Web3 Round Up 8-7-23

A roundup of activity in NFT, Metaverse, Gaming and AI

Brand Web3 Activity

Reebok Partners with VeeFriends on Physical Shoe

• VeeFriends continue their push out of the digital world and into retailer

• Most recently they teamed up with Reebok to launch a collaborative shoe showcasing the IP of the VeeFriend character “Aspiring Alpaca”

• The shoes themselves will be available on the Reebok e-commerce site as well as the VeeFriends website

• The shoes will retail for $99 and owners of the Aspiring Alpaca can claim a pair for free

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/aspiring-alpaca-comes-to-life-with-reebok-x-veefriends-classic-nylon/

Doodles Partners with Crocs for August Drop

• Information is limited but the drop will include: shoes, wearables, and jibbitz

• The collaboration will launch in August alongside a number of other Doodles activations / product drops

• Article links:

  • https://twitter.com/jholguin/status/1687564046541680640

Lacoste Launches a Digital Storefront

• Lacoste has launched a virtual storefront that allows users to explore the space, learn about product, and then directly buy the product from the moveable web space

• The experience has two rooms with a third ‘VIP’ room that is only accessible to Lacoste NFT holders

• The VIP room contains the UNDW3 apparel collection, which is a collection co-designed by the Lacoste NFT community and only offered to Lacoste NFT holders

• There is also an evolving scavenger hunt in the digital experience to keep holders engaged

  • Finding all the crocodiles each week earns consumers a variety of prizes

• Article links:

  • https://decrypt.co/150014/lacoste-new-virtual-store-exclusive-perks-ethereum-nft-holders

Ducati releases free NFT’s

• Ducati has teamed up with Ledger to release a free NFT on the XRP blockchain

• The NFT is a video that details Ducati’s logo changes from the company’s inception in 1946 to present day.

• Ducati has not revealed anything about their Web3 roadmap other than that by holding this NFT it will grant access to future releases

• Ducati is the latest among Lamborghini, Renault, Bugatti, DeLorean and many other automobile companies entering Web3

• Article Links:

  • https://nftevening.com/ride-into-the-future-with-ducatis-free-nfts-on-xrp-ledger/

Reddit Drops Generation 4 of their Avatar Collection

• Reddit continues to drop their highly popular avatars with Gen4 title “Retro Reimagined”

• The drop consists of 1.2 million new avatars and includes crossovers from Web3 native projects such as Cool Cats and AKU

• The collection varied in pricing with most avatars falling between a $10-$100 cost basis and living on the Polygon blockchain

• Like all their past drops, this was released on the polygon blockchain

• Interestingly, Reddit has minted over 18 million avatars to date but only 4 million avatars have actually left ‘web2’ to be traded on the secondary market

• Article Links:

  • https://cointelegraph.com/news/nft-reddit-prepares-to-drop-gen-4-collectible-avatars-on-polygon

  • https://twitter.com/s4mmyeth/status/1684591214346088450?s=46&t=_7pDgE5H9aTXqeaCBEEtYw

Native Web3

Yuga Labs acquires ROAR Studios

• Yuga Labs has acquired the metaverse startup company Roar Studios citing their expertise in proprietary AI technology and metaverse design as the primary reasons for the acquisition

• ROAR is known for hosting music experience in the metaverse and will likely bring those types of live experiences to Otherside

• Former Roar Studios CEO Eric Reid will join Yuga as GM of Otherside, the upcoming Bored Ape themed metaverse

• Article links:

  • https://decrypt.co/150757/yuga-labs-roar-studios-acquisition-ai

Americana Vault Services Partners with Opensea

• An obvious use case for NFTs is the tokenization of assets that are valuable but difficult to physically move: statues, sculptures, rare watches, art, collectible automobiles etc.

  • Despite the tech being simple enough, a lack of trustworthy actors in the space was a major roadblock

• Americana Vault is a vaulting and authenticating service that is backed by OpenSea and 776 Venture Firm that allows users to store any object ranging from a stamp to a car

• Once the item has been authenticated the user will be given an NFT that will allow the vaulted item to be displayed online, traded, or sold

• Users will be given profiles that reflect a collectors dashboard showing off all vaulted items

• When it comes to art, royalties for the original artists will be baked into the smart contract

• Article links:

  • https://decrypt.co/149673/americana-vault-physical-digital-blockchain

VeeFriends Collaborates with Squishmallow for Plush Offering

• In addition to Reebok, VeeFriends will be entering the physical world through a collaboration with Squishmallow

• Squishmallow will be creating four plush dolls from characters within the Veefriend IP

• The collaboration will only be available in limited quantities on the VeeFriend website

  • VeeFriend holders will be given early access to the drop.

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/save-the-date-veefriends-x-squishmallows-toy-collection-set-to-amaze-in-august-2023/

Yuga Labs Launches “Made by Apes”

• Yuga Labs allows for owners of their Bored Ape collection to profit from the IP of an owned ape

• Holders have created a number of businesses around their Apes such as:

  • Bored and Hungry, a Bored Ape themed burger restaurant in Long Beach

  • A number of cannabis businesses focused around specific apes

  • And even holder led NFT projects that build upon the lore of a specific Ape like Jenkins Valet

  • Other holders have even been able to snag lucrative licensing deals for their apes

• Now, Yuga has launched a platform to help users find and support Ape led businesses via the “Made by Apes” platform which allows users to register their Ape centric products

  • It also allows non holders to offer licensing agreements directly on the platform

• Article Links:

  • https://nftnow.com/news/yuga-labs-debuts-licensing-platform-for-ape-holders-projects/

MNTGE Injects the NFT space with a Fresh Phygitial Offering

• MNTGE is a collection of 7500 digital patches curated by 11 artists that can be redeemed for physical patches

• The patches leverage Ethereum’s ERC-6551 token which allows NFTs to hold other NFTs

• Each patch will come with an NFC chip that acts as the artists digital signature

• In the future, MNTGE will sell physical and digital denim jackets for their patch collections

  • The digital denim jacket will act as a wallet for the holder’s patch collections via the ERC-6551 token while the physical will come embedded with an NFC chip that interacts with the physical patches

• Article Links:

  • https://nftevening.com/from-digital-to-embroidery-explore-mntges-eclectic-patchwork-nfts/

  • https://decrypt.co/150357/fashion-brand-mntges-new-nfts-unlock-physical-patches-from-noted-artists

RENGA collaborates with the Haas F1team

• Popular NFT collection RENGA has teamed up with the Haas F1 team to release a new collection minting 8/1

• Owners will have access to IRL utility such as access to activations, virtual meet and greets and product like fire suits and replica helmets

• One lucky holder will have their name imprinted on the Hass F1 car

• The NFT artwork will also be constantly updating to displace race locations, among other information

• Article Links:

  • https://twitter.com/opensea/status/1684205939476275202?s=46&t=_7pDgE5H9aTXqeaCBEEtYw

AI News

OpenAI Shuts Down their AI Detection Tool

• OpenAI has shuttered its AI detection service

• The service was originally launched in January and was quickly adopted by educators to aide in combatting students using chatbots to complete assignments and essays

• A lack of accuracy and more competent chatbots OpenAI has chosen to end this service (but may roll it back out in the future)

• At time of writing, Open AI’s detection tool could only identify 26% of AI written content as AI, and misrepresented 9% of human writings as AI

• Article links

  • https://decrypt.co/149826/openai-quietly-shutters-its-ai-detection-tool

Netflix doubles down with AI centered hires

• Netflix is under fire for posting new AI centered job listings in the R&D labs and Machine Learnings division

• Netflix is looking to hire a technical director and an AI centered product manager with the salary ranging from $300-$900K annually

• These postings come as SAG and the WGA continue to strike (an AI being a major point in negotiation)

• While Netflix does not use AI to generate content yet, the company has been utilizing AI for a number of years in its recommendation algorithm as well as other subtle changes on the platform that are tailored to the user

• Article links:

  • https://decrypt.co/150210/netflix-pushes-ahead-with-ai-hiring-despite-industry-wide-strike

ChatGPT to be available for Android users

• Android users can now access Chat GPT through their mobile phones at any point as long the phone is connected to the internet

• This continues the trend of ChatGPT becoming more widely available across a variety of platforms. Recently Mercedes announced that all new vehicles would come with option of enabling ChatGPT

• https://decrypt.co/149622/openai-brings-chatgpt-to-android-as-ai-boom-continues

Metaverse / Gaming

Wreck League to Use YUGA IP

• Upcoming Web3 multiplayer game Wreck League has recently announced that four of Yuga Labs NFT collections will be enabled within the game

• Wreck League is a multiplayer fighting game with players designing their own fighting robots

• The robots are built with NFT based parts

  • The parts can be combined into 1.5 quadrillion unique robots allowing users complete customization of their character

• Owners of Yuga Labs collections, Bored Apes, Mutant Apes, Ape Kennel Club, and Kodas will be able to claim mech parts that are unique to the Yuga collections thus creating Yuga mechs within the game

• This marks a step forward for the decentralization of the Yuga IP as it is now finding use cases outside of the Yuga Labs ecosystem

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/wreck-league-by-nway-includes-yuga-labs-nfts/

Elvis Enters the Sandbox

• Sandbox continues to be the leading platform for Web2 collaborations, currently boasting over 400 partnerships

• The latest collaboration is with Elvis ‘The King’ in the form of an avatar mint

• The drop will consist of 3000 Elvis themed avatars boasting famous outfits and dance moves from Elvis’ career

• The avatars will cost $41 each and live on the Polygon blockchain

• Article Links:

  • https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elvis-presley-dances-metaverse-via-202143371.html

Amazon Prime Gaming Partners with NFT Enabled Game

• Mojo Melee is a game accessible through web browser and the Android app store and now also the Amazon Prime gaming portal

• Prime members are given a free exclusive in-game NFT which will double as a playable character and will receive an airdrop of in game currency

• This marks Amazons continued advancement into the Web3 world, easing their customers into the idea of owning and using digital collectibles

• It is worth noting that “digital collectible” is used on the platform in lieu of “NFT”

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/amazon-prime-gaming-partners-with-nft-game-mojo-melee/

Bandai Namco Enters Web3 Gaming

• The gaming giant behind legendary games such as Pac-Man and Tekken has officially entered Web 3 gaming with their latest offering RYUZO

• RYUZO is a take on the virtual pet experience popularized by games like Tamagotchis and Nintendogs

• However RYUZO is using AI and NFTs to put a spin onto this genre.

• RYUZO will see players taking care of an egg

  • Once the egg hatches it will actually be a soul bound token and tied to a player’s wallet forever

  • The AI component is less known as of now with Bandai promising that the AI features will help each creature develop unique personalities and connections with the player

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/bandai-namco-ventures-into-blockchain-gaming-with-ai-virtual-pet-nft-game/

Yuga Labs Showcases Otherside to Select Group of Holders

• Yuga Labs recently invaded the CBS backlot in Hollywood to showcase their upcoming metaverse “Otherside” to a select handful of holders and superfans

• The demo showed off Yuga Labs progress with this new platform with the most obvious being users now having the ability to play as the avatar of their Bored Ape

  • Past demos have had all users using the same uniform avatar

• The demo allowed users to explore iconic Bored Ape imagery such as the clubhouse and the swamp which has been featured in their promotional material

• The event eventually culminated in a sneak peak of their upcoming game “Legends of Mara”

• Article links:

  • https://decrypt.co/150415/bored-apes-take-center-stage-exclusive-otherside-game-test

British Museum expands with digital space in Sandbox

• The British Museum is entering the Metaverse with a curated space on the Sandbox platform

• The goal is to show of the vast collection of the British Museum

• Whether this offering will be in the classic Sandbox Voxel style or something closer to reality remains to be seen

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/the-british-museum-expands-to-the-metaverse-with-the-sandbox/

Crypto

Suko Allows Users to Mint Directly on Twitter

• Suko is a company that is focusing on innovating in the crypto wallet space with their goal primarily being to allow users to send and receive cryptocurrencies through their social media accounts

• Suko recently teamed up with Polygon to make this reality

• Users simply had to tweet and tag both Suko and Polygon

  • After posting users were directed to the Suko site and were able to log in with their Twitter handle to gain custody of their free NFT

• Over 48,000 Suko accounts were created to claim the free NFT within a 48 hour time frame

• Article links:

  • https://www.coindesk.com/web3/2023/07/27/suku-may-beat-musk-to-crypto-twitter-payment-adoption/

GameStop Shutters Crypto Wallet Extension

• After just one year of service GameStop has announced it will be closing down its digital wallet

  • Customers will have until October to move assets out of the wallet

  • GameStop has sited uncertain regulatory conditions in America as the primary reason they are shuttering their wallet program

• Interestingly, reports make no mention of the GameStop NFT marketplace that launched in conjunction with the GameStop digital wallet and is still working as intended

• Article links:

  • https://nftevening.com/gamestop-removes-crypto-browser-extension-wallet-what-does-this-mean-for-the-nft-marketplace/

  • https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/08/01/gamestop-to-suspend-crypto-wallets-due-to-regulatory-uncertainty/