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Tony Hawk ventures into the world of blockchain games in a partnership with The Sandbox.
It’s a bold new adventure for Hawk, who has been a key figure in skateboarding for decades. Since its launch in 1999, its Tony Hawk Pro Sports franchise has generated more than $1.4 billion in sales.
Now the sports legend is thinking of the metaverse. In collaboration with Autograph and The sandpitTony Hawk will build the “biggest skate park in the world – be it the flesh world or the metaverse.”
“I’ve been a fan of new technology all my life — from the early video games to home computers with CGI capabilities — so I’ve been fascinated by the metaverse,” Hawk said in a statement.
The Sandbox is a decentralized virtual gaming world and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands. It partners with Tony Hawk Inc. and Autograph to create a Tony Hawk LAND in The Sandbox, which will see Tony Hawk stepping into the blockchain-based world for the first time.
Through the partnership, Tony Hawk Inc. and The Sandbox team up on Tony Hawk’s 6×6 LAND to “build the largest virtual skatepark ever”.
In addition, Autograph Tony Hawk avatar will create non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on Tony Hawk and his most iconic skateboards, gear and clothing, including the legendary skateboard Tony Hawk used to land the 900 at the 1999 X Games.
The Sandbox will make these NFTs interoperable in its open metaverse, turning Autograph’s high-fidelity avatars into 3D voxel versions with in-game experience functionality, adding utility and value to their owners, the companies said.
Tony Hawk was world champion for 12 years in a row and he continues to skate demos and exhibitions internationally. He remains the most recognized action sports figure in the world. He considers skateboarding an art form, a lifestyle and a sport, and was the first skateboarder to land a 900 – considered one of skateboarding’s most technically demanding moves – among many other feats.
“I’ve been a fan of new technology all my life — from the early video games and home computers with CGI capabilities — so I’m fascinated by the metaverse and excited to bring our culture into the virtual landscape of The Sandbox,” said Hawk. †
“Tony Hawk embodies the perseverance of constantly striving for improvement and never giving up, and it forged him into a skateboarding legend and successful entrepreneur,” Sebastien Borget, COO of The Sandbox, said in a statement. “We share his passion for innovation, creativity and the drive to constantly create something: this is the energy that drives our entertainment metaverse. What better way to bring skateboard culture to The Sandbox than by following the lead of the greatest skateboarder of all time, whose legacy stretches from the early days of the sport and lifestyle to the present and beyond.”
“At Autograph, we strive to build otherwise impossible experiences for communities of fans and this is a step toward our goal of connecting them uniquely and at scale with Tony Hawk and with each other,” said Dillon Rosenblatt, CEO of Autograph, in a statement. “We are excited to be working with The Sandbox and Tony Hawk on this activation and many others.”
Part virtual real estate, part amusement park, The Sandbox fully embraces the idea of the metaverse as a continuous shared digital space where worlds and heroes come together to make magic.
Tony Hawk joins over 300 existing partnerships including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, The Rabbids, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Richie Hawtin, The Smurfs, Care Bears, Atari, Zepeto and Crypto Kitties.
Earlier this week, The Sandbox announced it will partner with Playboy to create a MetaMansion in the world.
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