Reebok is back in Web3 news with the announcement of a new partnership and plans for a metaverse.
The iconic athletic footwear and apparel brand founded in 1958 has partnered with Futureverse, an artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse company, for a Web3 gaming experience and metaverse expected to launch sometime next year. The new initiative dubbed ’Reebok Impact’ will be an immersive virtual experience with artificial intelligence, gaming, and digital wearables — presumably in the form of NFTs.
According to a statement released by Reebok CEO Todd Krinksy, the partnership with “Futureverse and the upcoming launch of Reebok Impact” will allow the brand to “transcend traditional boundaries of innovation” and connect with customers in ways that “redefine the realm of possibility.”
The blockchain-based gaming and metaverse experiences will be spearheaded by Futureverse, a company with major backers that produces high-quality digital content with a heavy focus on “play-to-learn” experiences and onboarding new users into Web3.
Co-founders of Futureverse, Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, said that the collaboration with Reebok will lead to a “groundbreaking fusion” of nascent technologies like AI, Web3, and blockchain that will “transform how consumers define digital fashion.” They added that storytelling will play a major role in Reebok Impact.
Reebok Impact is expected sometime in 2024, with no specific date mentioned. In alignment with Reebok’s “life is not a spectator sport“ theme, it will focus on shared experiences, allowing customers to share moments that shaped their lives and impacted the world.
While this is Reebok’s first metaverse initiative, it’s not the first we’ve seen from the brand in Web3 this year. It recently partnered with Gary Vaynerchuk’s NFT collection VeeFriends to launch a line of physical sneakers linked to NFTs.
Nike & adidas Are Also Bullish on Web3
For digital natives that are also fans of Reebok, the future launch of Reebok Impact should be exciting news. But Reebok isn’t the only athletic footwear brand to wade into Web3 waters. In fact, we’ve written several articles about Nike and adidas launching NFT collections, immersive experiences, and other Web3 initiatives recenty.
Here are some of top related headlines from this year:
Nike
- Nike Teases NFT Sneaker Hunt in Epic Games’ Fortnite
- Nike & EA SPORTS Hint NFT Enabled Games
- Nike Airdrops 106,454 Digital Posters to .SWOOSH Members
- Nike’s Swoosh Hosts Virtual Sneaker Design Contest
Adidas
- Adidas Debuts ‘Residency‘ to Highlight Digital Artists
- adidas & BAPE Unveil Limited NFT Sneaker Drop
- FEWOCiOUs & adidas Partner for NFTs Tied to IRL Shoe
- Adidas Launches Token-Gated Loyalty Program with Tokenproof
Reebok’s latest venture in Web3 is big news for the brand, and it appears to be just the beginning. However, it still has a long way to go to catch up to Nike and adidas, both of which have been investing and experimenting in Web3 for some time now. At Rarity Sniper, we’ll be on the lookout for any news about Reebok Impact and its upcoming launch.