THE METAVERSE is no longer an abstract concept believed to be several years away and February proved that.
The biggest bank in the US – JPMorgan – entered the metaverse, fashion giant Gucci purchased virtual land, Samsung launched the Galaxy S22 in Decentraland and Disney started hiring NFT experts.
Here’s what happened.
Disney started hiring NFT experts
Four jobs on Disney’s careers website mentioned NFTs in the job description.
The positions were: Director, Sales & Digital Marketing, Culture Trend Marketing Manager, Manager, Business Development, and ESPN Business Development & Innovation.
You can read more about jobs available in the metaverse HERE.
McDonald’s filed trademarks for virtual restaurants in the metaverse
McDonald’s filed ten trademark applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The trademark applications covered “virtual food and beverage products,” including NFTs “operating a virtual restaurant online featuring home delivery,” as well as trademarked events and entertainment services under the McDonald’s and McCafe brands for “online actual and virtual concerts.”
UFC’s Khabib Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway went head-to-head in the first metaverse fight
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway – who were meant to square off way back at UFC 223 – went head-to-head in the metaverse as part of the Legionfarm NFT launch.
You can read more HERE.
Samsung launched the Galaxy S22 in Decentraland
Samsung unveiled its new range of Galaxy S22 smartphones at its virtual store in Decentraland.
Over 100,000 users attended the “Samsung Unpacked 2022: The Epic Standard of Smartphone Experiences” event, making it one of Decentraland’s most visited destinations to date.
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Gucci bought land in The Sandbox
Gucci announced it had bought land in The Sandbox.
The fashion giant plans to create themed experiences inspired by its “Gucci Vault” platform, which lists items like Gucci-themed NFTs and vintage bags.
Shiba Inu announced metaverse plans
Shiba Inu will offer plots of virtual lands in a soon to be released metaverse.
The team behind Shiba Inu said in a blog post: “The metaverse is set to be one of the biggest areas within crypto for many to enjoy, using it as another great resource to offer crypto communities incentivisation, content, and regular royalties.”
Read more HERE.
JPMorgan launched in the metaverse
JPMorgan became the first bank to enter the metaverse.
The US’s largest bank opened a lounge in Decentraland.
The Onyx lounge (the name refers to the bank’s blockchain unit formed in 2020) is located at the Metajuku mall, a virtual version of Tokyo’s Harajuku shopping district.
JPMorgan also released a document which detailed how businesses can find opportunities in the metaverse.
Read more HERE.
L’Oreal is entering the metaverse
L’Oreal is venturing into the metaverse after filing trademarks on February 10.
The filings are in the names of L’Oreal’s subsidiaries including cosmetic and makeup company Kiehl’s.
The Kiehl’s filing includes rights to “non-downloadable virtual perfumery,” as well as “hair care preparations and cosmetic body care preparations in a virtual environment including a metaverse.”
Miller Lite opened a virtual bar
Miller Lite opened the first branded bar in Decentraland.
Manchester City FC started building the world’s first virtual football stadium
Manchester City started building the world’s first football stadium inside the metaverse with Sony.
It will allow fans from all over the world to enjoy watching games from the comfort of their own homes.
Read more HERE.
First property went up for sale in both real-world and metaverse
A mansion – on the market for £29million in Surrey, England – went up for sale in both the real-world and the metaverse.
Whoever buys the house will be offered first refusal on its digital blueprint in the form of an NFT.
The owner of the NFT will be able to download the house into a virtual world such as Decentraland or The Sandbox.
Read more HERE.
Dolce & Gabbana embraced the metaverse at Milan fashion week
On a giant screen, avatars wearing the new collection took a pixellated 3D strut towards the audience.
When the virtual models reached the catwalk, they disappeared and were replaced by real-life ones, who walked the runway.
Meta stock fell 20 per cent after Zuckerberg’s ‘metaverse’ lost more than $10billion in 2021
Meta’s shares plunged by 23 per cent after the company overspent on its metaverse project, leading to a decline in its fourth quarter earnings.
The fourth-quarter earnings report was the first time the company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, had shared the financial performance of the augmented and virtual reality part of the business.
The AR and VR division reported a net loss of $10.2billion for 2021 as a whole.
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