Nifty News: Queen, HSBC filings hint at NFTs, Yuga teases robot game and more

HSBC files metaverse and NFT patents

British banking institution HSBC filed a series of metaverse and nonfungible token (NFT)-related trademark applications. 

A June 12 filing to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) show the bank’s trademarks including metaverse banking, consulting, and financial services, along with virtual credit cards that point to a potential launch of a metaverse bank branch and further virtual banking services.

HSBC also applied for trademarks relating to online marketplaces, specifically aimed at NFTs. It’s not the first time HSBC has ventured into the virtual. In December 2022, it filed trademark applications for a slew of crypto and NFT-related technologies.

The interest in — and prices of — metaverse property has recently taken a dive, but regardless HSBC joins a growing number of firms showing interest in exploring the virtual world.

In Feb. 2022, JPMorgan became the first bank to launch a virtual branch in Decentraland’s metaverse. Since then Visa, PayPal, and Western Union have all filed for metaverse trademarks.

Queen eyes metaverse trademarks

HSBC isn’t the only U.K. heavyweight eyeing the virtual world. Queen Productions Ltd — the production company managing the intellectual property of iconic British rock band Queen — also filed a series of patents relating to the metaverse and NFTs.

A June 12 patent application submitted to the USPTO shows Queen plans to offer NFT-authenticated media as well as virtual merchandise including clothing, footwear and accessories.

Additionally, Queen is looking to develop virtual and mixed-reality software.

Yuga Labs teases HV-MTL Forge NFT game

Yuga Labs announced the launch of its latest NFT game, marking the ninth iteration of its ten-step gaming-focused storyline.

A June 21 tweet from Yuga said the HV-MTL Forge event will kick off on June 29 and involves users building homes for their respective NFT characters.

First unveiled in March 2023, the HV-MTL NFT project is a 30,000-piece collection of “Mech” NFTs that stands adjacent to the project’s flagship collection the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).

In a similar way to the predecessor game Dookey Dash, players will battle it out in a competitive, tier-based environment. However, instead of competing for a high score, the winner will be decided by community vote.

Users questioned the future utility of Sewer Pass NFTs that were once used to compete in Dookey Dash, however Yuga recently revealed the passes could be burned to summon a “Power Source” that will unlock an “Evo 1 Mech.”

According to Yuga, competing in the HV-MTL Forge game will unlock further upgrades for the Mechs.

The announcement was met with mixed reviews on Twitter, with some users critiquing the trailer for resembling a game they “would have played on Miniclip in 2003.”

Enter the Slim Jim’s ‘Meataverse’

It’s been a meaty week for announcements related to the metaverse and NFTs and American snack brand Slim Jim just made it even meatier.

In a June 21 tweet, the jerky stick manufacturer known for its meme-based marketing efforts announced its first step into Web3 with the launch of its humorously named “Meataverse” that includes NFTs and a cryptocurrency.

According to Slim Jim, a total of 10,000 NFTs are now up for grabs on its website. The NFTs, dubbed “GigaJims” are free-to-mint on the Ethereum scaling network Polygon (MATIC) and will reportedly function as a digital membership card in the future.

Related: Nike teases upcoming ‘Airphoria’ NFT sneaker hunt on Fortnite

Marketed as a way for crypto and jerky enthusiasts alike to join the “long boi gang” the NFTs provide holders with access to perks and benefits that are set to be unveiled in the near future.

Additionally, GigaJims’ owners will be able to upgrade their NFTs by collecting Slim Jim’s digital currency “S.A.U.C.E.”

Other Nifty News

On June 21, Czech auto manufacturer Škoda launched an NFT platform in collaboration with Layer-1 blockchain Near protocol.

On June 17, Genius.com co-founder Tom Lehman launched “Ethscriptions,” a new protocol for minting NFTs and other digital assets on Ethereum. It draws its namesake from Bitcoin Ordinals where assets are called “inscriptions.”

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