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 buildingcame 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 in to making this a reality? Check out this recap of the build out process.
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 future of the industry. 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.
Co-Founder of Deadfellaz Betty 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 they understand, and it’s 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.
