Persona, Tatsumeeko, Amber Vittoria, Yuga Labs, Proof, Web3 Security ...

This newsletter is proudly sponsored by Persona_Journey. Together, we shape the journey | By @Unagi_studio

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: PERSONA

A few days ago I would have been worried about the affordability of a project with as much hype and traction as Persona, today I'm not as concerned. The WL mint is only .069, and the public is an auction with a min. of .069, and a max of .29 eth. In fairness based on the potential raise that would have been possible off their marketing plan and the impact the art had on the timeline this is actually very low. The supply itself may be a little concerning but less than 8,888 could be too small and it could make the size of the community, as well as the barriers of entry very difficult.

A little background, The Unagi Studio team behind Persona is well established in their own right. Their existing sports fantasy Euro league games have their own audience and have been running successfully all through the bear market. With an existing marketplace that charges fees on trades they are self-sufficient and have even raised funds from Binance labs, and Polygon studios. The founders have a very impressive resume including their work at Ubisoft and their dedication to the success of their existing web3 games. The team released SpikesRun a few months ago, an experiment with a fun runner game using some of their assets and building on the IP. The WL website itself where you connect and speak to the computer system, connect your wallet and socials, run through tasks, and get referrals to earn more points is itself a very fun experience, and one I appreciate the team doing in an original way. Their trailer release was a breath of fresh air with a style we have not yet seen in web3. For the most part this is the first major collection to really play off that nostalgic Anime art. Things like this done premint are a sign of the team's commitment to delivering, and I do enjoy when they are able to capture attention and appreciation from the broader space.

So far the timeline looks like they will be minting this collection on Feb 22nd. Then shortly after they will announce another sports fantasy game that will have benefits for Persona holders, and with this new audience of course more onboarding potential to their existing brand of games. They have also announced that their token will be launching in Q1 2024, which technically means within aprx 1 month of mint. They will then be building something that will allow the holders to find each other, be highlighted and give them an exciting home to go to. A place that unites the ecosystem in a fun way that engages holders and cements the community. This will be a platform but not a game initially.

With the groundwork of their gaming ecosystem built out and expanding as well as their plans moving forward to build an IP, story forward, tokenized community of gamers, and lovers of art and storytelling. This seems like a genuine plan so far.

The lore and world they are building lends itself to the Web3 journey very well, it even resonates with their plan of onboarding. The ability to take a gaming community and give them a proper IP that can unite them is not something to be taken lightly. We have seen many games use their in game IP as pfps, and very few have succeeded, to me this feels like one that will allow true expansion, and a diverse community.

There have been some red flags raised, in group chats and on the timeline. Influencer WL allocation, layer issues with sneak peaks, the size of the collection, the strength of the community post mint which is yet to be seen, the token releasing with a small understanding of its use cases outside of the existing games that many of the new community seemingly may not be very interested in...and others.

However these don't seem to be deterring many, the WL spots were given out in very small batches of 1-3 per community for the most part. The sneak peaks are still in the quality check phase, it would have been nice for them to be perfect, but there is no perfect rendering in this space even the top collections have issues. The one red flag that stands out to me is the connection between Sports leagues gaming and anime, I feel like these two things are not very symbiotic, but this is kind of the point of growth, and expansion. Offering different products for different participants is key, we see successful studios that reach across one IP or consumer base and it is a core metric of strength to be able to execute on all sides. Most importantly they are not letting go of their existing gaming product and marketplace to launch Persona, which is a great sign of their direction and ability to manage both moving forward.

All in all, I am enjoying the Story and world building potential, as well as the art and the fact that the team is a studio with an existing revenue generating product and VC backers. They know how to run a business, and now obviously we can see they know how to garner attention and deliver inspiration to a community. Post mint is always a different story, but I will enjoy watching this one unfold.

👀 WHAT’S THE META.. 👀

GM, GA, or GN wherever you may be.

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Don't worry we got you. The market has been brewing, here's what's currently happening:

Yuga Labs acquires Proof.

Japan allows VCs to invest directly in crypto and web3 start-ups.

Asset manager Franklin Templeton files for Ethereum ETF.

Citi to test out asset tokenization.

🎉COMPETITION / GIVEAWAY TIME🎉

The 🟪$BLOCK ‘Lucky Roll’ - Waitlist Presale Codes.

Thanks to our friends over at @apcollectiveio we have 20 Waitlist codes to giveaway. Simply email your X id, Eth address to [email protected] with email subject BLOCK Waitlist Spotst. Winners will be drawn in 48 hours, and notified by X DM.

Must be following Alphabot, Seven & @apcollectiveio

🔮 NFT EVENTS & DROPS 🔮

So many mints, so little time. Don't worry Mani's got you covered. Eight gems to keep an eye on this coming week.

1. XR tech company, "OD Labs" is minting an NFT collection on 21st February. 'LuLu', the first generative on-chain mixed reality companion.

2. Revolving games' "RG Byte" GTD WL and public sale to commence on 22nd February. Earn a massive amount of rewards with BYTE.

3. "DTX", a Perp DEX built on Blast network launching their Beta test on Blast Sepolia on 22nd February.

4. "Palette", A generative ERC404 art collection is minting on 20th February. Founder of the project recently dropped another collection called "Pillheads"

5. PFP project "Killabears" launching a product, KILLA KRUNCH cereal on 23rd February.

6. "Wade side", a web3 born IP created in collaboration between CRIPCO & IPX. Launching their INO private sale on 22nd February.

🪙 CRYPTO DIGEST 🪙

Bitcoin had a notable week, peaking at $52,800 and sealing the week within the critical Red Zone of the 'Zone Structure' at $52,120. The focus now turns to whether BTC can produce a confirming follow-through—a 'confirmation candle'—in this upper band to strengthen the bullish case.

Looking back, the only other time BTC closed in this upper range pre-halving was during 2016's rally, which saw a sharp pullback the following week. This historical precedent puts us at a crossroads, wondering if we are witnessing a divergence from the cycles we've come to expect. However, a true break from tradition has yet to be seen.

The market's next steps are key. If BTC sustains above $50,000, it may mark an unprecedented shift, setting the stage for potential new highs before the halving. Still, history advises caution; typically, BTC retraces after reaching such peaks, suggesting that all-time highs before the halving are unlikely without decisive evidence.

While Bitcoin navigates its critical juncture, the broader altcoin market presents a contrasting picture. Despite the elevated BTC Dominance, closing last week at 53.46%, indicating that altcoins broadly lag behind Bitcoin's movements, there's an undercurrent of activity worth noting. Specifically, the AI crypto sector has emerged as a standout, with projects at the nexus of blockchain and artificial intelligence marking significant gains. This divergence suggests that while the crypto market has yet to experience a widespread altcoin season where BTC Dominance has a sharp decline, areas of innovation like AI are capturing investor interest, heralding a dynamic shift in market focus.

As Bitcoin attempts to solidify its position above $50,000, investors are closely monitoring its impact on market sentiment and portfolio strategies. A sustained breach of this level could signal a broader market shift, encouraging a re-evaluation of investment approaches towards altcoins. In particular, the resilience of the AI crypto sector amidst Bitcoin's dominance offers a compelling narrative for diversification and highlights the importance of staying attuned to technological trends within the crypto space.

🔐 WEB3 SECURITY 🔐

"I got drained & lost all my crypto and NFTs." A sentence that is hard to hear and even harder to say.

In my Safety & Security Series, I will go through everything you need to educate yourself to be safe navigating Web3.

To understand security risks, let's start with understanding wallets, and a common misconception!

Security 101: BACK TO BASICS

Do you know the difference between Seed Phrase, Public Keys, and Private Keys? Maybe some of you do, but if you don't let's get to it!

Crypto wallet: Allows you to manage/use your cryptocurrencies & other blockchain-based digital assets such as NFTs, allows interacting with smart contracts and DApps. (Minting/Marketplaces …etc)

Each wallet you create generates a seed phrase (secret backup phrase), a series of 12/24/48 words generated by the cryptocurrency wallet that gives you access to the crypto associated with that wallet.    

Each Crypto Wallet can contain multiple wallet accounts.

Each Wallet account contains a public key (the wallet account address) and your private key, which is needed to sign cryptocurrency transactions.

0x39dDA.. Public Key 1 has (Private Key 1)
0x129F44.. Public Key 2 has (Private Key 2)

It is vital to understand the difference between seed phrases and private keys because losing your seed phrase means losing everything, while losing your private key means losing only one account.

Our next concern is how our Seed-Phrase & Private Keys can be exposed or stolen. Here are some ways it can happen:

- Downloading a trojan, malware (usually a fake game), or fake browser extension that accesses your software wallet data stored on your browser.
- Browser zero-day vulnerabilities that lead to exposing them.
- Screen-sharing your software wallet seed phrase/private key from settings.

PRO TIP: Never import your software wallet e.g. MetaMask seed phrase to your hardware wallet or vice versa, you risk it all. That defies the purpose of using a hardware wallet as your seed-phrase could have been compromised before so it can be drained at any time.  

🕵️ UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: TATSUMEEKO

Tatsu.GG has been around for a long time, on the Web2 side they have built out a huge network. As a discord native game on 1.5 million servers, with an amount of daily active users that's shockingly high. This is a full on game network, with its own marketplace, subscription services, and a history of pushing the discord API to its limits.

Tatsu.gg launched in 2015, then Tatsumeeko started development in 2021, and as their first endeavour into web3 and blockchain tech, they built out a reward loop for NFT holders that has thrived. From a 0.5 sol mint they sit comfortably at 8 sol now. All flying under the greater Web3 gaming radar. With their obvious ability to execute, a vibrant user economy with over 8 million assets traded between users, and the fact that they have reached over 120 million users across Tatsu.gg and Tatsugotchi over the past 7 years this seems to be just the beginning.

Speaking to the founder and the team, and understanding how this whole platform began as a passion project, gamers building out together. A self-funded, passion driven gaming experience that grew into so much more. I gained a lot of respect for the infrastructure and innovations this team has brought forward.

They are now launching a month-long event for their games Tatsugotchi and Tatsumeeko, with massive onboarding potential. From 2015 they have technically been building up to this. From a social platform for gamers with social generated profiles and levelling. Their millions of Web2 users will eventually be sent codes to access this event, along with instructions and links to download and install wallets needed to participate, with multichain technology allowing people to use eth or Solana wallets. These users will be onboarded by a system they trust, pay for and use daily to experience for the first time true asset ownership and a decentralized gaming ecosystem.

Early access codes are required to participate in this event, in which we will enjoy a casual gaming experience, their latest product introduction which is free, and simple to participate in. Participants may be able to generate more codes to onboard more friends during the experience. There will be a leaderboard, with points and assets you can win by participating. They have not announced anything yet, but there might be partnerships and cross collaboration assets that they are keeping up their sleeves.

Above and beyond the assets you can win in this experience there will be points earned and a leaderboard to add a healthy sense of competition. What do these points mean? Will they be worth anything, I think seeing that this is an existing gaming ecosystem, with a currently off-chain marketplace, offering "points" in a gaming experience we all assume something is coming. This being a gated event for their existing ecosystem and partnering projects we know it's not about getting the MOST web3 users, and since they are not selling anything during this event it leads us to wonder why they are launching this, and what the end goal is.

The Tatsu Works team is probably partnering with existing IP and projects in the space. During these launches some of the earnable/winnable assets will be built in collaboration with existing projects we know and love. The names of partners are currently not public but I look forward to finding out who they may be, and what they might have built together.

TLDR - Here's what I see;

An insanely popular web2 discord native gaming ecosystem that is pushing for daily active users, and expanding their brand along in the Web3 space. To me this looks like a twofold strategy: building up a base of users in preparation to launch Tatsumeeko, and a longer term play to become a game publisher/distribution platform in Web3.

Their user base, and track record of successful games will allow them to be a powerhouse in Web3, but their existing user base in Web2 being transitioned to blockchain tech through this event will make them incredibly formidable. They will be essentially proving that they can launch a game for anyone, and bring the players to the table as well.

The event will likely be a vehicle to incentivize their Web2 users to onboard into Web3, likely through missions, quests and other incentives to use and connect wallets. This may be a good approach compared to forcing users to do so, allowing them to slowly convert and enable these users through choice and incentive rather than a jarring transition.

I believe that there will likely be more events and incentives down the road, to test many features as well as gather sentiment and feedback from their users, especially as it goes closer to game launch.

This marketplace will need a native token, maybe? With points and a leaderboard during this event what better people to distribute it to than their most active players during this event?

With the number of active users this event has the potential to show and the engagement loop of on chain rewards this would be the perfect pitch deck information to become a very successful game publishing platform.

The whole thing is being built by a passionate team who started out self-funded and built a core userbase before raising capital for scaling, and has a track record of shipping and releasing products for almost 10 years consistently with a proven record of success as a company. This could be a stark differentiator amongst many other teams in the space, who might have experience individually but are newly formed and likely will go through many teething stages.

Absolutely one to participate in, and a team building something great for Web3 gaming and the space as a whole.

Socials: Website / X / Discord

🎉COMPETITION / GIVEAWAY TIME🎉

Chance to win limited early day 0 access to the uncharted dreams, Tatsumeeko's very first Web2 x Web3 event.

According to the above article
1) How many discord servers is the game in? 1m, 1.5m, 2m
2) How man million users across Tatsu.gg ? 110, 120, 150?

Send your answers, X id, and Eth address to [email protected] with email subject Tatsumeeko Competition. Winners will be drawn in 48 hours, and notified by X DM.

Must be following Alphabot, Seven & Tatsumeeko

📜 FOR THE CULTURE📜

Amber Vittoria : Painting the Future of Web3

Amber Vittoria, based in LA, has played a key role in shaping Web3 culture through her art. She's known for pushing boundaries, starting from her early days experimenting with traditional media to her ground-breaking move into NFTs in 2021. “Through ribbons of color and poetry, her work aims to represent nuances of emotion, beauty, and nostalgia.”

Her journey into the world of Web3 and crypto began in 2017 when she recognized the technology's potential to impact lives. However, it wasn't until 2021, with the introduction of OpenSea's Lazy Minting, that Vittoria fully embraced the NFT space, marking a turning point in her artistic journey.

Vittoria's influence on Web3 culture is evident in how her art has evolved. Her abstract explorations, which evolved from her earlier figurative works, capture the emotional depths of womanhood and the human experience. Her art often reflects themes of balance, mirroring her personal struggles with vestibular migraines.

Recently, Vittoria introduced her latest NFT collection, "Vibes," a series of 300 individually crafted pieces that break away from utility-driven NFTs. "Vibes" champions equality, rejecting the idea that any particular trait makes a person unique. This intentional shift underscores Vittoria's commitment to the essence of artistic creation.

Vittoria's positive impact on Web3 culture is apparent in the 'Vibes' collection and her body of work. She encourages collectors to appreciate the value of each piece by emphasizing accessibility and authenticity.

Amber Vittoria's story is one of an artist who fearlessly embraced the digital frontier, leaving a lasting impression on Web3 culture through her creativity, innovation, and commitment to positive change.