As a follow-up to the genesis non-fungible token (NFT) launch from the hit television series The Walking Dead, Orange Comet, a Web3 company specializing in disruptive NFTs, is releasing the Degenerative Walkers NFT collection on July 28, 2022.
Walker Access Pass holders can now mint from 5,000 1:1 zombie NFTs, and if they hold the NFTs, they will receive airdrops of three additional NFT versions of their zombie. The airdropped NFTs will possess the same traits as the original minted NFT, but they will become more decrepit, decomposed, and Zombie-like with each airdrop.
Over the next couple of months, the collection will grow to include 20,000 Degenerative Walkers NFTs. For holders who decide to sell their NFT on the secondary market, they will lose their remaining airdrops to the buyer.
The NFT drops are being used to build out the show’s post-apocalyptic metaverse “The Walking Dead Lands.” In the metaverse, users can purchase virtual land, build structures, and earn rewards. Orange Comet plans to release five The Walking Dead-themed NFTs every year, including a hand-painted avatar collection of the show’s cast, which is expected to drop sometime later this year.
The Walking Dead media franchise has enjoyed much success over the show’s 11-season run. And though the ratings have declined since its peak in 2014, the series retains a passionate fanbase that will likely follow it into Web3.
Television Embraces Web3 and NFTs
Today’s launch of The Degenerative Walkers NFT collection is not The Walking Dead’s first foray into NFTs. On March 3, The Walking Dead Walker Access Pass launched, and a month later, it released a collection called Daryl’s Motorcycles, which contained a set of 5,000 motorcycle NFTs paying homage to Daryl Dixon’s iconic bike.
And The Walking Dead isn’t the only television series that’s embracing non-fungible tokens to connect with fans and build in Web3. We’ve seen several NFT collections so far that bring television and Web3 technologies together in interesting ways. Here are a few.
In February of this year, we reported that actress Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine was teaming up with the World of Women (WoW) NFT collection to adapt WoW NFs into films and television shows, as well as to co-produce series to educate women about Web3 technologies. In a market that’s been predominantly dominated by men, Witherspoon hopes to use her influence to level the playing field a bit.
Next, just a few weeks ago, Nickelodeon and Paramount announced they were bringing Rugrats and Hey Arnold! into Web3 with a partnership with RECUR, a technology company that builds immersive Web3 experiences. To get started, they are launching 10,000 NFTs depicting six characters from each of the popular shows.
Because NFTs, blockchain technology, and the metaverse enable companies to monetize digital assets and take advantage of popular IPs in new and exciting ways, many people in film and television are taking notice. We’ll be paying attention to see how the Degenerative Walkers NFTs sell. But one thing is clear: The Walking Dead is all in on Web3.