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Casio has revealed that it is collaborating with Ethereum scaling developer Polygon Labs to launch a virtual G-SHOCK watch on the Polygon blockchain.
The project will begin with an NFT-based G-SHOCK creator pass, which will invite users to design and vote on its appearance.
G-SHOCK Comes To The Metaverse
The collaboration will see Casio bring the G-SHOCK brand to the metaverse with the launch of Virtual G-SHOCK. Virtual G-SHOCK is a blockchain-based community co-creation program in partnership with Polygon Labs. The first step in the roadmap is the launch of a collection of 15,000 free-to-mint G-SHOCK Creator Pass NFTs later this month. There are a total of 15,000 creator passes available, which will allow users to access a dedicated Discord channel for the project. Casio customers who already have a Casio ID can participate in the upcoming pre-distribution phase, which will be held from the 23rd to the 26th of September. Following this, a public distribution will be held from the 16th to the 29th of September.
The news of the Virtual G-SHOCK comes just weeks after the company filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The trademark application covered watches, virtual clothing, NFT-backed media, and stores for virtual goods. The company also hopes to harness the immense popularity of its G-SHOCK watch. Casio has shipped over 100 million units of its G-SHOCK watches since its launch in 1983. Speaking about the collaboration, the senior general manager of Casio’s timepiece division, Takahashi Oh, stated,
“In recent years, with the spread of the decentralized internet known as Web3, demand for experiences in virtual spaces has increased. We have launched this initiative to further expand the G-Shock brand by establishing points of contact with previously unreachable segments of the population.”
According to Oh, the Virtual G-SHOCK project aims to increase the presence of Casio in the metaverse and Web3 and foster a culture of wearing watches in the virtual world.
Frictionless User Experience
Casio also shed light on its decision to select Polygon to launch its foray into Web3 and the metaverse. The company stated that Polygon enabled lightning-quick transactions, making the process of minting and managing NFTs seamless, convenient, and carbon-neutral.
“At its core, our virtual G-SHOCK was built to be accessible, innovative, and inclusive, meaning that user experience must be frictionless and simple. This is why Polygon was the most natural and logical choice for us. The goal is for the company and users to work together and develop the G-SHOCK brand, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year.”
Other Brands Launching NFTs
Casio joins a long list of brands that are launching a slew of projects and initiatives with Polygon. These include Adidas, Starbucks, and DraftKings. DraftKings is a sports betting firm that launched its NFT marketplace on Polygon in 2021. The project’s first drop featured NFT superstar Tom Brady. DraftKings also became a full validator for Polygon later in the year. Adidas announced an NFT project on Polygon in partnership with Prada. The project featured user-generated content.
Starbucks joined the party in April of this year, launching its own NFT collection on the Polygon network. Speaking about brands expanding on Polygon, Polygon Labs co-founder Jordi Baylina stated,
“It is inspiring to see that more and more global brands are embracing decentralization by expanding their presence in the web3 world.”
Several other brands have also launched Web3 loyalty programs that feature elements of co-creation. This includes brands such as Lacoste. Tommy Hilfiger announced an AI design competition in partnership with Dress X during the Metaverse Fashion Week held in March.
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