Deadmau5’s Pixelynx Unveils NFT Scavenger Hunt: ‘Rock Band Meets Pokémon Go’ - Decrypt

Some euphony fans’ archetypal steps into the metaverse—and archetypal acquisition owning an NFT—could travel done a Pokémon Go-like augmented world (AR) game. At least, that’s the anticipation of Pixelynx, a Web3 startup co-founded by physics euphony icons Joel “Deadmau5” Zimmerman and Richie Hawtin.

Pixelynx announced contiguous that it volition statesman rolling retired its Elynxir euphony metaverse gaming level this week with the motorboat of an AR scavenger hunt acceptable passim Miami Beach, opening alongside the yearly Art Basel event.

Inder Phull, co-founder and CEO of Pixelnyx, described the scavenger hunt quest—called Go Astral—as a “Rock Band meets Pokémon Go experience,” citing the 2 palmy video crippled brands. Elynxir’s level is being built connected Polygon, an Ethereum scaling network.

Like Pokémon Go, the Elynxir app volition furniture integer contented atop users’ real-world surroundings erstwhile viewed done a smartphone, letting them interact with music-themed items successful the world. During the scavenger hunt, users volition effort to triumph 1 of 20 fractionalized pieces of an NFT from what the institution says is an existing “blue chip” profile representation (PFP) project.

By owning 1 of those fractionalized NFTs, players tin assistance signifier the aboriginal of a virtual instrumentalist that volition beryllium introduced connected the Elynxir platform. Phull said that the purpose is to gamify the concepts of coordination and collaboration, letting these aboriginal users make a virtual creator that tin perchance thrive wrong the upcoming euphony metaverse platform.

“What we privation is to springiness a fig of winners the committedness of voting rights, successful a sense, to this virtual act,” helium explained, “and for the assemblage to past collaborate and marque proposals connected however this virtual creator volition evolve.”

This isn’t the archetypal lawsuit of an NFT-driven virtual set oregon artist. Kingship, for example, is simply a major-label virtual set made up of characters inspired by Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT avatars, with Grammy-winning musicians Hit-Boy and James Fauntleroy penning the music. Producer Timbaland, meanwhile, launched his ain grounds label for Bored Ape-based artists.

In this case, Phull said that Deadmau5 and Hawtin whitethorn beryllium among the artists that yet collaborate with Elynxir’s virtual act, on with artists signed to Spinnin’ Records (part of Warner Music Group) and Mau5trap Records. Eventually, the virtual creator volition articulation others to signifier a supergroup connected the euphony metaverse platform.

Screenshots from the Elynxir AR app. Image: Pixelynx

Elynxir’s AR app uses the Niantic Lightship motor from Pokémon Go developer Niantic, and that workplace besides invested successful Pixelynx. The real-world dynamic should beryllium acquainted to anyone who’s played the smash Nintendo collaboration, but with a look and consciousness unsocial to Elynxir. Phull says the AR app is designed to assistance shepherd caller users into Web3 and NFTs.

“It's ace elemental successful presumption of onboarding,” helium said. “The thought is you tin get your archetypal NFT for free, successful principle. The thought is conscionable to commencement giving fans a caller mode to get a integer collectible, and past dilatory onboard them into the ecosystem wherever we've got much products and experiences that we're going to commencement releasing adjacent year.”

Elynixr volition beryllium a multi-platform music-centric metaverse experience, with the AR app—which volition connection further functionality beyond this archetypal scavenger hunt—serving arsenic conscionable 1 portion of the wide equation. A much lavish integer acquisition is being built with Unreal Engine, and volition diagnostic user-generated contented and opportunities for fans to collaborate alongside musicians.

“We're truly excited astir exploring this intersection betwixt music, gaming, and Web3, reasoning about: How would you turn the euphony industry?” said Phull. “Gaming truly presents the rails for euphony to turn and go thing overmuch much than conscionable a static format.”

Deadmau5 has pursued a fig of NFT collaborations successful the past, including drops successful Web3 games similar Blankos Block Party and The Sandbox. Pixelynx antecedently released reactive euphony NFTs that volition service arsenic aboriginal entree passes into Elynxir.

The steadfast was founded successful 2020 and raised $4.5 cardinal past twelvemonth successful a effect circular led by noted metaverse capitalist Animoca Brands, with information from Solana Ventures, Everyrealm, and others. Alameda Research, the trading steadfast that played a cardinal role successful the caller illness of crypto speech FTX, besides invested successful the round.

Phull said that the physics instrumentalist built the archetypal playable mentation of Pixelynx’s platform, and that helium and Hawtin (a.k.a. Plastikman) are some immersed successful gathering Elynxir into the metaverse destination for euphony enthusiasts. They’re each besides “developing their ain tech,” Phull added, which Pixelynx past plans to incorporated into its ecosystem.

“They're profoundly progressive arsenic technologists and musicians,” Phull asserted.