Art Basel Miami 2022 is officially in full swing, which means The Gateway 2022 has also gone live. In collaboration with Mana Common and MoonPay, nft now officially kicked off The Gateway: A Web3 Metropolis in the heart of downtown Miami, and it’s already become one of Web3’s most important events of 2022. Top names from our planned programming include panels from Porsche, Vayner3, and many more.

After offering some of our VIPs — a selection of the NFT space’s most beloved artists and community leaders — an inside look at the week to come, doors opened for Web3’s general public in downtown Miami’s Dupont building.

A months-long process of planning and building came to full fruition as the week’s guests walked into one of the twelve Miami buildings we’ve occupied for this massive undertaking. Want to see all that went into making this a reality? Check out this recap of the build-out process. Now, join us for an inside look at the most important pieces of news emerging from The Gateway, Miami Art Week 2022, and Art Basel activations.

Rug Radio Announces PFP Project “Faces of Web3”

Today during his panel at The Gateway, prominent Web3 builder Farokh Sarmad broke the news that his decentralized media platform, Rug Radio, would soon be receiving a major ecosystem expansion by way of PFPs. The forthcoming generative avatar project, titled “Faces of Web3”, will be created as a collaboration with prominent artists Cory Van Lew and will feature his distinctive brightly colored style and feature a variety of unique trait combinations.

Considering Rug Radio first launched by way of the Membership Pass NFT collection, which paved the way for the equally ambitious Rug Radio Genesis collection, this next evolution of the Farokh-helmed brand feels perfectly aligned with its Web3-centric sensibilities. While launch details, including dates and total supply, have yet to be announced, the news of the collaboration will surely give the Rug Radio ecosystem — which encompasses more than a quarter million followers across socials — cause for celebration.

While the PFP project will likely prove to be a major event within the NFT space, it’s important to note that the venture comes as only a singular part of the Rug Radio narrative. And though releasing a PFP project aligns with the current culture of the NFT ecosystem, Farokh noted that the endeavor is mainly for the community, and that he and his team are still continuously working on defining what it means to be a fully decentralized media platform.

Porsche is opening up on its entry into Web3

On Tuesday, Porsche revealed it had plans to release a 7,500-piece NFT collection based on the classic Porsche 911 in January 2023, with Hamburg designer and 3D artist Patrick Vogel tapped to create each piece in the collection. On Wednesday, November 30 at nft now and Mana Common’s The Gateway at Art Basel, Porsche opened up on its forthcoming entry into Web3.

People who buy a Porsche NFT will be able to help shape the design of their digital token by choosing a “route” for it, selecting from Performance, Lifestyle, or Heritage options. These routes reflect a particular characteristic of the company’s brand identity, and will modify the overall design of the NFT itself. In the months following the collection’s release, Vogel will work with user input to ready each NFT as a 3D asset in Unreal Engine 5.

“The core of the project is the community,” said Lars Krämer, Porsche’s manager of innovation and methods. “We want to get into contact with you guys and have co-creation. That’s the goal. I’m looking forward to having the first co-creation session with holders in the future. We can test designs of the artists in the future and bring you guys together with the artists and our whole team.” Krämer also explained that future NFT utility will involve access to exclusive physical and virtual events and merchandise. Porsche’s Director of Brand Management and Partnerships Deniz Keskin emphasized that some of Porsche’s future Web3 plans are still in flux by design — the goal is very much to evolve the company’s NFT initiatives alongside the community of Porsche enthusiasts.

Krämer also said Porsche’s final NFT will be a product of both holder preference and randomization. Porsche fans won’t know what they’re getting even when they specify what route or style they’d like their NFT to be. Like Keskin, Krämer explained that whatever comes next in the Porsche NFT initiative will be influenced by the collaborative sessions they hold with community members.

Web3 builders discuss the future of gaming

In a standing-room-only panel titled “The New Wave of Gaming: Interoperability and Empowering Gamers,” Web3 builders had a wide-ranging conversation covering the industry’s future. The discussion began with an overview of where gaming started. Panel moderator Swan Sit noted that, when digital gaming first emerged, it was a solitary endeavor — something players did on their own. In recent years, the nature of gaming has fundamentally shifted, with new foundations focused on socializing and forming new connections.

Kai Henry, former Chief Strategy Officer at Faze Clan, echoed these sentiments, noting that Web3 gaming is about far more than mere entertainment. “It’s a whole new meeting space and social experience,” he said. Lee Trink, CEO and Co-Founder at Faze Clan, added that Web3 gaming is pushing the boundaries of more than just how we socialize. He noted that blockchain technologies are leading to a “true renaissance in art and in innovation.”

When discussing the future of gaming amid the introduction of Web3 into gaming culture, FaZe Banks, Co-Founder at Faze Clan, said: “I see a world where, if you spend 8 hours a day playing a game, there’s a place for you in the Web3 economy to build a place for yourself and a career for yourself.” And the present is an apt time to get involved in Web3 gaming. For example, from 2021 to 2022, the use of blockchain gaming surged by 2,000 percent, attracting scores of experienced Web2 game developers and executives to the future of gaming.

Betty, a Co-Founder of Deadfellaz and one of Web3’s biggest supporters of creator royalties, added to this sentiment, speaking to the way the gaming community possesses a unique understanding of the value proposition underlying the community-centric aspect of blockchain gaming. “There is a value of community that gamers understand, and [Web3 gaming] is a real opportunity for them to take that to the next level,” she said.

Deca holds rare NFT treasure hunt, XCOPY pieces awaiting discovery

Wednesday morning saw NFT marketplace Deca mark the start of an NFT treasure hunt running through the entire geographical area of Miami Art Week 2022. Up for grabs are editions of XCOPY pieces strewn throughout the city, hidden in QR codes.

Each day until Friday, a “mysterious” map will be posted on Twitter featuring hints as to where these QR codes will be. Eventgoers need to act fast, though — each XCOPY NFT will only be redeemable up to a maximum of 15 times each day. Claimed NFTs will be opened up for minting starting at 10:00 p.m. ET later on Wednesday, with a cutoff at the same time on December 3.

Tyler Hobbs holds showcase for a new generative art collection

Earlier on Wednesday, noted generative NFT artist Tyler Hobbs unveiled his latest collection, iostream, at Art Basel Miami on Wednesday — a 12-piece collection of colored 6-color screen prints at a booth in the Vertu Fine Art gallery in Boca, Miami. The exhibit will run until Miami Art Week’s close, on December 4.

Perhaps best known for his featured scripts on Art Blocks, the collection will see Hobbs given the opportunity to curate the output of his generative scripts. Of course, the availability of pieces from his latest collection marks a significant departure from the artist’s digital oeuvre.

This appearance will also coincide with a scheduled appearance at The Gateway later in the week, where the artist will feature pieces from his collection QQL at the Web3 tentpole event.

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