The Art Basel’s Miami Beach Art Show which showcases artists and galleries from around the world ended last week. The conference paved the way for a lot of organizations to unveil various Web3 applications with a few businesses also taking their chance to jump on the metaverse train. In this episode of our Web3 Roundup, we highlight some key events that took place last week.
Sony Enters Metaverse With Mocopi
Japanese electronics giant Sony has recently introduced Mocopi, a lightweight and portable motion-capturing device capable of controlling a digital avatar in real-time within metaverse applications such as VR Chat. Mocopi is set to disrupt our interaction with virtual reality as it provides a full-body experience in VR rather than the upper-body representation that headsets currently offer.
The kit consists of six brightly coloured and individually labelled button-like motion-tracking bands that can be placed on various body points such as your feet, wrists, head, and back. Each of these sensors is then connected through Bluetooth to an Android or iOS smartphone app to provide motion data to compatible services like Unity. This then records your motions and offers you a range of data points that you may utilize in YouTube films or social VR sites such as VRChat.
The Mocopi sensors have a diameter of 32mm (about 1.2 inches) and weigh only 8g, making them lighter than an Apple AirTag while being of the same size. At a price tag of about $358, this relatively affordable system is completely wireless, boasts up to 10 hours of battery life and can be fully charged in around 90 minutes via the USB-C charging case.
Animoca Brands Creates $2 Billion ‘Animoca Capital’ Metaverse Fund
Blockchain gaming group and metaverse developer giant, Animoca Brands is preparing to launch a $2 billion fund called “Animoca Capital” to invest in mid to late-stage firms with a metaverse emphasis. The fund and the exact amount accessible to developers are still being worked out. The funds are meant to address a more mature developing environment in the Web3/metaverse domain, allowing investors to seek capital efficiency while optimizing returns.
Animoca is not the only firm thinking about the future of Web3 gaming and the metaverse. Game7, a gaming-focused DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), has also announced the commencement of a grants program that will spend $100 million in various sectors of the Web3 gaming industry, including technology to assist programmers to speed up gaming production.
TIMEX Unveils Bespoke Watches for Ape Holders
In a premium partnership with the famous Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), TIMEX, a high—end watchmaker, has announced a collection of 500 1/1 timepiece watches that are only accessible to Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT holders. This comes after TIMEX recently referred to itself as the “timekeepers of the metaverse” when it created a unique and engaging experience in Fortnite®, one of the most popular video games in the world, allowing players to “Race Against TimeX.”
The project is ‘phygital’ in nature, as each watch will be accompanied by a digital replica NFT. The fundamental element of the watches will be the owners’ very own Bored Apes, which will sit on the face of each watch. Soon, owners will be able to further customize their watches by visiting the TIMEX website and picking the case, strap, and ‘etchings’ they like. The innovative watches are redeemed using Timepiece Forge Pass NFTs, which are on sale for 2 ETH apiece while the physical Bored Apes-inspired watches will begin arriving in the second quarter of 2023.
Opera Crypto Browser Set to Launch NFT Minting
After Opera launched the first Web3 browser, Crypto Browser in January 2022, the multi-platform Web3 browser is set to enable millions of users effortlessly upload content to a blockchain and produce NFTs as part of a new partnership with Alteon, a one-stop shop for content creators which has the goal of democratizing the creative process. The company focuses on streamlining creative operations by using partnerships and integrations with key creative tech firms such as Apple and Adobe. As such it has created the Alteon Launchpad, part of an ecosystem of world-class tools that are accessible to content creators of all backgrounds.
Thus, Crypto Browser users with little to no knowledge of Web3 or NFTs may use Alteon LaunchPad to drag and drop any media file into the browser, which will instantly build a basic smart contract and upload the content to a blockchain, converting NFTs into a media kind that anybody can explore and enjoy. Hopefully, this can help bridge the technological gap between conventional creatives and the Web3 creator economy, allowing anybody to benefit from the potential provided by blockchain technology.
Coca-Cola Partners Crypto.com to Release 10,000 Pieces of Magic NFTs
Coca-Cola, one of the world’s largest beverage corporations, is, in conjunction with Crypto.com, intending to immortalize the ongoing World Cup events on the blockchain through the release of 10,000 one-of-a-kind NFTs inspired by the ongoing FIFA World Cup event. The beverage brand, which has been an official sponsor of FIFA, said the NFTs, known as the ‘Piece of Magic,’ are part of its commitment to providing memorable moments to football fans throughout World Cup games. To accomplish this, Coca-Cola and Crypto.com collaborated with famous digital artist GMUNK, who was also responsible for the sci-fi style of Tron: Legacy and Oblivion.
Starbucks Launches Beta Test of Odyssey Program
Popular coffee maker, Starbucks has launched a beta test of its much-anticipated Odyssey program, which blends customer loyalty benefits with a non-fungible token (NFT) collection and other gamified components.
The company made the Web3 version of its Starbucks Rewards program available to a “limited set of waitlist members,” which included staff and customers, allowing them to participate in interactive “Journeys” that earn “Journey Stamps” in the form of Polygon-based NFTs. Users will also receive “Odyssey Points,” which will grant them access to new advantages and experiences in the future, such as virtual espresso martini-making workshops, unique events, and visits to Starbucks roasteries and coffee farms.
Atlanta Braves Open World’s First Metaverse Stadium
After a World Series-winning season, the Braves have, in collaboration with Major League Baseball and in partnership with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and Surreal Events, become the first North American sports franchise to open a digital version of their home to fans. The interactive ballpark in Atlanta, a Web3 representation of Truist Park, is the first of its type. It enables supporters to engage with one another, listen to speakers, watch videos, and feel like they are a part of the Braves fanbase even when they are unable to attend games in person.
The experience included sound that transported you to the park, with planes passing overhead from Hartsfield Airport, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” playing in the background, and animated gifs that allowed fans to engage with one other and speakers alike.
The digital ballpark is only the beginning of how creative sports franchises will be able to provide their fans with the most engaging encounters with players and the atmosphere of their home fields, particularly for those who are unable to attend the stadium in person.
Every week, the UhuruNFT team will be bringing you up to speed with a rundown of all the latest happening in the Web3 space, especially the NFT world. If you’d like to be a part of our growing community of digital art enthusiasts and lovers of black history, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Discord. We are joining hands to promote the advancement and adoption of Web3 technology in Africa while building a world that promotes black history and celebrates African excellence.
