NEAR Foundation is thrilled to announce a new strategic partnership with Hibiki Run, a platform lying at the nexus of innovation in music streaming and digital collectibles. Hibiki Run is revolutionizing music discovery by melding gaming thrills with crypto-driven Listen-to-Earn (L2E) incentives.
Together, NEAR Foundation and Hibiki Run will explore innovative paths for creating engagement between Web3 content creators and end users. With the Japanese “Gachapon” vending machine capsule toys as a model, the collaboration will meld NEAR’s cutting-edge blockchain technology with Hibiki Run’s expertise in digital music, art, and exercise, new opportunities in each vertical for creation, distribution, and ownership.
Bringing a ‘Digital Gachapon’ economy to the open web
With “Digital Gachapon”, NEAR and Hibiki Run will bring a powerful economic tool to creators. When interacting with a Japanese Gachapon, layers insert coins into the machine, turn the knob, and receive a capsule with a random item.
Hibiki Run has innovatively digitized this exciting concept, integrating it with blockchain technology. In the digital Gachapon system, users utilize their tokens to receive digital items such as NFTs or unique digital assets — anything from exclusive music tracks, collectible art pieces, and rare gaming items, to access tokens for specific events or experiences.
The digital Gachapon’s strength lies in its element of surprise and the potential for rare, high-value rewards — transforming the token expenditure into an exciting event while providing a way for creators to distribute their content in a fun and engaging manner.
Hibiki Run and NEAR hope that with these types of innovative concepts, blockchain technology, and user-friendly interfaces, a new frontier of digital arts will open up. One that is interactive and immersive for creators and consumers alike. Like NEAR, Hibiki Run is committed to creating a decentralized, fair, and accessible ecosystem for artists.
Škoda India, in collaboration with NEAR Protocol, announces its foray into the world of NFTs and blockchain technology with Škodaverse India. This new platform forms a part of the global Škodaverse initiative and will bring a fresh wave of digital innovation to Škoda automobile fans in India.
Škoda, one of Europe’s biggest car manufacturers headquartered in the Czech Republic, is quickly becoming one of the most forward-thinking industry brands in Web3 and the metaverse. Late last year, the company announced its global Škodaverse initiative, integrating virtual test drives and NFTs into an immersive environment.
And now the Škodaverse is coming to the Indian market, powered by the NEAR Protocol, that will enable Škoda fans to buy, trade, and engage with NFTs in Web3. It’s a crucial step in the brand’s journey towards building a tight-knit community of Škoda loyalists, offering a space for fans to connect, co-create, and establish long-term relationships with the brand.
Steering Škoda fans towards NFTs with NEAR
Mr. Christian Cahn von Seelen – Executive Director of Sales, Marketing, and Digital, Škoda at Auto Volkswagen India – expressed excitement at the unveiling of the Škodaverse India NFT platform. He envisions it as a dynamic hub for connection and creativity, exemplifying Škoda’s commitment to its customers and fans in India. The Škodaverse India will offer unique and immersive experiences to a rapidly growing market.
“Škodaverse India signifies the brand’s leap into uncharted digital territory,” said von Seelen. It’s not just about creating extraordinary digital assets, it’s about forging deep connections with a community that shares an unwavering passion for the brand and its initiatives in India. It also showcases our commitment to sustainability and innovation, through leveraging carbon-neutral blockchain technology that enables secure, transparent, and decentralized transactions.”
Škodaverse India is designing its metaverse platform to be exciting and engaging for Škoda enthusiasts of all demographics, whether they’re familiar with blockchain technology or not. Whether it’s an image, video, sound, or ticket, each NFT collection released on the Škodaverse India platform will be curated to create memorable driving experiences
The first NFT collection, honoring sustainability, will be created on NEAR Protocol. As a South Pole-certified, carbon-neutral blockchain, NEAR’s eco-first philosophy aligns seamlessly with Škoda India’s sustainability efforts.
Driving Škoda India’s Web3 Strategy into the future
As part of the brand’s intensified Web3 strategy, Škoda Auto India is collaborating with Antier, a leading blockchain consulting firm, to foster the creation and minting of innovative NFTs. Each NFT collection released on the Škodaverse India platform will be thoughtfully curated to represent memorable driving experiences.
These unique collectibles will unlock exclusive experiences, strengthening the bond between Škodaverse and its community of users. The Škodaverse India platform also ensures users stay updated with the latest in the creation and sale of NFTs. Users can sign in, create, and maintain their profiles, and monitor for updates via Škodaverse India’s Discord, Telegram, and Twitter.
With the launch of Škodaverse India, Škoda Auto India embraces blockchain technology, signaling a significant move towards Web3 applications. Powered by NEAR Protocol, Škodaverse India will offer engaging, community-building experiences, further solidifying Škoda’s position as a forward-thinking automobile brand in Web3 and the metaverse.
NEAR Foundation is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with MARBLEX, a blockchain subsidiary of Netmarble Corp, that will help expand Korea’s Web3 gaming industry. MARBLEX will build on Aurora, NEAR’s Ethereum-compatible layer, for maximum scalability and blockchain gaming accessibility to onboard more players to Web3.
Under the new partnership facilitated by the NEAR Korea Hub, NEAR Foundation and MARBLEX plan to achieve mutual growth by linking the NEAR blockchain and Aurora with WARP Bridge to enable interactive collaboration, promote global joint marketing events, and enhance brand awareness.
Through WARP Bridge, competitive and casual gamers alike will now be able to enjoy a variety of games and exclusive content through NEAR’s Blockchain Operating System (BOS). The BOS leverages the NEAR Protocol’s fast transaction speeds as well as effortless scalability and onboarding (via FastAuth) to make the onboarding experience as easy as possible for the masses.
MARBLEX: a developer and publisher of mobile games
A Web3 gaming giant constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, MARBLEX is a well-established developer and publisher of mobile games with more than 6,000 experts from across the globe. MARBLEX’s goal is to bring the highest quality Web3 games to market by providing key services such as a cryptocurrency wallet, decentralized exchange, token staking, and an NFT Marketplace.
“We expect NEAR’s core narrative to play a pivotal role in bolstering the overall MBX 3.0 ecosystem,” said Junki Moon, Business Division Director of MARBLEX added. “Through the collaborative integration of the NEAR Foundation’s extensive technical expertise with the content prowess of the MBX ecosystem, we will maintain our position as pioneers in the ever-evolving landscape of the global blockchain trends.”
Robbie Lim, GM of Business Development at NEAR Foundation, added: “This collaboration with MARBLEX will be an important milestone in promoting various use cases based on BOS (Blockchain Operating System). We will continuously advance the gaming ecosystem of NEAR Protocol as well as attract numerous users to enter the Web3 scene by onboarding high-quality MBX content.”
NEAR Korea Hub, which oversees business development in Korea and Asia, played a key role in this strategic partnership. The Hub also sees the partnership as breaking a barrier to Web3 entry for mobile gamers.
“NEAR Protocol provides a user experience similar to Web2 using Fast Auth account abstraction feature, greatly lowering the initial entry barrier to Web3,” said a spokesperson from NEAR Korea Hub. “We will continue to strongly partner with excellent domestic companies such as MARBLEX to implement a user-centered ecosystem where users can easily enjoy all services.”
The ever-expanding gaming landscape faces significant challenges such as engagement and identity fragmentation. As fans navigate platforms like Twitch, Discord, and YouTube, brands and creators struggle to monetize their fan bases effectively. This is where ARterra Labs steps in — a company on a mission to revolutionize fan engagement and unlock Web3 fandom for the gaming industry.
ARterra Labs aims to transform fan engagement in gaming by integrating its innovative Web3 solutions into existing Web2 ecosystems. Bridging the gap between platforms and simplifying monetization, ARterra Labs is set to attract millions of gamers through strategic partnerships and an ambitious plan to onboard over 5 million users, positioning itself as a game-changer in the industry.
As ARterra Labs redefines gaming engagement, the NEAR Foundation’s blockchain technology will play a crucial role, powering ARterra’s innovative solutions such as the credential-based fan passport and the Battle Pass system.
How ARterra’s Battle Pass is energizing Web3 gaming
ARterra Labs deploys three distinct products aimed at transforming the gaming landscape. With a credential-based fan passport, they offer a secure platform for fans to exhibit their unique identities and interests.
In addition, they introduce metaverse experiences, allowing fans to interact, engage, and form deeper bonds with their favorite franchises. Completing the trifecta is the Battle Pass system, a tiered reward structure that gamifies fan engagement, incentivizing both participation and loyalty.
ARterra Labs’ metaverse experiences immerse fans in virtual worlds where they can interact, engage, and connect with their favorite franchises. And the Battle Pass system gamifies fan engagement with a tiered reward system, incentivizing participation and loyalty.
Central to ARterra’s strategy, the Battle Pass is a reward system on the NEAR blockchain, connecting to other chains via the BOS and LayerZero. It propels NFT liquidity within the NEAR ecosystem and unites gaming communities across networks. By rewarding active engagement, Battle Pass bolsters user loyalty and underscores NEAR’s role in settling cross-chain gaming transactions.
Together, these three products serve as the foundation for ARterra Labs’ Experience Hub — an open-source marketplace that enables the creation of User-Generated Content (UGC) experiences for distribution to their extensive network. ARterra’s User-Generated Content (UGC) — primarily enabled through Fortnite’s Creative mode — serves as another cornerstone to its success, already captivating over 46 million gamers and maintaining a steady base of 500,000 monthly players.
User experience and seamless onboarding play a critical role in ushering these gamers into the Web3 ecosystem. Key alliances with industry leaders like Complexity Gaming and GRID Esports’ Champion of Champions Tournament (CCT) further reinforce ARterra’s prominence.
ARterra’s market strategy is twofold. Initially, it centers on activating Web3 fandom, using user-generated content effectively, and fostering unity in the gaming community. The second focus involves collaborating with premier Web3 gaming entities, offering gamer incentives, and constantly refining these tactics with data insights.
Reshaping gaming for an open web
Blending NEAR’s fast and scalable blockchain with ARterra’s innovative approach to gaming, the partnership is set to bring about radical improvements to the Web3 gaming experience. ARterra’s unique tools like the Discord-native tournament platform and the Battle Pass will foster enhanced interactions between gamers, developers, and brands.
The alliance, cemented by a 12-month agreement that’s extendable indefinitely, emphasizes the faith NEAR Foundation is placing in ARterra’s potential. This cooperative venture bolsters NEAR’s position as the gaming fandom’s settlement layer across multiple chains while also ensuring priority access for NEAR ecosystem games to ARterra’s platform.
It’s also a win-win for both players and builders. Gamers gain an immersive environment where rewards and exclusive content are the norm. Developers are offered a supportive platform, underpinned by the NEAR BOS and protocol, while brands can tap into a vibrant, engaged, and diverse audience.
With ARterra Labs and NEAR Foundation’s shared vision, the focus will be on expanding and refining gaming platforms to attract more users, developers, and partners. The two will be dedicated to adding value within the gaming community, setting the stage for a significant growth spurt in the NEAR and Web3 gaming ecosystems alike.
Amplifying the open web gaming journey with Battle Pass, metaverse realities, and the fan passport, ARterra Labs and NEAR Foundation don’t merely enhance the experience — they define a new standard. It’s a game-changing era in Web3 and fans are just barely unlocking the first level.
NEAR Foundation and PipeFlare, a trailblazing play-to-earn (P2E) platform, are partnering to reshape Web3 gaming by building on Aurora, NEAR’s Ethereum-compatible layer. As Web3 gaming on NEAR accelerates, PipeFlare will enable gamers to play, earn crypto, and engage socially in a decentralized environment. Collaborating with NEAR Foundation, PipeFlare aims to redefine scalability, security, and sheer enjoyment in Web3 by leveraging the EVM-compatible development capabilities of Aurora.
PipeFlare is one of the industry’s most reliable Web3-enabled gaming platforms, allowing users to earn cryptocurrency through gameplay, tasks, and activities. The partnership will help create more intricate, engaging Web3 games in a secure fashion. The collaboration will most certainly attract more users to Web3 gaming, while making NEAR a top choice for game developers.
Let’s delve into the PipeFlare and NEAR Foundation partnership, the advantages of the NEAR Blockchain Operating System and tech stack for Web3 gaming, and how the collaboration positively impacts the future of the NEAR decentralized gaming ecosystem.
Transforming play: PipeFlare’s NEAR-driven gaming evolution
Pipeflare is one of the most reputable P2E gaming sites in the industry, backed by some of the largest investors in the blockchain space like DCG and Horizen Labs. All PipeFlare transactions are published publicly as well, giving gamers more transparency and peace of mind in Web3 gaming, earning, transacting, and collecting.
Gamers can enjoy playing games, collecting free cryptocurrency from PipeFlare faucets, participating in airdrops, competing in weekly leaderboards, and earning rewards through the referral program. Additionally, players can buy and sell limited-mint NFTs on PipeFlare’s NFT marketplace.
PipeFlare’s exclusive Pyro NFT also brings perks like staking bonuses and a secret fourth crypto faucet to users. A dedicated support team demystifies blockchain and NFTs, while NEAR’s scalability enhances transactions without sacrificing speed or efficiency. This paves the way for PipeFlare’s explosive growth in the dynamic Web3 gaming market.
As security becomes more paramount in safeguarding digital assets and identities in Web3 gaming, PipeFlare is now embracing the speed and security of NEAR infrastructure. This ensures the protection of user data and assets and provides a cutting-edge, trustworthy, and reliable Web3 gaming experience for users to explore and enjoy.
Making Web3 Gaming more scalable, secure, and dev-friendly
NEAR’s intuitive, developer-focused platform offers substantial advantages for PipeFlare, simplifying game development and empowering creators to craft groundbreaking Web3 gaming experiences for veteran gamers and newcomers alike. But the PipeFlare and NEAR Foundation collaboration will transcend mere technology integration. Harnessing the BOS, PipeFlare can introduce even deeper functionality to players in areas like NFTs, in-game token rewards, and community engagement. As one of the only platforms where NFTs can be ported into multiple games, PipeFlare is breaking new ground in the industry.
NEAR Foundation is excited about this new portable NFT model in Web3 gaming, and will focus on the following three areas to help accelerate PipeFlare:
- Scalability. One of the biggest challenges facing Web3 gaming is scalability. Traditional blockchains are not designed to handle the high volume of transactions required for gaming. NEAR is a high-performance blockchain that can handle a large number of transactions per second, making it ideal for Web3 gaming.
- Security. Another important factor for Web3 gaming is security. Players need to be confident that their data and assets are safe when playing games on the blockchain. The BOS uses a variety of security measures to protect gamer data and ensure the protection and provenance of all digital assets.
- User-Friendliness. Web3 gaming needs to be user-friendly to succeed and grow in the long term. Users need to be able to easily create and manage their accounts, buy and sell NFTs, and play games. With the BOS being one of the most developer-friendly ecosystems to build on, PipeFlare is set to make big strides in Web3 gamer onboarding.
To get the ball rolling, the partnership will initially focus on upgrading Pipeflare’s existing games and developing new ones using the BOS. This transition will enhance the gaming experience for users and showcase the capabilities of NEAR’s technology in the Web3 gaming space.
The collaboration also marks substantial progress for the Web3 gaming industry, demonstrating that key players recognize NEAR’s potential. It also signals NEAR’s strong positioning to emerge as the premier blockchain for novel gaming experiences.
The Near Foundation is excited to announce that it’s partnering with WEMADE, one of the largest publicly-listed gaming companies in South Korea. A leading game developer in South Korea for over 20 years, WEMADE will be vital in Near’s push toward mainstream adoption of Web3.
Near and WEMADE will support the development of blockchain apps in Korea as well as other markets. Near and WEMADE will also jointly work on mutual brand awareness, and collaborate on a number of Web3 community events and business opportunities.
“WEMADE and Near share a similar vision of enabling and accelerating the mainstream adoption of blockchain to create a future of nearly limitless potential use cases and benefits for all of us across many different areas of our daily lives,” said Shane Kim, CEO, WEMIX and Vice President, WEMADE.
“In order to achieve that vision, we must make it easier, faster, and more cost-effective for developers to onboard off-chain apps, organizations, and startups, and are confident that Near is ideally positioned to do so.”
Onboarding end users and developers into Web3
The partnership will do much to encourage developers, including game designers, to build on the Near. Beyond co-hosting community events like offline hackathons and boot camps, Near and WEMADE will work together on mutual brand awareness, invest in research and collaboration on cross-chain initiatives, and be on the lookout for potential Web3 business opportunities and founders.
A renowned leader in game development, WEMADE is at the forefront of a generational shift as the gaming industry pivots to blockchain technology. Its WEMIX subsidiary is building an experience-based, platform-driven, and service-oriented mega-ecosystem — one that will give users everywhere access to a wide array of easy-to-use Web3 apps and experiences.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with WEMADE as part of our shared vision towards a decentralized future for the gaming industry,” said Commenting on the partnership, Marieke Flament, CEO of the Near Foundation. “By joining forces, we are confident in our ability to accelerate the development of cutting-edge solutions that meet the growing needs of gamers and developers in the Web3 space.”
The Near-WEMADE partnership marks the second major Web3 gaming partnership from the Near Korea Hub. The first, a partnership with BORA — the Web3 GameFi platform of Kakao Games — will also be vital in accelerating the mainstream adoption of Web3.
Near is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with BORA, a Web3 gaming subsidiary of METABORA. Near and BORA will support each other in spreading local brand awareness, invest in research and collaboration on cross-chain, host events, and generate Web3 opportunities in Korea.
An affiliate of Kakao Games and its parent company BORANETWORK, BORA is focused on game development and blockchain-based gaming ecosystems. Its mobile gaming titles include Friends Popcorn, Friends Town, and Friends Shot.
“We are thrilled to be working with Near and welcome their expertise, knowledge and network as we aim to transform the world of Web3 gaming,” said Vincent Lim, a CBO of BORA. “Together with Near we will not only explore cross-promotion opportunities, but also seek future collaborations on IP-based game development that will lead to mass adoption and give us the competitive edge we need to position ourselves as leading players in the web3 gaming space.”
Since the launch of Near’s Korean Hub in November of 2022, BORA has been steadily building up awareness throughout South Korea, while focusing on Web3 innovation, business development, education, and talent. The hub is led by entrepreneurs Scott Lee and Ben Kang — both influential figures within South Korea’s growing blockchain community.
“One of the big ambitions of the hub is to tap into the country’s active gaming community, and to bring amazing projects and creators to the Near ecosystem.” said Robbie Lim, GM, Partners & International at Near. “ The partnership with BORA is our first major win – and a big step forward for NEAR as it accelerates its ambition to become the go to layer 1 for the Web3 gaming community.”