Snapchat will test NFT showcasing feature
Snapchat is working on a new feature that will allow users to use non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as filters through AR lenses, the Financial Times reports.
Creators will be able to transform their NFTs into AR filters, available on the platform. The feature is planned to be implemented in August but will only be available to a selected group of users first.
OpenSea lays off 20% of employees following ‘incredibly sad and difficult decision’
One of the biggest NFT marketplaces, OpenSea, has laid off 20% of their workforce due to an “unprecedented combination of crypto winter and broad macroeconomic instability” and because it needs to get ready for a potential “prolonged downturn.”
Today is a hard day for OpenSea, as we’re letting go of ~20% of our team. Here’s the note I shared with our team earlier this morning: pic.twitter.com/E5k6gIegH7
— Devin Finzer (dfinzer.eth) (@dfinzer) July 14, 2022
The company’s co-founder and CEO, Devin Finzer, promised (in a shared Slack message on Twitter) to provide severance packages and medical insurance by 2023 to the employees who are being let go.
KIA launches NFT campaign in the US
A car manufacturer KIA has launched an NFT campaign called “Built for Whoever You Are” in the US. The goal of the NFTs is to “highlight the individuality” of Kia Soul’s 2023 model. The campaign features a 30-second commercial and incorporates a unique QR code, which viewers can scan and get one of the 10,100 items.
Tony Hawk and The Sandbox are creating skatepark in the metaverse
A famous skateboarder Tony Hawk partnered with a virtual world platform, The Sandbox, to build the “largest virtual skatepark ever made.” The skatepark called “Tony Hawk LAND” will have 36 plots of land, providing a web3 experience for skaters and gamers.
“I have been a fan of new technology all of my life – from the first videogames and home computers with CGI capabilities – so I am fascinated by the metaverse, and excited to bring our culture into the virtual landscape of The Sandbox,” Tony Hawk commented on the partnership.
Coming soon to The Sandbox: alongside @Autograph, I’m helping to create the biggest skatepark in the #metaverse. Stay tuned for updates. pic.twitter.com/0R2ODsR4qt
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) July 13, 2022
The collaboration will also feature Tony Hawk-inspired NFTs and avatars, as well as his most iconic skateboards, gear, and clothing.
Important reads
A DAO for Diseases: How Vibe Bio plans to retool biotech funding – by CoinDesk
How online gaming firm Improbable is helping Yuga Labs build its metaverse – by The Block
Why we need to build Web3 differently – by CoinDesk
