Wrapping Up the Year on WAX Vol. 2: December 2020 Roundup
As mentioned in Wrapping Up the Year on WAX.io, there are a plethora of things happening in WAX Land the last couple months to round out the year. Continuing from where we last left off then, here is a brief rundown into what is transpiring on the NFT collectible stage in December.
To begin with, before we dive into the new releases let's have a look at some updates from last month's drops, as something really interesting happened with TribalBooks.io and Uplift.Art. As we already covered these releases in our November WAX article, please refer there if you need a recap. However, they are mentioned again here as both have done something we have never seen before from a tokenomic and supply perspective that is rather quite interesting.
Tribal Books
Tribal Books, the free-to-play online digital collectible step-by-step NFT-card game consists of a series of cards or varying rarities which players can engage each other with. In launching the sale of packs Tribal Books sold out of the ‘Book’ packs rather quickly, but there were still quite a few of the other packs left on the shelf. As noted by the team in Tribal Books Lights the Secret Fire of Symbols and Announces NFT Staking, wanting “the Ancient Symbols collection to remain among the most rare and sought after collectables… a sacred fire [was lit to] burn all remaining packs … [on] December 4th. All Symbols, which remain untapped in the Tribal Book storage, [were] burned and [are now] gone forever.”
It’s actually a couple quite beautiful things if you really think about it, as in the traditional world of non digital trading card collectibles this would be an impossibility. In fact, the only possible way that this could even be fathomed in a traditional sense would be to recall all unopened packs and destroy them - which let’s face it, even if it was tried would not have near the effect that it does in a digitally enhanced blockchain NFT scarcity model as exists within the WAX.io ecosystem.
Add to that the combined announcement of enabling the staking of Tribal Books alongside GPK NFT’s on the on the R-PLANET NFT-DiFI staking system for a return, and even adding bonus incentives for those who stake the entire collection, and the ingenuity of the Tribal Books team becomes even more apparent in their thinking of this series.
Uplift.Art
As some might recall, being the first project to put a full length music video on the blockchain is no small feat to try to better, but from all appearances, it does seem that Uplift.Art may have done just that. As noted last month, the ‘I’m Not the Bubble’ Series One Drop introduced a whole new level of gamification into the hierarchy of the collection, not to mention becoming the first project to implement pre-minted crates into their NFT releases.
Being 50% of the proceeds from this event was set to be donated to the Haitian Roots non profit organization to help with food and schooling for the children of Haiti, the prosperity sale pricing ended December 6th and a whopping $30,000 US was sent off for the cause. With this came an increase back to regular pricing to the series, alongside another innovative model whereby all those with collectors editions were granted special access to an NFT ‘key’ which enables the download of an actual MP3 file of the various versions held within one’s account so that the music itself can be listened to from any compatible device.
In addition to all this, some ‘random drops of goodness’ targeting those with UA Series One assets in their accounts were received by the community at large, as well as the announcement for a follow up event December 23rd which will enlist a similar style of burning assets from the promotional pre-series one crates for more unique assets.
Honestly, there is so much going on with this project that it’s impossible to relay all the information accurately in the scope of this piece, but those interested should be sure to check out the links that follow for a complete overview and subscribe to the social media channels on the Uplit.Art homepage to be sure to keep up to date in real time on all that is happening with this original gem.
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And now with the updates on projects featured last month out of the way, it is time to dive into all that is current and new in the land of WAX collectibles in December 2020, and be forewarned, there is a lot to get caught up on.
Alien Worlds
Not to be confused with the newly launched Netflix mini series by the same name, Alien worlds, the first and only WAX / Ethereum cross-denominated DeFi metaverse project, went live with their land sale on December 4th. As this was the only way to obtain land in the game, as could be expected it sold out relatively quickly.
The game itself is free to play whereby anyone who signs up is assigned an avatar and a shovel enabling them to mine Trillium from the get go, the ownership of land in the cross-chain game plays an important role in the built in DeFi economy and governance aspects of the game. Although sold out, NFT’s in the form of land can still be purchased on secondary markets for those interested, so for a quick run down of both the dynamics of the sale and an overview of why land is so crucial, check out Land is Scarce. Land is Special. Land is Available for a Limited Time Only: The Alien Worlds Land Sale.
CryptoTwerpz
Launched on December 14th, “Crypto Twerpz are deranged and twisted digital trading card parodies of well-known people both in and out of cryptoland that are minted on the WAX blockchain.”
The series fuses varied artwork by 18 distinct artists together with parody and has a really intriguing backstory on how the culmination of Twerp in Chief’s Matt McGivern childhood dream of launching a competitor to Garbage Pail Kids Topps trading cards finally played out.
The Crypto Twerpz Origin Story in combination with the collections uniqueness could potentially put this in one of the most fascinating categories of early WAX card releases to date. Those interested can learn more and interact on CryptoTwerpz.com.
Blockchain Heroes First Strike
Where to begin with this one?!? In Blockchain Heroes: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, EOS Go previously introduced and recounted one of the biggest and most anticipated original IP’s to hit the WAX.io ecosystem since inception. Despite a few hiccups, the series itself was so well received that it almost seemed at the time impossible to outdo. Well, we can officially note that despite how uniquely original and renowned Blockchain Heroes series 1 turned out to be, the First Strike series 2 came out of the gates swinging for the title.
The second coming of the project differs quite a bit from the first in everything from how the characters and lore was developed right down to the mechanics of how the sale and even the upgrading was handled. Unlike the first rendition whereby every character was based loosely on some historical individual within the blockchain and crypto space, Blockchain Heroes 2 First Strike bases the characters and lore on more generalized concepts centered around the fight for liberty against the evil centalizers. The series consists of 20 heroes and 20 centralizers all with unique art and attributes that are a culmination of ideologies as opposed to any one individual with such names as Private Keyes, Grand Auditor, Sharkface, and Admiral Banks.
Where First Strike really gets crazy is all the gamification that has been added. WIth new mechanisms for purchasing and even gifting packs, a whole slew of unique cards and rarities, and burning mechanisms for upgrading assets to higher forms, covering it all would be a mini series itself. For more on these optics and then some, check out the Blockchain Heroes official homepage as well as the following video interview Strike Two! Blockchain Heroes Update with Joel & Travis from Badcrypto Podcast from Anyobservation.
Deadmau5
Perhaps one of the biggest names on this month's list breaching into the space is Canadian electronic music producer, DJ, and musician Deadmau5. A well known pioneer when it comes to melding music and technology, in partnership with Emanate brought this NFT Series 1 collectible series to WAX on December 16th.
The series features a variety of creative works “from recent shows and video clips his collectible pins plus an ‘UltraRare’ collaborative artwork by a renowned 3D designer Sutu Eats Flies who has previously worked with The Weeknd, John Legend, Pnau, Safia and many others. Each rarity features a different animation style… [and] are the first digital collectibles under the new brand name RAREZ; rare and authentic digital collectibles for the emerging virtual music industry” (source).
With Deadmau5’s own Virtual Reality coming soon, there is even talk on the street that some of these NFT’s may even yield special powers inside ‘project Oberhalsi’. Irrespective of this though, it’s a pretty big release overall for the ecosystem and WAX blockchain with the ability to generate a lot of traction from those that may otherwise not have been paying attention previously.
For more on the series check out deadmau5.rarez.io as well as the FAQ page for the finer details. In addition deadmau5 can also be found on Emanate for those interested in having a listen.
Monsters of Rap
In this series Rory McQueen, a renowned artist working with such projects as Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages and consulting with brands such as Mattel and the Cartoon Network, has produced a series including 30 musicians with a horror makeover chosen for their huge contributions to hip hop.
Those interested can read more about the series on the official Monsters of Rap homepage.
Bitcoin Origins
Long time NFT and WAX fans, the creators of Bitcoin Origins had it in their sights for their first NFT project to pay homage to the incredible achievement that is Bitcoin through high quality art and extremely scarce assets. The series aims to highlight the most important moments of Bitcoin’s history while at the same time telling the story of Bitcoin in an educative manner in an effort to immortalize that which helped shape what Bitcoin is today.
Series 1 contains 5 historical moments, 3 artistic renditions of each moment, 3 special inserts, and a few hidden secrets that only a true bitcoin believer can find” with each moment scarcer than the next. As a follow up to Moment 1: Whitepaper Creation, Moment 2: The Genesis Block dropped on December 19th.
All in all, there is a lot to be excited about in this from the high profile and highly experienced art, to story within the assets themselves, to the scarcity, and so much more. Anyone who is even remotely interested should definitely check out this Bitcoin Origins Interview segment from Layer 1: Crypto Network, as the nuggets you will find about the creators, the project, and a few surprises not revealed here are sure not to disappoint.
HodlGod
HodlGod is the first blockchain battle royale game and NFTs for the game went live on December 21st. The project actually was granted a worker proposal on WAX and will use the funds to boost development.
This launch consists of 32 NFTs in total and the series itself is structured a little differently from any others out there today. As all Immortal Genesis Series NFTs will in of themselves be very rare, rarities such as common, uncommon, rare, etc. have been done away with.
Players can trade, and hold any assets opened from the packs, but they can additionally upgrade them in game. There is also loaning mechanics which [will be revealed at a later date, the] idea here is to have an entire economic game running parallel to HodlGod, the Blockchain Battle Royale. Meaning that gamers can have a great time playing the game without ever investing a dime, while at the same time NFT/De-Fi lovers can have a blast with the economics of the game without ever needing to play. (Source)
Get more in depth coverage of the series and the game itself from Announcing — HodlGod LIVE — The Blockchain Battle Royale RPG and Immortal Genesis: The First HodlGod NFT Series — Exclusively On WAX.
KOGs
Keys to Other Games, or KOGs for short, are collectible, playable, tradable, NFT’s. Acting as an in-game currency, unlocking tournaments, and even providing VIP access to special events and virtual metaverses, KOGs are NFT’s which have a real utility aspect beyond being mere collectibles.
According to CEO Ben Faibank, the first edition saw 100 designed KOGs and 12 slammers with a total combination of 3414 variations. The second addition adds 150 KOGs and 18 slammers with more than 10K variations, meaning many more mint ones will be available. Even though the first edition is more scarce, the second is expected to be much more popular with a more global audience.
Another change-up thrown into this one was that in addition to the ability to purchase packs with WAX, there was also the option to purchase boxes of KOG booster and starter packs sold in the form of a specialized ERC20 token in a Uniswap pool. Learn more about KOGs in general from Your Quick Guide to KOGs, as well as the finer details concerning the series 2 drop from KOGs Are Back On Dec. 22! The #1 WAX NFT Returns In Time For Xmas. And of course those interested in how this new cross chain KOGs merger will all play out as well as future announcements should keep their eyes peeled on the official KOGs homepage and Latest KOGs News page for the latest updates.
EOS Go Cards
And yes, that is the same EOS Go which you are immersed in at this very moment. We actually do quite a bit beyond these blogs such as featured news story coverage, host a market cap of EOS and EOSIO tokens, and as of recent we have decided to dip our toes into the WAX NFT space.
The series itself is part commemorative, part gamification, and part surprise. Unlike most series where you must buy packs or crates and collect a whole plethora of cards sometimes even in a rush for a complete set, the EOS Go cards are more of an extended series with various themes on a monthly basis.
“A new main card will be launched every month. These cards will consist of Base, Rare, and Legendary rarities and can be purchased for the duration of that month for a fixed price. In addition, every week for the duration of the month more cards will be released with the same three rarities however, unlike the main card these are not purchasable. Those able to obtain these cards will need to already possess a card from the previous week. In other words, by having a card from the previous week it is possible to be awarded another card the following week. This actually is where the gamification comes in, as the chances to win subsequent cards is entirely based on the probability of the card held from the week before.”
In addition, at the end of the monthly theme, those possessing the final week’s legendary rare cards will be eligible to receive a special Topps Digital card as a bonus prize. And of course, by participating in this ongoing series you will of course be helping to support us in our efforts to support the EOSIO ecosystem and your knowledge within it.
For a more detailed explanation of the series vision, gamification aspects, and chances and rarities check out the featured article on our blog EOS Go Cards: A New WAX NFTs Collection. And to hop on into this first theme head on over to EOSGo.io for the official links and chance rarity price points to get involved with the first of many in the form of the one and only Brenden Blumer original EOS Go NFT.
Bratz
In anticipation of the soon to launch Ethereum-based Bratz Lookz™ game, Animoca Brands and WAX teamed up to launch a Bratz NFT Card Sale on the WAX blockchain on 22 December 2020.
The dualistic nature of tandem blockchains, one for the game and one for the NFT trading cards is quite interesting. The cards are divided into 4 rarity levels of Stylin, Super Stylin, Extra Stylin, and Ultra Stylin with the higher rarity levels showcasing more exciting designs. Another twist exists in the fact that all those who participate can earn 200 Bratz Coins that can be used in the upcoming Bratz Looks Ethereum based game as well as a chance to win a physical Bratz collectible doll.
For more on the overall dynamics of both the series and the overall digital endeavor check out Animoca Brands and WAX are Bringing Bratz to Blockchain this December as well as the official WAX Bratz NFT homepage.
Beyond the December Releases
EOS Nation recently released an NFT Calendar on their site. It is a great add to the space and was actually a nice aid in compiling this very piece. As reported in EOS Hot Sauce #86, with the sheer amount of releases hitting the stage in the past couple months alone, the NFT Release Calendar allows for a quick and easy way to see what is coming up next. Included within the structure of the calendar are relevant links and even an ‘’add to calendar’ button to ease the process of understanding and keeping track of everything happening in the NFT space.
Thinking back on the year of WAX in fact, so much has happened it is almost impossible to recount it all. Remembering way back when the whole space was a buzz with the Topps partnership announcement, and realizing that only the Garbage Pail Kids has presently been realized. The amount of IP on the WAX blockchain both ported over from beyond the blockchain and original to this very ecosystem is truly astounding. Add to that the fact that every month the amount of both first time releases and second comings of those already debuting just keeps multiplying, it likely won’t be so long till growth of assets here becomes exponential.
Of course any predictions must be taken with a grain of salt, but if the past year is any indication it appears as this is just the beginning. 2021 is shaping up to be iconic in the entire blockchain and crypto space in general, and by all indications watching the digital collectible blockchain enhanced NFT space will be one hottest spots to play in the space, and being a first mover in so many ways already, expect all the combined talent already presently within the WAX realm to continue to bring it to ever increasing levels never before fathomed or seen.