📝#92: NFTs Out, Gaming In
Hey, it’s Marc ✌️
This week, the US Fed cut interest rates by 0.5%, which is potentially a big catalyst for crypto. We’ll give you the full analysis on Tuesday. Today we will cover:
Consumer: Nike and Puma double-down on gaming. Solana’s new phone hits 140k preorders. Forbes launches Web3 loyalty platform. Aura Blockchain hits 50M products.
Gaming: NFL's Roblox touchdown. News from 2024 Roblox Developers Conference.
Let’s dive in 🦈
⏱️ Read time: 3min
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📚 Our Top Reads
Namaste in the Metaverse🧘: Alo Yoga's Bold Bet on Digital Engagement. By Marc & Sangam. Link
Brands are getting smarter: The rise of performance marketing in virtual worlds. By Charles Hambro. Link
Game’s not over yet. Web3 Gaming Q2 2024. By Colleen Sullivan. Link
Virtual Commerce To IRL: Why NARS’ 360 Approach Is A Retail Benchmark. By Forbes. Link
Web3 is AI, not crypto. By Hugo Amsellem. Link
Boson Protocol – Real Web3 Commerce, with Web2 UX
As the next bull market emerges, so does a new crypto-rich, Web3-savvy demographic, who are demanding authentic Web3 commerce experiences. Uniquely, with Boson, you can sell physical things as NFTs, with a slick Web2 experience while running on a fully decentralized Web3 backend. No more Web3 washing is required!
✨ Web3 & Consumer
Nike ditches NFTs, doubles down on gaming💥
Nike's .SWOOSH is shifting focus from NFTs to gaming, partnering with top gaming platforms to offer in-game wearables and exclusive Nike products.
Starting with a TEKKEN 8 tournament, it will now serve as the hub for all Nike gaming experiences and events.
Why it matters: This marks the end of an era for brand-led NFT experiments.
By the numbers: 389,568 SWOOSH IDs have been minted on Polygon since November 2022.
But wait: Nike laid off 1,600 employees (2% of workforce) in its recent restructuring earlier this year. Including parts of the Nike Virtual Studios team, responsible for .SWOOSH.
Why?
NFTs in their current form didn’t deliver. Nike’s NFT experiment brought in just $3M. A drop in the bucket compared to their $50B in 2023 revenue.
And consumer engagement wasn’t there.
Zoom out: Nike's move reflects a broader trend of brands reassessing their digital engagement strategies in pursuit of ROI and engagement.
Punchline: Instead of NFTs, Nike will go deeper with their gaming partners to build gaming experiences & in-game wearables.
Full story below👇
Discuss in our chat here:
More Web3 Highlights:
Puma has partnered with the Web3 mobile game UNKJD Soccer, integrating Puma-licensed content and characters. The brand aims to expand its presence in Web3 gaming, following its metaverse launch earlier this year. Link
Solana unveils second-gen Seeker smartphone with 140,000 pre-orders, $70M revenue, shipping in 2025. Link
The Aura Blockchain Consortium has registered over 50M luxury products, marking rapid growth in blockchain adoption for traceability and authenticity in high-end goods. Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are driving this shift, soon to be mandated by the EU’s upcoming sustainability regulations. Link
Forbes Web3 is teaming up with qiibee foundation to launch a blockchain-powered loyalty platform, enhancing how Web3 communities earn and redeem rewards. The new system will offer diverse options like gift cards, charity donations, and airline miles. Link
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🎮 Brands & Gaming
NFL's Roblox Touchdown: Is Virtual Football the Future? 🏈🎮
The NFL and Voldex are partnering to launch NFL Universe Football on Roblox.
Voldex’s Ultimate Football has transformed into NFL Universe Football, complete with all 32 NFL teams, official uniforms, game modes, and iconic stadiums.
The game debuted on September 13 with regular updates and exclusive content including new challenges, and NFL-themed events.
Why it matters: The NFL is making a big play to engage younger audiences by expanding its presence on Roblox, the platform with 79.5M daily active users—primarily Gen Z and Gen Alpha. With sports participation among youth declining, the NFL is using NFL Universe Football to build fan loyalty early and offer immersive, interactive experiences in the virtual world.
Zooming in: Voldex acquired Roblox's Ultimate Football in April 2024, noticing its rapid growth with 150M+ visits in six months since its inception. With this licensing deal, the game offers a fully customizable NFL experience, where players can earn and showcase exclusive team gear, creating engagement during the NFL season.
By the numbers: NFL Universe Football has 263M+ views on Roblox which is 12X more than Super NFL Tycoon, the official NFL experience. Roblox has approximately 79.5M DAUs, predominantly from Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
In 2022, 53.8% of children aged 6 to 17 participated in sports or lessons, down from 58.4% in 2017.
In 2021, high school football had 974K boys playing, the lowest since 1997, down from over 1.1M in 2008.
Be smart: The NFL is betting hard on Roblox with its experiences including Super NFL Tycoon and SpongeBob SquarePants-themed Super Bowl experience. By establishing a presence on Roblox, the NFL is catering to younger audiences.
Stepping back: Voldex's past acquisitions, like Driving Empire, saw an 80% player surge after the acquisition. Recently, it won Best Collaboration at the 2024 Roblox Innovation Awards for its successful Audi partnership.
What they’re saying:
“We know from search data that Roblox users are looking for sports content - particularly football. Sports fandom is rooted in community, which is a big part of shared experiences on Roblox already.
Lisa Willett, Head of sports partnerships at Roblox
The Big Picture: Partnerships with brands like the NFL are driving new revenue streams—through in-game purchases, virtual merchandise, and e-commerce opportunities via its Shopify collaboration. Roblox is positioning itself as a platform for interactive, immersive experiences that go beyond play.
More Web3 Highlights:
At the 2024 Roblox Developers Conference, the platform highlighted its growing focus on e-commerce and advertising. Roblox partnered with Shopify to allow creators and brands to sell physical products directly within its virtual worlds. Expanded video ad options and an updated Partner Program aim to attract more brands to the platform. Link
Pixelverse has launched a closed beta for its new MMORPG, integrating TON micro transactions beyond Telegram for the first time. Link
That’s all for now, folks.
The next edition on crypto, macro & AI will follow on Tuesday.
⭐️ Job opportunity: We're looking for a hyper-curious Research Analyst focusing on consumer Web3 (blockchain, AI, gaming, digital assets, data & more) for brands.
Talk soon,
– Marc & Team
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