Post MightyVerse Presents: Spooky Season (‘Spooky Season’) — a brand experience from the good people at Mighty Jaxx on The Sandbox — here, a catch-up with Darryl Tan about the future of phygital collectibles, the award-winning culture platform’s next move and developing a Metaverse experience for collectible fans.
Hi Darryl! Can you tell me what you do for a living in 10 words or less?
Amplifying Future Culture with Phygital Collectibles and Experiences!
View this post on Instagram
Are you a collector yourself? If so, what do you collect?
I collect polaroid cameras – some are still in working condition and the one that I shoot with is Polaroid SLR 690, a camera that is the same age as me! Some of my polaroid shots can also be found on my dedicated Instagram account.
Of course, I also have a small collection of art toys from Mighty Jaxx!
Mighty Jaxx started out as a design and art studio that made mainly physical collectibles. Was the transition to include creating phygital and digital collectibles a natural one?
The transition to creating phygital and digital collectibles was a natural one. At the end of the day, the vision and mission of amplifying future culture from the beginning still remain the same. Whether it be independent artists, entertainment IPs, sports, or trendsetters, Mighty Jaxx provides a unique platform to reach fans.
Authenticity is an issue that collectors care about (especially if they are shelling out upwards of a few hundred dollars on a piece of physical collectible), and MJ went a step further to ensuring authenticity, at first digitally, and then on the blockchain as an NFT. All our physical products were embedded with an NFC chip that allowed authentication to happen. Owners have the peace of mind that they own a legitimate product, and can also prove their ownership with the help of blockchain technology.
View this post on Instagram
In what ways do you think this unique position as both a player in the physical and digital collectible scene benefits Mighty Jaxx?
The ability to bring in physical utility in the form of a collectible is one that really strengthens our proposition to our customers. Although younger generation collectors might be more open to digital standalone collections, most collectors still like to have the tactile feel of something physical.
On the digital front, we have been first movers as one of the first few collectible manufacturers to have our own Metaverse spaces and collaborating with various key players including Sandbox and DGPals.
One of the first IPs that we have brought into the Sandbox is Creepy Cuties. The brand started its life as a toy series launched in 2021, and now has an extended experience that allows people to fully immerse themselves in the story-telling of these popular ghost and monster lores .
How is the process of making a digital and phygital collectible different from a physical one?
The process of making Phygital and Digital Collectibles are similar – with the exception that Digital Collectibles do not require manufacturing or logistics.
The other phases of designing, marketing and selling are the same, although there are nuances in terms of design preferences and target markets that we are reaching and selling the products to.
View this post on Instagram
What are some examples of utilities that might come with physical and phygital collectibles?
We have been experimenting with different ways of engaging with our fans, and an example of this is coming up with our own version of POAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol) in the form of FRGMNTS that captures user’s who have visited us at some of our international events this year, including Thailand Comic Con, Designer Con to name a few.
For These FRGMNTS, in addition to being a digital collectible that is a way of keeping our collectors record of life experience of having visited our booths, FRGMNTS holders are also rewarded with a free physical collectible at the event. In future, we are planning to gate our metaverse experiences so that only Collectible holders, and potentially FRGMNTS holders will be able to enter these digital experiences. Collectible Holders might get additional benefits such as Avatars and Wearables when participating in these experiences.
Last but not least, by popular demand we are bringing some physical experiences from toys that we have made from popular entertainment IPs to life.
Why did Mighty Jaxx decide to enter the Metaverse?
Metaverse brings stories to life, forging a new level of connection between fans and their favourite characters and immersing a player in the lore. MJ’s Metaverse would be a hub where different realms come together, where possibilities are endless and where fans can find their tribe.
View this post on Instagram
What is MightyVerse presents: Spooky Season about?
MightyVerse Presents: Spooky Season, Mighty Jaxx’s first venture into the Metaverse will offer horror (and casual) fans alike a unique experience and cross-over platform that will allow them to interact with their beloved collectibles digitally in real life.
The enhanced brand experience was free for all to enjoy during Halloween on The Sandbox and serves as a prelude to the full experience launching in Q2 2023. There will be additional teaser experiences for Spooky Winter happening from 10 to 31 December.
Was Spooky Season always in the plan to tease the official drop of MightyVerse on The Sandbox?
The Sandbox is still in an alpha phase right now, and MJ is working closely with Sandbox to officially launch MightyVerse during the next Alpha Season.
View this post on Instagram
How did this collaboration with Sideshow Collectibles come about?
Sideshow is a Global Collectibles Giant based out of the US. Mighty Jaxx has been a long-time collaborator with Sideshow.
Sideshow’s horror franchise, Court of the Dead, was a great fit for Spooky Season and Sideshow was very receptive to MJ’s proposal to have a teaser experience in Sandbox where fans get an opportunity to dance with Death. The experience and partnership, a first for both Mighty Jaxx and Sideshow Collectibles, are aligned on their collective vision and strategic focus of creating opportunities for fans of collectibles to converge on different platforms, allowing for community growth across multiple fandoms.
This partnership is the first of many between the two companies, with both Sideshow Collectibles and Mighty Jaxx committed to working towards a true hybrid ‘phygital’ offering via a platform approach that will reimagine the full-experiential journey for all fans and create stronger value for them.
Personally, what do you think we can look forward to seeing in the collectible scene over the next few years? Especially with the mainstreaming of NFTs and the Metaverse.
I think at the end of the day, standalone digital assets have a part in the ecosystem, and phygital assets have a part in the ecosystem. But generally, for more mainstream audiences and customers, the touch and feel of things, the tangible aspect is super important
I do think that accessibility will have to be one big thing for the mainstream adoption of digital or phygital collectibles.
Things have to be easy, there should not be a need to understand crypto assets or currencies, bridging between wallets etc. And I think there is going to be a proliferation of these tools that will help with mainstream adoption.
View this post on Instagram
What are the considerations in developing a Metaverse experience for collectible fans?
Bringing what the fans want to life is the core of our considerations, and it is important that we’re not simply recreating their reality in the virtual world. We wanted to take it a step further and build a space for brands and communities together and interact with an experience that transcends seasons.
Metaverse provides a visualization of these characters that previously only existed in a static physical toy form. To give these characters life, it was important for us to understand the audience we were working with, and build a narrative that they could relate to. Both Creepy Cuties and Sideshow’s court of the dead were Horror IPs that we felt were fitting for Spooky Season.
We also knew we did not want to go full out with horror, it is meant to be light-hearted and fun after all.
And lastly — what’s up next for Mighty Jaxx?
We believe that we are building the foundation for fans to leverage web 3 technology to experience the full continuum of collecting physical collectibles, going to physical in-real-life experiences, and then continuing these experiences at home in a Metaverse, all on one platform that is MightyVerse.
In addition, there is going to be an in-real-life experience that we are bringing to consumers in Q2 next year. To learn more and keep abreast of our latest developments, follow us on Twitter at Mighty_Meta!
Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with our November 2022 issue!
RELATED ARTICLES
The AI-fication Of Facial Treatments
Fashion Is Yearning for More
