Today, global sportswear brand Nike launches Our Force 1 (OF1), its first NFT collection of digital sneakers. The NFT project is the result of the brand's collaboration with NFT maker RTFKT, which was acquired by Nike in December 2021.
Nike describes RTFKT on its website as "a pioneering and innovative brand that redefines the boundaries of physical and digital value to serve their broad community of creators," experienced in developing NFTs, augmented reality, blockchain authentication, and game engines.
According to Nike, Inc. president and CEO John Donahoe, the company decided to acquire RTFKT to enable the sports brand to "serve athletes and creators at the intersection of sport, creativity, gaming, and culture."
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The next step Nike took to enter the Web3 space was launching its Web3 platform. SWOOSH in November 2022. The official announcement stated that this solution "champions athletes and serves the future of sport by creating a new, inclusive digital community and experience, and a home for Nike virtual creations," allowing Nike members to "learn about and collect virtual creations, which are typically interactive digital objects such as virtual shoes or jerseys that community members will soon be able to wear in digital games and immersive experiences." Nike also planned to offer physical products that would be unlocked by owning NFTs and grant the owners of its collectibles access to unique events.
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Now, with the launch of its first virtual collection, Nike has moved even closer to its goal, specifically to create an inclusive space for Web3 users. Unlike many established brands experimenting with NFTs, the team behind the OF1 collection ensures that the price of the NFTs is affordable. For example, each of the NFTs distributed in either the Classic Remix digital box or the New Wave digital box costs $19.82. At the same time, the price set for the NFTs symbolizes the year in which the Air Force 1 (AF1), one of Nike's most iconic sports shoes and the theme of the entire collection, was released.
The Classic Remix box allows its owner to select a digital version of one of the classic archival models of AF1, while the New Wave box offers "an expressive, custom AF1 with a more futuristic twist."
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To make the process even more engaging, Nike preferred to send AF1 posters to randomly selected members of the .SWOOSH community, who will be the first to have access to the OF1 sale, scheduled for May 8. Other collectors can enter the sale on May 10.
Meanwhile, Nike has also scheduled The Forging Event for April 24, which will allow the first NFT owners to turn their collectibles into digital sneakers.
