The Voice Enters Metaverse, Zara Virtual Fashion Collection, US Chamber of Commerce Blasts SEC, Backs Coinbase

These are the stories that shape Web3.

Top Stories

• Zara: Fashion brand Zara has unveiled a 14-piece metaverse virtual fashion collection dubbed ‘Fairy Magic Idols’ on social mobile app Zepeto. Zara also announced a contest that allows users to don their avatars, take photos, and win prizes (AR).

• The Voice: Singing reality competition television series The Voice is launching ‘The Voice Studios,’ an interactive platform on the virtual world Decentraland that offers various experiences to fans, including auditioning for the show (NFTE). 

• Apollo: Private equity firm Apollo Global Management, one of the largest asset managers in the world, is a participant in the bid to acquire bankrupt cryptocurrency lending firm Celsius (CD).

• NFTs Are a Joke: Laugh Out Labs, a web3 company focused on humor, is set to debut its digital collectible project ‘NFTs Are a joke,’ which consists of joke cards featuring the stylings of renowned comedians Norman Towns, Ksenia, Clayton Farris, and many more (NFTG).

• Impact Wrestling: Pro wrestling company Impact has revealed plans to release its NFTs in June. The digital collectibles will initially include limited edition NFTs of former WWE wrestlers Santino Marella and Mickie James (WH).

Web3 Games

• Skyweaver: Trading card game (TCG) Skyweaver has announced round three of the Skyweaver Competitive League which will run on the 14 of March. The new challenge for this week will only allow Mono Prism decks to compete (TW).

• Rumble Kong League: NFT basketball game Rumble Kong League has introduced its RKL Community Brand Book, which aims to provide guidance and creative tools such as downloadable logos, color palettes, fonts, and images, among others (TW).

• Champions Arena: Gala Games’ Web3 role-playing game (RPG) Champions Arena’s Nexus and Estate Bundles has introduced ‘Legendary Loot,’ which includes the addition of Legendary Aura set for all classes, and a bonus Gem Box for the Estate bundle (TW).

• Nexon Co, the maker of Web2 titles such as Dungeon & Fighter and KartRider, is developing a blockchain-powered ecosystem based on its 2D side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game (RPG) MapleStory (TC).

• Goals: Swedish Web3 game developer Goals has released ‘GO,’ a pre-alpha version of its upcoming esports MMO game GOALS. The new offering allows gamers to join 5v5 contests that require outscoring opponents for eight minutes (BCG).

NFT News

• Artizen, a Web3-focused community fund for art, science, and public goods, has raised $2.2 million from entities such as Animoca Brands, Consensys Mesh, and Protocol Labs to help support creators produce their NFT projects (D).

• Kyushu Railway Company (aka JR Kyushu), part of Japan’s largest railway network Japan Railway Group, has launched a series of commemorative NFTs on the Japanese layer-1 (L1) blockchain protocol Astar Network (UT).

• Kresus, a non-custodial crypto and NFT wallet, has launched for iOS users. The Web3 mobile SuperApp offers total recoverability, multi-chain and multi-asset support, as well as the capability to mint and share five NFTs for free, among others (BW).

• OKX Wallet: Crypto exchange OKX’s wallet has introduced a new feature that will allow users to mint profile picture (PFP) NFTs on the app using artificial intelligence (AI). In celebration, OKX also kicked off its ‘AI Robot NFT Creative Contest’ (GNW).

• GCash: Mobile payments service GCash’s GCrypto NFT Hub is bringing to the global stage some of the best Filipino artists from iconic cartoonist Larry Alcala to next generation creatives such as Reen Barrera (BWO).

Into the Metaverse

• DatChat: Metaverse and social media company DatChat has launched the first version of Habytat, an open mobile metaverse that offers users deeded properties in Wynswood arts district-inspired residential area ‘Geniuz CIty’ (BW).

• Oldenburg Film Festival: Touted as “Germany’s Sundance,” indie film festival the Oldenburg Film Festival has teamed up with metaverse platform MILC and film critics’ site The Film Verdict to launch a metaverse version of the event as part of its upcoming 30th anniversary celebration (THR).

• BitNile/Ed Carpenter: Metaverse platform BitNile and Indianapolis-based racing team Ed Carpenter Racing have announced that driver Conor Daly’s Chevrolet will carry a new livery featuring the virtual world game’s logo at the upcoming Indianapolis 500 (GNW). 

• Meta: According to a recent study commissioned by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms, the metaverse could contribute as much as $760 billion by 2035 as the technology increases in usage in various sectors (R). 

Web3 Content Creators

• Brycent: Web3 content creator Brycent recently went on a “SorareNBA Scouting Trip” to watch the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat in game four of the National Basketball Association playoffs. 

• Cagy: Gaming YouTuber Cagy’s organization The Juice Team, in collaboration with NFT MMORPG ArcheWorld, has introduced an ‘NFT Community’ fund that comes with an initial $6,000 and exclusive lands.

• Spike: Web3 gaming expert Spike put the spotlight on several titles this week including Generative Dungeon, Citizen Conflict, MixMob, and The Sprawl.

• Stache: “Secret Agent” Stache is holding a “Protect the ‘Stache” event which features him and partner Kyroh of QU3ST face off against a team of six “variants” in Dr. Disrespect’s first-person shooter (FPS) game Midnight Society: Deadrop.

DeFi World

• Elysia: Real-world asset tokenization protocol Elysia has formed the ‘RWA Token Alliance’ with BKEX Labs, Galaxia Metaverse, and NEOPIN. The consortium aims to build a DeFi lending protocol based on real-world asset (RWA) tokenization (TT).

• MELD/Trader Joe: Avalanche-based platforms DeFi protocol MELD and decentralized exchange (DEX) Trader Joe has formed a partnership to launch a new liquidity pool on the latter’s v2 platform (TW).

• Chamber of Commerce: The United States Chamber of Commerce, the largest lobbying group in the country, recently lambasted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its approach to exchanges such as Kraken and Coinbase (TB).

• BlockFi: US bankruptcy court judge Michael Kaplan has stated that users of afflicted digital asset lender BlockFi’s custodial wallet can be refunded almost $300 million (TB).