Building In The Bear: 10 Exciting NFT Projects You Should Know About
Web3 natives, aficionados, and fans will likely all agree that one thing has defined 2022: this bear market has been bleak!
None of us have been chatting excitedly about “going to the moon” in recent months – rather hanging on for dear life. But as NFT lovers and crypto watchers alike dream of an end to crypto winter, project founders and entrepreneurs have been building away in the background.
So what’s on the horizon? What are some upcoming NFT projects to keep an eye on?
Here are 10 exciting NFT projects you should know about.
1. Nfts For Good Causes: Turnout For Burnout!
Endaoment, a philanthropic DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), is partnering with public health nonprofit Sostento and generative NFT platform Art Blocks Engine to support frontline health care workers.
The collection of generative NFTs by digital artist Ryan Green reflect the theme of burnout. Proceeds of the charity auction will be donated to programs that reduce burnout among frontline health care workers who serve families living in poverty through Endaoment.
We love a good cause NFT – keep an eye out for the secondary sales on OpenSea.
2. World Cup Fever: Welcome To The “Messiverse”
Globally renowned soccer player Lionel Messi is teaming up with web3 studio Ethernal Labs to create a next-gen NFT and digital collectible experience. The commemorative collection launched November 27th 2022, exclusively on ethernity.io.
Fans of Messi can look forward to a groundbreaking NFT experience that celebrates his achievements across his career. The NFT experience will consist of digital artwork by leading artist Victor Mosquera, and five digital collectibles of Messi celebrating each of his appearances in global tournaments across his international career.
3. Preventing Climate Catastrophe: The NFT Fighting Media Narratives
PowerPlay, a Web3 renewable energy startup, is documenting iconoclasm – the act of destroying art for political means – in an NFT series. The collection depicts 1,000 beautiful and iconic landscape paintings defaced by generative splatters. NFTs of paintings include those by historical icons such as Monet, Van Gogh, and Ferdinand Hodler.
“The aim of the project is to highlight the irony of mainstream-media driven outrage at these protestors – who haven’t actually damaged the artwork – while the actual destruction of the natural world is happening around us,” said Aaron Hilton, founder of PowerPlay.
Proceeds will go towards a DAO-managed fund that supports the creation of climate-focused art in all forms.
4. Design New Virtual Worlds With Umetaworld
Umetaworld, the virtual world of augmented cities and places, has announced the launch of its NFT collection of rooms in its virtual replica of the real world. As part of the launch campaign, users can mint a room in the Umetaworld Metaverse, import it into the Umetaworld app, and then fully customize it.
Umetaworld is one of a new generation of projects bridging virtual and physical experiences, helping users create their own assets and monetize them through NFTs. It’s great for interacting and meeting people from around the world, and for anyone into a futuristic technology vibe.
5. Movie Mayhem: Warner Bros & Lord Of The Rings Go Web3 With The “WB Movieverse”
Warner Bros has announced its first significant foray into Web3. If you’re a LotR fan, you’ll want to get your hands on their this release, where fans can purchase the movies as multimedia NFTs.
There are two choices here: you can engage with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Version) through the “Mystery Edition” ($30) or the “Epic Edition” ($100). It’s the first major studio film release in NFT form – and we’re stoked to see where Warner Bros goes with it.
6. Jewelry Goes ‘Phygital’ – With A Sprinkle Of Magic
Ever wished for luxury real-life jewelry, backed by a unique NFT – with a Harry Potter theme? Incredibly, your dreams may have just come true in the form of an exciting collaboration between The Spot Room and Freeman Jewelry.
The Locket Golden Snitch Necklace will set you back a cool $18,500 – the piece holds a black diamond and opens with a secret, hidden mechanism, while the outer rim has “I open at the close” intricately hand-engraved across the top.
How does it work? Well, by incorporating an NFC tag (the certification associated with the physical product) into each jewelry piece. This links to an NFT connecting the physical product with the associated digital assets.
The benefits? Safe-guarding resale value, facilitating peer-to-peer secondary trading, and giving royalty to the creators. Oh, and you get an NFT along with your necklace.
7. World Cup Fever Take 2: Ronaldo Enters Web3
Okay, we’ve doubled up on the soccer theme in this list – but we’ve get a pass due to the World Cup, right?
It’s not just Messi getting in on the Web3 action – Christian Ronaldo has also launched his own NFT collection, exclusively on Binance. Fans can use a referral code to receive “a surprise when the collection drops”. There are incentives for getting in quickly, too – including a Cristiano Ronaldo Mystery Box for the first 1.5 million new Binance users to use the code.
The box is rumored to include limited-edition Ronaldo NFTs, with the full collection available early 2023.
8. Gaming x Blockchain x Blockbusters – Shrapnel Presents The Operators NFT Collection
One of the clearest use cases for NFTs is in gaming – and Shrapnel, developed by a BAFTA and Emmy Award–winning team of game industry veterans from HBO Interactive, is certainly one to keep an eye on.
The team is leveraging NFTs to give players true ownership of their creations of the game – maps, weapons, and skins, for example – all with the aim of rewarding and empower players and creators. We don’t know the exact details for the launch of the character-based Operators collection yet, but it’s one worth watching, particularly for comic book fans.
9. Nike Goes Full Web 3 With .Swoosh Launch
Following the success of their Cryptokicks project, Nike has launched a new Web3 initiative: .Swoosh (pronounced dot-swoosh).
Customers will be able to become co-creators of the digital apparel – and share subsequent royalties! Nike is also planning for some exciting real-world utility integration: certain holders will have access to exclusive physical apparel, opportunities to chat with professional athletes, and more.
The first NFT drop is scheduled to go live in January 2023. Eyes peeled!
10. NFT Art Legend Beeple Is Coming To Solana
Digital artist Mike Winklemann – otherwise known as Beeple (that artist who casually sold an NFT with Christie’s for $69 million, triggering the bull market back in 2021) – has announced he is bringing “immersive 3D NFTs” to the Solana blockchain.
While details are yet to be announced, this is big news from a certified NFT heavyweight. So what do we know? Well, users will be invited to create their own unique NFT with a Beeple Everyday – using a “random set of objects and time to create with”.
We can’t wait to hear more!
Featured image by Timisu on Pixabay
