What happened this week in the metaverse? April 11-17

COMING to you every Sunday, 24/7 Crypto will help you keep track of every single important news story that happened this week in the metaverse.

Meta announce plans to enable creators to sell virtual items

Meta is starting to roll out the first stages of a new digital economy that will enable creators to make money from trading virtual items and effects in Horizon Worlds.

Horizon’s product marketing director, Meaghan Fitzgerald, said creators will be able to buy and sell anything from virtual accessories to access to their private part of the metaverse.

US participants in the pilot will be able to earn money thanks to a $10 million fund set up by Meta to incentivise creators.

Meta will take 47.5 per cent of all transactions.

That includes a “hardware platform fee” of 30 per cent for sales made through the Meta Quest Store and a 17.5 per cent fee from Horizon Worlds.

Apple to enter metaverse in 2023

Apple looks set to enter the metaverse in 2023.

According to analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities, Apple’s AR headset will be released in the first quarter of 2023.

Pu said the company expect to sell between 1 and 1.5 million units of the new headset in just the first year of it being on the market.

Read more HERE


Sign up to get our weekly cryptocurrency, NFT and metaverse news round-ups direct to your inbox


Video game giant announce plans to enter the metaverse

Video game firm Sega has revealed a 5-year plan to create ‘Super Game’ – an interconnected framework of AAA titles that will incorporate Web3 technologies such as NFTs.

Sega producer Masayoshi Kikuchi said: “It is a natural extension for the future of gaming that it will expand to involve new areas such as cloud gaming and NFTs.”

Kikuchi hinted ‘Super Game’ could lead to a metaverse initiative where different games are interconnected with each other.

He added: “We are also developing Super Game from the perspective of how far different games can be connected to each other.”

A number of titles are being developed within the ‘Super Game’ framework, and “there is no doubt that they will be interactive titles that go beyond the traditional framework of games.”

Fortnite creator Epic Games raises $2 billion to create metaverse

Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, announced its raised $2 billion in funding – with plans to “build the metaverse.”

CEO Tim Sweeney said: “This investment will accelerate our work to build the metaverse and create spaces where players can have fun with friends, brands can build creative and immersive experiences, and creators can build a community and thrive.”

Brokerage firm Fidelity launch ETF for the metaverse

Brokerage firm Fidelity has launched two new ETFs to track the cryptocurrency and metaverse industry.

Fidelity join BlackRock and Charles Schwab in looking for ways to offer clients exposure to Web3.

Greg Friedman, Fidelity’s head of ETF management and strategy, said: “We continue to see demand, particularly from young investors, for access to the rapidly growing industries in the digital ecosystem, and these two thematic ETFs offer investors exposure in a familiar investment vehicle.”

Absolut Vodka launch Coachella inspired pop-up in Decentraland

Absolut Vodka has launched Absolut.Land, a Coachella inspired pop-up experience in Decentraland.

Absolut.Land will see art, fashion, music and cocktails bring people together in-person and online.

Absolut will also have a physical tent at Coachella designed to match the one you’ll find in Absolut.Land.

Absolut said it’s paying “homage to its one-source Swedish heritage” by partnering with Coachella headliner Swedish House Mafia for the launch of Absolut.Land.

The group’s latest album, Paradise Again which dropped on April 15, “will be played on a custom jukebox within Absolut.Land.”

Absolut said virtual festival-goers will have access to a variety of experiences within Absolut.Land, including an “anti-gravity dance floor,” “selfie room,” and “PRIDE tunnel” – described as an “all-out rave paying homage to Absolut’s longtime involvement within and in support of the LGBTQ+ community.”

The brand has also partnered with Susan Alexandra to offer fans the chance to win virtual wearables from the “Susan Alexandra for Absolut Collection.”

French retail giant Carrefour launches supermarket in The Sandbox

French retail giant Carrefour has launched a supermarket and NFT collection in The Sandbox.

On May 7, the retailer will release 15 unique “NFBEE” designs of varying rarity.

The money raised by the sale will be donated to the BEEFUND of the NGO Fondation de France.

As well as the NFBEE collection Carrefour will also build its own enclosure in The Sandbox and will create a bee-themed experience for the fourth season of Sandbox Alpha.

Emirates airline set to launch NFT collection and enter the metaverse

Emirates airline is working with industry partners to develop projects focused on the metaverse, NFT and Web3.

Emirates Airline CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed said: “Dubai and the UAE are leading the way in the digital economy, with a clear vision in areas such as NFTs, artificial intelligence and data protection.

“Emirates Airline will develop products and services using advanced technologies that will generate revenue, brand experience and business efficiency,”

The first phase of the project is scheduled to be launched in the coming months.

LOST launches first-ever Escape Room in the metaverse

LOST, Hong Kong’s real-life escape game company, is launching a new Escape Room in the metaverse.

It will launch on May 15 and players will be able to earn rewards in the game.

Players will navigate through a series of puzzles, just like in real-life escape rooms, to find their way out.

Every time they unlock a treasure box, they move closer to freedom.

The rooms are inspired by historical and fictional events as well as myths from around the globe.

NBA file trademarks for the metaverse

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has filed a patent application for a list of items it wants to make into “virtual consumer merchandise.”

A total of 37 items could become NFTs including game tickets, collectibles and player autographs.