Nike will launch its first NFT collection on its .SWOOSH platform. The upcoming collection, Our Force 1 (OF1), will feature virtual sneaker NFTs on the Polygon network.
Selected .SWOOSH users will receive “posters” through airdrops starting April 18, giving them early access to the sale beginning on May 8. Then, on May 10, the Nike digital marketplace will be open to the entire .SWOOSH community.
The drop will include two types of virtual sneaker boxes — Classic Remix, featuring virtual shoes inspired by Air Force 1 releases from 1982 to 2006, and New Wave, comprising pairs designed in 2007 and beyond.
Old sole, new story.
The #OurForce1 collection features digital renditions of AF1s past, present and future built for the next generation.
Nike’s first-ever virtual collection is inspired by the AF1 Low, a classic style remixed hundreds of times since it dropped in ‘82. pic.twitter.com/dlq65VNeAb
— .SWOOSH (@dotSWOOSH) April 17, 2023
The Classic Remix boxes will contain some AF1s with a “nostalgic twist” that are more personalized and unique in number, although the exact quantity is not disclosed. The New Wave boxes will feature custom AF1s with a more “futuristic twist” that allows for more self-expression.
The price of each box is $19.82, which pays homage to the year that the Air Force 1 sneaker was first introduced. Nike will not accept cryptocurrency as a payment method for NFTs, but the company still plans to offer OF1 box holders additional perks and benefits, such as access to exclusive physical products and experiences.
Nike Virtual Studios GM Ron Faris said the company is looking for innovative ways to narrate stories and establish connections while removing “the limitations of physical products.”
“We are exploring new ways to tell stories and create relationships while removing the barriers and limitations of physical product.”
Ron Faris, general manager of Nike Virtual Studios
Nike’s foray into the digital sneaker industry
The OF1 collection is not Nike’s first venture into the digital sneaker market. In collaboration with RTFKT, a studio specializing in NFT sneakers, Nike introduced wearable digital sneaker NFTs CryptoKicks on the Ethereum blockchain.
Recently, Nike and RTFKT unveiled the Season One lookbook for their AF1 collaboration, featuring exclusive designs by artist Takashi Murakami. To access the physical collection, buyers must own the corresponding NFT between April 24 and May 8. Nike will release the shoes by the fourth quarter of 2023.
.SWOOSH Web3
In November, Nike introduced an initial version of its .SWOOSH platform, which it hinted would be a tool for Web3 learning and a place to buy and exchange digital collectibles.
.SWOOSH members can create their own collections and earn some sales revenue. In January, Nike organized a competition with a cash prize of $5,000 that encouraged .SWOOSH community members to produce a visual storyboard on Instagram featuring their shoe design concepts.
To create a secure and reliable platform, .SWOOSH has established the domain welcome.swoosh.nike. Nike members can visit the site to discover and acquire virtual creations and interactive digital items, such as virtual shoes or jerseys that can be used in digital games and immersive experiences.
Faris said this strategy allowed Nike to reach more consumers while providing an entry point to a new digital landscape. In this new arena, .SWOOSH will offer a gateway for users to acquire and interact with virtual objects.
Over 330,000 people are currently registered members of the.SWOOSH platform, and it is open for anyone to join for free.
