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

'Ascend’ by Ryan Koopmans and Alice Wexell is the first Bitcoin ordinal for sale in a live Christie’s auction

For the first time, a Bitcoin Ordinal will hit the live auction block at Christie’s. “Ascend” by architectural photographers Ryan Koopmans and Alice Wexell was inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain on Sept. 14, 2024, and will be auctioned off live on Oct. 10. 

The photograph, which uses three-dimensional techniques, features an abandoned mid-century sanatorium in Tskaltubo, Georgia. The on-chain artwork is dynamic and automatically switches from “day” to “night” modes synchronized to reflect the time zone of the building's location in Georgia.

Pudgy Penguins debuts first Solana activation and launches Pudgy Arcade

The popular Pudgy Penguins collection just launched its first activation on the Solana blockchain. After reaching widespread recognition as an Ethereum-based collection, the brand collaborated with DRiP Haus, a creator platform designed for minting NFTs at scale, to release free limited-edition digital collectibles that give recipients the ability to upgrade their Penguin characters. Fans can now check out the new Pudgy Penguins Channel, which is now live and has gained 13,500 followers at the time of publication.

The Penguins’ Solana drop came days before buzz began circulating on X about another Pudgy Penguin-themed surprise. On Sept. 29, CEO Luca Netz tweeted that physical arcade machines were “taking over the country,” sharing a video of one of the new games going live at Castle Park amusement center in Sherman Oaks, California. The game is described as appealing to younger gamers and features battles with seals, orcas, and other polar predators.

Art Blocks Curated presents ‘Bokeh’ by Michael Kozlowski

Art Blocks Curated just announced an upcoming exhibition featuring the sculptures of generative artist Michael Kozlowski.

The collection, titled “Bokeh,” will drop in stages from now through November, culminating in an IRL exhibition at the Art Blocks Gallery in Marfa, Texas. The “Bokeh” sculptures are physical lamps generated by an algorithm code that Kozlowski designed with both art and functional design in mind. Each lamp measures roughly 18 x 14 x 4 inches and is built with abstract, layered materials that play with light and shadow. 

“Bokeh” marks the first time Art Blocks will release a collection of both physical and digital artworks produced by a single artist’s generative algorithm.

Beeple Studios announces latest artwork, ‘THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE’

Beeple, the digital artist best known for the $69 million sale of 5,000 works from his “EVERYDAYS” collection, has art lovers once again thinking about humanity’s relationship to tech. His latest piece, “THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE” debuted at Italian Tech Week and encourages viewers to consider the interconnectedness of digital art and nature. Investment management company Lingotto bought the piece, and proceeds from the sale will benefit the food justice nonprofit Big Green, and Art Into Acres, an artist-led organization that champions indigenous land conservation in the Amazon rainforest. 

Gunzilla Games secures funding from Delphi Ventures

The developers behind the much-anticipated blockchain battle royale Off The Grid just secured significant investment. Web3 venture capital firm Delphi Ventures has become the largest validator-node operator for Gunzilla Games, backing the ecosystem with a reported $6 million. 

According to the official statement, this investment will help Gunzilla Games progress in its mission to roll out a AAA-quality web3 game on all major platforms, complete with an action-packed, 60-hour narrative.

‘Scrubs’ star Donald Faison named host of NOUNS FEST

Actor and comedian Donald Faison, known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk on “Scrubs,” will host NOUNS FEST on Oct. 10 in Downtown L.A. The event will feature 50 animated shorts from global creators and showcase unique works created by members of the NOUNS community.

Tickets are available now and include access to the screening and an after-party. Faison’s voice work in animation, including Robot Chicken and Star Wars Resistance, adds a fitting touch to the festival's celebration of animation. 

Get your ticket to NOUNS FEST on the website. 

Yield Guild Games partners with Parallel

Yield Guild Games (YGG), a web3 guild protocol, is teaming up with the sci-fi trading card game Parallel to host a five-day-long tournament at the YGG Play Summit in Manila, Philippines, from November 19 to 23. There will reportedly be a $100,000 prize pool, and two global online qualifier events leading up to the tournament will determine who gets to compete. 

In addition to the tournament, the YGG Play Summit will host the first-ever GAM3 Awards ceremony, a cosplay competition, a one-day conference, and live demos of the newest web3 gaming titles.