Welcome to the OpenSea digest. Let’s look back through the biggest NFT and web3 news of the week.

Mitchell F. Chan’s 2024 Art Blocks talk recirculates post-Marfa

Conceptual artist Mitchell F. Chan, known for his early on-chain generative art, examined the medium’s role in modern creativity during Art Blocks Marfa Weekend 2024. And this week, Art Blocks revisited Chan’s talk, which examined generative art’s influence on contemporary art movements. 

Chan’s presentation outlined how generative art fits into a larger artistic tradition and connects conceptual and modernist approaches with algorithmic creativity. He also emphasized that great generative art must balance technical innovation with emotional and cultural resonance so that the tech serves the artwork rather than eclipsing it.

Perhaps most notably, Chan introduced the idea of generative art as a “modernist mental model,” i.e. a framework for understanding the machine logic that shapes digital expression across all forums today.

Burnt Toast takes over as Doodles’ new CEO

The artist and co-founder behind Doodles has officially stepped into the CEO role, signaling a new chapter for the NFT brand. Known for his signature pastel art style, Burnt Toast says the Doodles team is “moving to a vision with a strong bias for risk, disruption, radical transparency and the authenticity that made us who we are in the first place.”

The move follows Doodles’ push into entertainment and intellectual property (IP) expansion, with new content and activations like the animated “Dullsville and the Doodleverse” series.

The Met enters web3 with ‘Art Links’

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched “Art Links”, a blockchain-based game that allows players to collect and connect historical artworks in an interactive mobile experience. 

Built on Coinbase’s layer-two (L2) blockchain Base, the game lets users unlock exclusive content while answering gamified questions about the museum’s vast collection. The game marks one of the Met’s first major web3 initiatives.

Ethereum L2 Abstract goes live with XP rewards

The latest Ethereum L2 is now live. On Jan. 27, Abstract launched with a built-in rewards system (reportedly comparable to credit card points) that supports user activity on the chain.

Backed by Pudgy Penguins parent company Igloo, Inc., Abstract is attracting NFT and gaming projects and adding more players to the growing Ethereum ecosystem. According to a tweet from the brand, Pudgy Penguins has opened up special statuses for Pudgy Penguin, Lil Pudgy, and $PENGU holders.

Art Blocks introduces ‘GRIDS’ interactive digital gallery

Generative art platform Art Blocks has launched GRIDS, a new interactive gallery showcasing immersive generative art. The platform lets collectors engage with pieces dynamically and browse every piece virtually.

The interactive tool lets users explore full internet art collections like “Chromie Squiggles,” “Ringers,” and “Fidenza” in a structured visual format. The platform includes filtering options and detailed click-to-view features that Art Blocks says lays the groundwork for future collector tools.

Learn more and visit the GRIDS gallery on the Art Blocks website.

Layer-2 network Ronin to integrate AI agents for gaming

Sky Mavis’ Ronin network, known for powering blockchain battle game Axie Infinity, is rolling out an AI agent tool to enhance player immersion and user experience (UX). The update promises smarter interactions between players and non-player characters (NPCs), along with AI-driven gameplay mechanics across the network.

As web3 gaming involves, Ronin’s latest upgrade is emblematic of a growing trend toward the use of autonomous agents in a variety of use cases, from gaming to decentralized finance (DeFi).

Telegram doubles down on TON, bans other blockchains

Messaging app Telegram is going all-in on The Open Network (TON), officially cutting support for other blockchain integrations. The move positions TON as Telegram's sole crypto partner and cements its role in payments, tokenized communities, and in-app services.

Ubisoft expands web3 push with “Champions Tactics” in The Sandbox

Video game publisher Ubisoft is bringing the “Champions Tactics” franchise to The Sandbox, an open-source metaverse world built on Ethereum. 

The turn-based strategy game will now integrate with blockchain, allowing players to engage in on-chain battles. Avatars will reportedly be released as NFTs on Polygon, an Ethereum scaling solution. 

Avalanche Foundation commits $100M to funding AI projects

Avalanche Foundation, the nonprofit supporting the Avalanche blockchain, has teamed up with Aethir, a decentralized cloud computing provider, to fund AI-driven blockchain projects. 

The $100 million initiative will back web3 applications integrating artificial intelligence, with a focus on decentralized infrastructure and cloud services.

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