Assassin’s Creed introduces customizable “smart collectibles” with physical and digital components
Ubisoft’s popular gaming franchise, Assassin’s Creed, has announced the release of a series of “smart collectibles” that come with both physical and digital components. Set to launch on May 16, the collectibles include a transparent 3D-printed cube with a character figure inside and a nonfungible token (NFT) called a “Digital Soul” that verifies ownership. To customize their character, fans need to purchase a Digital Soul NFT, available in two tiers of rarity. The collectibles come embedded with near-field communication (NFC) chips and a companion app. Upon scanning or tapping the physical collectibles, users can access the app to complete achievements and earn rewards such as loot boxes, recipes, and items.
MechaFightClub shuts down due to regulatory uncertainty in the US
Irreverent Labs’ Solana-based NFT game, MechaFightClub, has announced that it will be “indefinitely pausing” its operations due to regulatory uncertainty in the US. The project, which was centered around AI-based fighting robot chickens, cited concerns about launching a blockchain-based in-game economy under the current regulatory climate. As part of the process, MechaFightClub will start buying back the NFTs it sold to the community from May 15.
Yuga Labs’ CEO buys Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT above floor price
Yuga Labs’ new CEO Daniel Alegre has bought Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT #3575 for 50 Ether ($90,000) on May 10. The purchase price was above the floor price of $78,000 at the time or 44 ETH. Alegre, who joined the firm on April 1, is the former president and COO of gaming firm Activision Blizzard. The move highlights Alegre’s faith in Yuga Lab’s major project, as the BAYC floor price declined from 75 ETH to 44.5 ETH over the past 90 days.
Pudgy Penguins raises $9 million in seed funding
After signing a representation deal with WME, NFT project Pudgy Penguins has raised $9 million in seed funding. Early-stage investment firm 1kx led the round, with participation from Big Brain Holdings, Kronos Research, and Founders of LayerZero Labs, among others. The funds will be used to scale the project’s intellectual property and expand its offerings within its community and ecosystem.
LG Electronics files patent application for blockchain-based smart TV that supports NFT trading
South Korean tech company LG Electronics has filed a patent application for a blockchain-based smart TV that supports NFT trading. The patent application suggests that LG plans to develop a new TV model that enables users to trade NFTs and other digital assets directly on the device.
Elon Musk tweets a meme using Milady NFT collection imagery
On May 10, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted a meme created using imagery from the Milady NFT collection. Shortly after his tweet, the floor price of Milady NFTs spiked from 3.8 ETH to as high as 7.3 ETH, before settling down to 5.69 ETH apiece at the time of publication.