Nike developers have created the .Swoosh Web3 platform, a metaverse for active fans of the famous brand. There they will be able to participate in the design of branded sneakers, sell a finished virtual product and earn money on it.
At the end of 2021, Nike bought the NFT studio RTFKT, which creates collections of various items for the metaverse. A few months later, the sports brand presented the first pair of its virtual sneakers to the world, and now it is preparing to launch its own Web3 platform .Swoosh, where every interested person can purchase its virtual goods.
Today the platform is in the final stage of beta testing. Everyone will be able to register on it from November 18. The launch of the brand's first collection on .Swoosh, which will feature virtual shoes, accessories and clothing, is expected very soon - in January 2023. You can pay for purchases here in US dollars. Cryptocurrency payments are not provided, however, each transaction will be recorded in Polygon.
Ron Faris, head of Nike Virtual Studios, emphasized that .Swoosh is not just a point of sale, but a creative and demonstration platform where people will buy virtual things, trade them, stage shows and even collaborate on creating new digital products. In addition, virtual Nikes will give their owners the opportunity to pre-order their real counterpart, communicate with designers via tokens, or show off in the game. Nike representatives also shared that competitions will be held among members of the .Swoosh community, the main prize of which is the development of a Nike virtual product in collaboration with brand designers with the obligatory receipt of a percentage of its sales. True, there are no details about the selection of contestants, the features of joint work and specific figures for the fee.
.Swoosh isn't Nike's first metaverse. The company already owns dedicated space on the Roblox site. Its members can purchase and wear branded virtual products there. According to Roblox, over 26 million users have visited Nikeland since its launch in November 2021. Launching .Swoosh on its own platform will allow Nike to achieve virtual independence, eliminating the need to "rent" a place on other platforms.