Renowned sports brand Nike has teased the potential unveiling of a sneaker-themed non-fungible token (NFT) collection within the famous video game, Fortnite.
A June 16 announcement from Nike introduced the “ultimate Sneakerhunt,” set to kick off on June 20. This reveal was accompanied by a video showcasing both the Fortnite’s Air Max logo and Nike’s Web3 platform, termed .Swoosh.
The term “Airphoria” was also spotlighted in the video, suggesting it to be the moniker for the anticipated NFT-centric “sneakerhunt” game.
This promotional video quickly gained traction among the crypto enthusiasts on Twitter, with many from the community being the first to spot and highlight the .Swoosh emblem featured in the clip’s conclusion.
While concrete information remains sparse, there’s a buzz within the community suggesting Nike might have employed Fortnite Creative 2.0 for game development.
Fortnite Creative 2.0 offers a platform where users can craft game maps on virtual islands, incorporating assets directly from Fortnite.
Nike’s NFT division has been on the frontline, seeking alliances in the gaming arena, which includes potential integrations of NFTs within games orchestrated by EA Sports.
By venturing into the NFT gaming domain via Fortnite and possibly partnering with giants like EA Sports, Nike intends to merge the worlds of fashion, gaming, and blockchain. This could further bolster the mainstream embrace of Web3 technologies.
That said, the exact games set to feature Nike’s NFTs remain unspecified.
The fusion of NFTs with the gaming world is unlocking unprecedented avenues of engagement for both established brands and emerging web3 enterprises. Gamers are being drawn in with the allure of exclusive digital collectibles and captivating virtual experiences.
Nike’s .Swoosh platform has already made a considerable mark in this realm. Its inaugural sneaker-themed NFT collection raked in over $1 million within a mere two days in May. This impressive feat was achieved even in the face of initial technical snags during the rollout.
“We confronted an unexpected glitch that impeded the minting procedure, which in turn prevented further transactions,” the .Swoosh team commented in a tweet on the launch day for the sneaker NFTs. This statement suggests that, sans the issues, the revenue figures could have soared even higher.
Nike unveiled .Swoosh in November of the preceding year, indicating its ambition to release virtual attire like tees and shoes designed for digital avatars.
