Assassin’s Creed, one of Ubisoft’s most popular gaming franchises, has announced a series of customizable “smart collectibles” featuring both digital and physical components. The collectibles, which are set to drop on May 16, consist of a transparent 3D-printed cube with a character figure inside, along with a Polygon-based NFT called a “Digital Soul” that provides proof of ownership. Fans of the series can purchase a Digital Soul NFT, which comes in two tiers of rarity, and then customize their character with different poses, outfits, and weapons to have the final product shipped to their door.
The “smart” aspect of the collectibles comes via an embedded near-field communication (NFC) chip placed on the 3D cube and an IRL companion app. Upon scanning or tapping the physical collectibles, users can access the app to complete achievements and earn various “items, recipes, loot boxes” and other utilities. The collection is part of a broader project in partnership with Integral Reality Labs, described as a “co-reality platform.” This platform will soon have a marketplace to trade Assassin’s Creed collectibles, and it is also set to host the sale of the “Pieces of Eden Pass” NFTs, which offer access to exclusive perks and experiences.
While the gaming industry embraces the potential of NFTs, not all projects have been successful. Solana-based NFT game MechaFightClub has announced that it will be ‘indefinitely pausing’ due to the lack of regulatory clarity in the U.S. The game, which revolved around NFT and AI-based fighting robot chickens, cited concerns with launching a blockchain-based in-game economy in the current regulatory climate. As part of the shutting down process, MechaFightClub will start buying back the NFTs it sold for 18 Solana (SOL) from May 15.
In other news, Yuga Labs’ new CEO Daniel Alegre recently purchased Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT #3575 for 50 Ether (ETH), well above the floor price at the time. This move indicates a strong show of faith from the CEO in Yuga Lab’s major project. Pudgy Penguins, a blue-chip NFT project, has closed a $9 million seed funding round led by early-stage investment firm 1kx, which will be used to scale the project’s intellectual property and expand its offerings within its community and ecosystem.
As the NFT market continues to evolve, new applications and use cases are emerging. South Korean tech company LG Electronics has filed a patent application for a blockchain-based Smart TV that allows users to trade NFTs. American business magnate Elon Musk recently tweeted a meme created using imagery from the Milady NFT collection, causing the floor price of Milady NFTs to spike significantly. With growing interest and investment in the space, the potential for NFTs to transform industries and user experiences is becoming more apparent.
Source: Cointelegraph
