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

Pudgy Penguins Sells Over 20,000 Physical Toys on Amazon Following Launch

‍Pudgy Penguins' CEO, Luca Netz, revealed on Twitter Spaces that the brand’s Amazon storefront generated over $500,000 in toy sales through the sale of over 20,000 toys since its launch on May 18th.

The toys demonstrate a potential mainstream application for NFTs. Pudgy Penguins' blog post explains,

“Pudgy Toys are the catalyst for a new era in Web3: the beginning of a time in which the outside narrative shifts from blockchain technology being intimidating to it being easy to connect with and seamless to interact with. Pudgy Toys are the first mass-market NFT IP product licensed directly from the community.”

These toys include stuffed penguins and figurines, each accompanied by a QR code granting access to Pudgy World. Pudgy World is linked to a blockchain wallet, soulbound (or non-transferrable) NFT, and tradeable NFT, accessible through email registration. As explained in the brand’s blog post, Pudgy Penguins used the physical toy as a “Trojan Horse” to seamlessly introduce NFTs to those buying the toys, thus turning it into a phygital product.

The company describes Pudgy World as a “digital experience that comes with Pudgy Toys,” showing that, first and foremost, the Pudgy Penguins universe is digital. The post ends with the following remarks from the brand:

“Inspiring connection and providing the everyday consumer with a non-intimidating first look into NFTs is very important to our overarching vision. Our Instagram, GIPHY, and now Pudgy Toys are essential parts of our journey to create mass adoption. We're not sitting around waiting for it. We're building it.”

Cryptoys and Lucasfilm LTD Launch Star Wars Digital Collectibles

Cryptoys’ new Star Wars NFT collection is officially available to purchase as of Friday, May 26th. It features 15 digital toys representing characters like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia. Each collectible is priced at $39.99, making it accessible to a relatively wide audience.

These NFTs, powered by the Flow blockchain, have five rarity levels, from 'Common' to 'Ultra Grail.” After purchase, opening the “blind box” reveals the version you've acquired. Holders can use them in virtual reality games or digitally display their collections.

Web3-Focused Browser, Brave, Unveils New NFT-Gated Video Call Feature

On May 24th, Brave, a web browser focused on privacy and web3 access, announced the integration of NFTs to enable token-gated video calls. This new feature will be added to Brave Talk, their existing video calling service, and it will allow hosts to manage call access, assign moderator permissions, configure avatars, and more using NFTs and POAPS. 

The calls made on Brave Talk are said to offer “enhanced user authentication and authorization features.” It’s free for video calls of up to 4 people, and there is no limit on the length of free calls users can make. 

The integration also enhances Brave Wallet's utility and aims to create a fully integrated Web3 live event platform by combining the browser, wallet, and video functionalities.

Haircare Company Wella Joins the Ranks of Brands Building NFT Loyalty Programs

Wella Professionals and Coveteur’s creative agency are joining forces to introduce The Wella Generator. This Ethereum-based NFT sweepstake offers fans the chance to mint NFT avatars and win brand vouchers, virtual consultations, and more. 

Powered by MoonPay and Otherlife, the collection allows users to mint unlimited avatars for 14 days starting on May 31st to receive a signature Wella Avatar. Additionally, they may receive exclusive prizes like product discounts, one-on-one hair consultations, and IRL makeovers from the sweepstakes.

The Hundreds Opens Metaverse Storefront

Streetwear brand, The Hundreds is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the unveiling of a metaverse flagship store. Created with and for some.place, an e-commerce-oriented metaverse platform, The Hundreds store is said to be an immersive 3D experience and the first brand to showcase some.place’s capabilities. 

The metaverse store allows The Hundreds to recreate its physical store in Los Angeles' Fairfax neighborhood, and it offers fans an interactive and social shopping experience. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, which is used by some of the biggest game developers, some.place stands out with its extremely realistic and life-like visuals.

The Hundreds plans to use their new metaverse storefront to launch exclusive apparel — some just for holders of their Adam Bomb Squad NFT collection.

STEPN Becomes First Web3 Gaming App to Integrate with Apple Pay

Web3 move-to-earn game STEPN just made history as the first blockchain-based gaming app to integrate with Apple Pay. The brand claims the move is “breaking down the barrier to entry for Web3” by allowing users to link their credit cards via Apple Pay to purchase in-game items in STEPN. This removes the need for the crypto wallet, which could make it more user-friendly for those without web3 knowledge to access and use the game.