in South Korea, Japan, and China. Simultaneously, the public test phase for the new game “Project GD,” originating from GAME DOSI’s original game IP, will commence. “Sweet Monster Guardians” is a web game intricately woven with Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and has been crafted by GAME DOSI. Set in a whimsical and fantastical universe, “Sweet Monster Guardians” stars sweet-natured monsters as bearers of happiness. United in their mission, these creatures safeguard the town from enigmatic external threats. Players are empowered to make strategic selections from a range of character cards, deploying them for combat against adversaries in diverse game modes. Merging cards can amplify character abilities, and real-time multiplayer mode enables players to compete with others. To celebrate the launch of “Sweet Monster Guardians,” those who possess Sweetheart Monster NFTs will receive in-game rewards. These NFTs can be seamlessly incorporated into the game, augmenting the players’ in-game energy. Furthermore, commencing from October 6th, exclusive “SWEET MONSTER GUARDIANS” NFTs.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 NFTpay Checkout Solution Accepts Amex And Discover
NFTpay, based in Miami, FL, is pleased to announce that they are now accepting Amex and Discover. An NFT purchasing solution, NFTpay is committed to staying at the forefront of the NFT ecosystem. By integrating with Amex and Discover, NFTpay’s payment solution ensures that their technology remains a hub of innovation where humans can thrive. The introduction of their credit card NFT checkout solution means that buying and selling NFTs, a process which might normally take days or even weeks, is now faster, simpler and easier for everyone. The vast majority of potential NFT buyers, up to 99% of the community, do not have cryptocurrency or a crypto wallet. This complicates NFT purchases and may even discourage individuals who might otherwise have become involved in NFT projects. By providing a way to purchase NFTs with a credit card, NFTpay has made the world of NFTs a lot more accessible. Now anyone interested in buying NFTs can do so without having to open a crypto wallet. In addition to making it easier for buyers to make purchases, NFTpay makes it easier for sellers to connect with interested parties. Customers are more likely to stay on a page and make a purchase if doing so is an easy process. NFTpay’s credit card solution enhances the convenience of the entire process, thus incentivising them to follow through with an intended purchase.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 Ferrari Lead Designer Unveils Heartfelt NFT Tribute
Alessandro Fiori, the Lead Designer at Ferrari, is set to release an NFT on Oct. 11. His piece will drop exclusively with Exchange.art, a fine art platform on Solana that now also supports Ethereum transactions. Fiori releases his digital art under the name “Mr. Uramaki.” The piece, named “After All This Time,” pays homage to a dearly departed person in his life. From an early age, Alessandro embraced the arts despite his family wanting him to pursue a career in medicine. After high school, Fiori moved cities to study Industrial Design with an automotive specialization. After college, Alessandro prioritized his career, sidelining his genuine love for art and design, his true form of self-expression. Yet, a unique first date with a special woman reignited this passion when he drew a sentimental sketch for her on a placemat—a gesture she cherished. Their bond grew, and for three years, every meal they had together became an opportunity for Alessandro to craft a new artwork, be it on a napkin or a scrap of paper. Sadly, she passed away in 2018, leading him to put away his art tools. To honor their anniversary and her fondness for New York City, Alessandro planned an exhibition showcasing the drawings he had given her. He now believes that Web3 offers the perfect platform to bring this touching tribute to life.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Bandai Namco suspends downloads of Gundam Metaverse after leakage rumors swirl
Japanese game publisher Bandai Namco today suspended the downloads of its newly launched Gundam Metaverse after rumors circulated surrounding the leakage of the design files of certain highly anticipated Gundam models. “We are sorry that downloading the client files has been temporarily suspended,” Bandai Namco said in an announcement. “We apologize for the inconvenience. We will inform you on this website when the download will be available again.” The abrupt halt of downloads comes just a week after the metaverse game opened up its general access to the public in the U.S. and Japan on Oct. 11, according to its website. However, rumors emerged earlier this week that the downloads contained unencrypted design files related to certain models for Gundam Seed Freedom, an upcoming animated film set to be released in January 2024, according to images posted on Reddit and Hong Kong news site HK01. Last month, Bandai Namco said in a press release that the Gundam Metaverse Project aims to become a gathering place for Gundam fans from around the world to engage with various types of content, including user-generated content such as fan-created Gunpla.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
⬜️ OKX Partners with Digital Art Fair to Launch Limited-Edition NFT for VIP Ticket Holders in Hong Kong
OKX, a leading global Web3 technology company, today announced the launch of a limited-edition NFT, called 'Digital Art Fair NFT POAP,' available to VIP ticket holders of the Digital Art Fair's Asia Edition 2023 in Hong Kong. The fair, which takes place from October 19 to October 23 at the K11 Art & Cultural Centre, K11 MUSEA, will showcase cutting-edge digital art installations and feature Web3- and AI-focused panels and fireside chats. Built on the OKT Chain, Digital Art Fair NFT POAP will serve as a pass that unlocks exclusive privileges for VIP ticket holders of the Digital Art Fair, particularly those who attend the fair's official opening party: 'Come As Your Art.' Taking place on the 6/F at K11 MUSEA from 6:00 to 10:00 pm (HKT) on October 20, VIP ticket holders who attend the opening party and present their Digital Art Fair NFT POAP to representatives of the OKX Web3 team will receive a fine art print by Jonathan Jay Lee, Digital Art Fair's 'Artist of the Year' and one of Hong Kong's most sought-after illustrators. NFT POAP will be free to mint via OKX Wallet for a select number of non-VIP opening party attendees
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Bitcoin Metaverse Token Pre-Sale From ‘Life Beyond’ Team Raises $3.5M
The reports of the death of the metaverse have been greatly exaggerated, and venture capital continues to flow into companies developing it—or at least developing what many in Web3 hope will be the next generation of gaming experiences. On Tuesday, “Life Beyond” developer Darewise Entertainment announced that it had raised $3.5 million in token presales. “For this round, we are thrilled to welcome meaningful investors who not only believe in our project and values. "Life Beyond" is an open-world sci-fi game where players attempt to build a new civilization powered by NFTs and a tokenized digital economy. The Darewise token is slated to launch early next year and was developed with Horizon Labs, the team behind the Ethereum-based ApeCoin (APE) token, which launched in March 2022. Launched in 2018, Darewise Entertainment aims to build its metaverse ecosystem around Bitcoin Ordinals, the NFT-like sensation that took crypto by storm earlier this year. The Ordinals protocol lets users “inscribe” images, text, and even video games on the Bitcoin blockchain and create BRC-20 tokens. Ordinal inscriptions are digital assets digitally recorded to a single satoshi, the smallest denomination of a Bitcoin.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 BitNile Metaverse Regains Compliance with the Nasdaq Voting Rights Rule
BitNile Metaverse, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNMV) (“BitNile Metaverse” or the “Company”), announced today that it has regained compliance with the Nasdaq Voting Rights Rule. On September 28, 2023, the Company amended the Certificates of Designation for both the Series B and Series C Preferred Stock to remove all voting rights from these series. As a result, the Company has regained compliance with the Voting Rights Rule. Founded in 2011, BitNile Metaverse owns 100% of BNC, including the BitNile.com metaverse Platform. The Platform, which went live to the public on March 1, 2023, allows users to engage with a new social networking community and purchase both digital and physical products while playing 3D immersive games. In addition to BNC, BitNile Metaverse also owns three non-core subsidiaries either directly or indirectly: approximately 66% of Wolf Energy Services Inc. (OTCQB: WOEN) indirectly; and approximately 89% of Agora Digital Holdings Inc. directly. BitNile Metaverse also owns approximately 70% of White River Energy Corp (OTCQB: WTRV). “We are pleased to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s Voting Rights Rule and look forward to a continued healthy relationship with the exchange.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 Roblox says employees must return to office because the metaverse still isn’t good enough
Roblox — a company that builds a hugely popular virtual experiences platform, recently introduced its own spin on video chat, and even created an in-Roblox career center — is “transitioning away” from remote work and will be asking “a number of our remote employees to begin working from our headquarters in San Mateo by next summer,” CEO David Baszucki wrote in an email to staff shared publicly on Tuesday. Roblox went fully remote in March 2020, but, according to Baszucki, the company had “numerous deep discussions” about its future and ultimately decided that “we needed to get back to working in person.” While he “hoped” that it “might be possible to imagine a heavily hybrid remote culture,” he had a “pivotal moment” during the company’s first “post-quarantine, in-person group gathering,” he says. “Within 45 minutes I came away from three separate conversations with spontaneous to do’s and ideas to put in motion, something that hadn’t happened during the past few years of video meetings.” Staffers who “are not able to relocate” can stay at the company until April 15th, 2024.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 Sega’s Co-COO Envisions a Future for NFTs in Blockchain Gaming
Sega’s Chief Operating Officer, Shuji Utsumi, recently conveyed optimism about the prospects of blockchain gaming and the potential role that Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) may play in shaping the future of video games. This positive outlook comes despite his prior statement to Bloomberg, just a few months ago, where he expressed his view that play-to-earn games were “boring.” The Co-COO’s perspective is part of a broader discussion surrounding Sega’s recent licensing arrangement. Sega, known for iconic titles like Sonic the Hedgehog, has licensed its Sangokushi Taisen card game’s intellectual property to the blockchain firm Double Jump.Tokyo. This partnership aims to create a brand-new trading card game (TCG) called “Battle of Three Kingdoms,” featuring NFT cards inspired by the original 2005 game. Utsumi’s remarks are intricately linked to this licensing arrangement and its potential implications. The new Sega-licensed TCG, “Battle of Three Kingdoms,” is geared towards the Asian gaming market. It is expected to include more than a hundred unique cards and will receive ongoing support in the form of game patches and upgrades after its initial release. This endeavor reflects Sega’s commitment to revitalizing the old game’s intellectual property while safeguarding its core elements.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 NFT market slump shows it’s maturing toward ‘genuine utility,’ execs argue
A steep collapse in the price of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) shouldn’t be seen as a sign of distress but rather a signal the technology is maturing, according to Web3 executives. “I wouldn’t say the NFT market has regressed,“ Decentraland Foundation executive director Yemel Jardi told Cointelegraph. “Rather, it’s maturing." Jardi’s comments come after a September report from dappGambl that analyzed over 73,000 NFT collections and concluded that as much as 95% of the NFTs studied had no value, as prices, sales volume and transactions have slid over the past year. Jardi stressed that markets are cyclic and it is natural for there to be periods of adjustment. Anjali Young, co-founder of the tokenized community-management platform Collab.Land, isn’t surprised about the anti-NFT sentiment either. “Any innovation — especially this one with financial impact, cultural value and status — will attract questioning during its downs,” she said. Young believes many projects have stumbled since marketplaces such as OpenSea removed mandated royalty fees in late August. Despite this, Young claimed that NFTs are “here to stay” and expects they will be more frequently used for loyalty programs, rewards, advertising and proof of authenticity in the coming months.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 NFL Alumni Embrace NFTs to Empower Retired Football Players
The NFL Alumni Association, an independent nonprofit organization composed of thousands of former players, coaches, executives, spouses, and cheerleaders, has always strived to provide assistance and benefits to retired athletes. Now, they are taking it a step further by embracing the potential of NFT collectibles. By teaming up with Aventus, the organization plans to create NFTs that feature the name, image, and likeness of retired players who choose to participate in this innovative initiative. The concept of NFT collectibles represents an evolution in how athletes can monetize their memorabilia and trading cards. Unlike physical items that can be resold without the original player receiving any further benefits, NFTs offer a unique solution. By leveraging blockchain technology, these digital assets provide authentication, protection, and ownership rights to the creators, ensuring that they receive their rightful rewards. The NFTs being developed under this partnership will showcase iconic on-field moments from retired players’ illustrious careers. For instance, an NFT of Brad Edwards, former safety and CEO of the NFL Alumni Association, may capture his memorable two-interception game for Washington in Super Bowl XXVI, where they triumphed over the Buffalo Bills.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 Sega jumps back on NFT bandwagon, is “exploring ways” to use Blockchain in games
Back in 2020, it seemed that every major games publisher was on board with the NFT and crypto craze as it created more opportunities to capitalize on in-game purchases. Sega went all-in at the peak but pulled out once public interest had started to drain. Despite calling play-to-earn games “boring,” it seems like the company wants to gain a few more rings in a surprising upcoming project. Despite this, the pair are optimistic that they can break through the negative stigma of NFTs to provide a compelling experience. Sega’s Co-COO Shuji Utsumi spoke with Japanese outlet Dengeki Online about an upcoming blockchain game based on the Three Kingdoms digital card series for mobile gamers. (A translation of the interview is available here.) The new game is being developed by double jump.tokyo, who previously collaborated with Square Enix and Tezuka Osamu, creators of Astro Boy. Sega announced this partnership back in 2021 on their official Twitter to a ton of fan backlash regarding the environmental impact of the blockchain. Commenters were quick to point out that the core message of Sonic The Hedgehog, saving animals from deforestation and scientific testing, went against the wasteful platform.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🔫 CGI Federal and Partners Pioneering Metaverse Integration for the U.S. Marine Corps
CGI Federal has successfully concluded a real-time pilot within a planetary-scale Metaverse environment, in collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps, marking a significant milestone in the convergence of digital technology and military operations. The pilot, executed in partnership with Microsoft and Battle Road Digital, involved the integration of the Marine Corps Platform Integration Center’s (MCPIC) logistics and asset management systems with digital twin technology. Horace Blackman, Senior Vice President of Defense, Intelligence, and Space at CGI, announced this achievement and highlighted its profound implications. He underscored the pilot’s potential to revolutionize the way defense units conduct training, devise strategies, and position themselves for future challenges. Blackman went on to emphasize that these capabilities could serve as a benchmark for various federal agencies seeking to enhance their operational efficiency. the U.S. Marine Corps witnessed a notable enhancement in their capabilities. This included improved visualization, real-time monitoring, simulation, and predictive analytics.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 Beanz Stickers Success Signals a Step Towards NFT Mass Adoption
Chiru Labs, the parent company to well-known brands like Azuki and Beanz, has clinched top rankings on the LINE messaging platform. Its Beanz sticker pack has quickly risen in popularity due to a collaboration with IPX, the company behind LINE FRIENDS characters. This partnership also plans to introduce retail offerings at LINE FRIENDS stores and a blend of immersive real-world events bridging both universes. Notably, the sticker is the first major rollout from this partnership. Beanz sticker pack’s achievement is its potential to usher in a new era where users, even those unfamiliar with NFTs, can engage with them. According to data from IPX, the Beanz sticker pack has claimed the top spot in South Korea’s “Creators” section on the LINE Sticker shop. Its charm extends to the U.S., where it is the leader in both the “Humorous” and “Food” categories. As the Beanz stickers continue to captivate LINE users, the platform promises more delightful stickers in times to come. In a way, this trend symbolizes the potential for digital assets like NFTs to become commonplace, seamlessly integrating into our daily digital interactions. Japan, home to a staggering 90 million monthly LINE users, also welcomed Beanz, ranking it second in the “Creators” section.
NFTs | OpenSea | News
🖼 Mastercard’s CBDC pilot ventures into Ethereum and NFTs
Mastercard in conjunction with the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre, revealed Thursday the latest results of their CBDC pilot project. Notably, the pilot included a live transaction where an NFT was purchased on the Ethereum blockchain using a “wrapped” version of the CBDC, according to a statement. Jointly developed with financial services company Cuscal and blockchain platform Mintable as part of the bank and cooperative’s research project, the tech is designed to make CBDCs interoperable across various chains. The pilot, which places a real legal claim on the RBA, involved selected industry participants and demonstrated how a CBDC could provide payment and settlement services to Australian households and businesses. “Mastercard has seen demand from consumers to participate in commerce across multiple blockchains, including public blockchains,” Richard Warmold, the company’s Division President of Australasia said. “This technology not only has the potential to drive more consumer choice, but it also unlocks new opportunities for collaboration between the public and private networks to drive genuine impact in the digital currency space.” During the live test, Ethereum wallets of both the buyer and seller were ‘allow-listed,’ demonstrating the tech’s capacity to enforce controls on public blockchains.
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🖼 NBA's LaMelo and Lonzo Ball—And Their Dad—Star in NFT Game 'StrayShot'
Upcoming battle royale shooter game StrayShot has signed a deal with NBA players LaMelo and Lonzo Ball—as well as their family’s lifestyle brand, Big Baller Brand (BBB)—to include the brothers and the rest of their prominent family as playable NFT characters, developer iBloxx Studios announced Thursday. More details on the playable LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball NFT characters will be revealed after the free-to-play game fully launches, according to a statement. The PC game—previously called 0xBattleGround—is currently in public beta. iBloxx CEO Domenik Maier told Decrypt via email that StrayShot could be fully released as early as December this year, but will more likely launch in February 2024. The LaMelo and Lonzo character NFTs will wear military-style outfits as well as BBB-branded attire, according to Maier and images viewed by Decrypt. The studio also plans to release licensed Ball NFTs outside of the game, as well, according to the announcement. No release date has been revealed for any of the Ball NFTs. LaVar Ball, the players’ outspoken father and BBB founder and CEO, will also appear as a game character, alongside his wife Tina Ball and youngest son LiAngelo Ball, who plays in the NBA G League.
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🔫 Slowing hardware sales weigh on metaverse revenue in Q2 2023
Emerging metaverse platforms and technologies tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence drove an estimated $4.21 billion in revenue in the second quarter, down 2.9% year over year, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year contraction for the segment. The drop was primarily due to falling demand for the market's current lineup of virtual reality hardware, but new devices on the horizon offer an opportunity for a return to growth later this year. S&P Global defines the metaverse as the long-term vision for the next phase of the internet, which will feature a single, shared, immersive and persistent 3D virtual space where humans and machines interact with one another and with data, enhancing the physical world as much as replacing it. Revenue from metaverse hardware, which is largely composed of augmented and virtual reality headsets, declined 34.8% year over year to $0.79 billion. Metaverse hardware has not yet been able to cultivate much in the way of long-term organic demand. Instead, the segment relies on tech enthusiasts to drive a surge of sales at the launch of a new or upgraded device. Then, that new device limps along for a year or two with moderate interest from gamers and commercial clients. When it becomes clear that new headsets are imminent, sales all but evaporate.
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🔫 Northlands College launches metaverse campus
Northlands College has launched the metaverse campus, making it one of the few colleges in Canada to establish a full campus presence in the metaverse. This type of metaverse campus environment is meant to build community, open geographic borders, collapse time such as the option to attend recorded virtual lectures that enable learners from different time zones or those who are working to follow experiential and in-person lectures on their own time. According to a media release issued this week, the achievement ushers in a new era of transformational learning tools designed to push the boundaries of education and integration of technology across northern Saskatchewan, as well as reduce the environmental footprint. “The launch of our campus in the metaverse is not just a milestone for Northlands College, but also offers opportunities for members of our communities across northern Saskatchewan to learn, grow, and excel in an area of Industry 4.0,” Northlands College President & CEO Karsten Henriksen said. “These initiatives represent our unwavering commitment to providing educators and learners with the resources, support, and innovative platforms needed to thrive in an ever-evolving Digital North landscape.
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