Sony and Theta 3D NFTs can be viewed and manipulated in semi-augmented reality on the Spatial Reality Display device.
Sony has partnered with Theta to launch 3D NFTs designed to be compatible with Sony’s Spatial Reality Device (SRD). The SRD is a tablet-like device that displays 3D images in semi-augmented reality.
Two types of 3D NFTs will be released, one of which is a limited edition NFT, a Tiki mask called “The Tiki Guy.” Only 10 copies of the NFT Tiki Guy will be created. The NFT design pays homage to the hand-carved, wood-decorated Tiki masks representing deities of ancient Polynesian culture, made to ward off evil spirits.
Pricing for the NFTs has not yet been disclosed, but owners of The Tiki Guy NFT with a U.S. shipping address will receive a Sony SRD for free. The SRD was released in 2020 and is currently priced at $5,000 per unit.
The NFTs will be for sale on ThetaDrop, Theta Labs’ NFT marketplace that has previously partnered with Samsung to launch NFTs. Theta said it was working on an initial pilot project with Sony on NFTs that represent “any in-world digital item, avatar or collectible can be visualized and displayed in 3D mixed reality form without glasses.”
Theta added that the Tiki-themed NFTs are designed “to showcase the next-generation capability of Sony’s Spatial Reality Display,” allowing collectors to view their metaverse collectibles in a manner free of 3D props.
The Spatial Reality Display tracks eye movement and adjusts the display based on the viewer’s movement, offering users a 3D viewing experience. With this, Mitch Liu, co-founder and CEO of Theta Labs, believes that NFTs and metaverses now have “huge potential” for 3D viewing.
Liu also noted that, at the moment, the NFT sector is composed of 2D images and videos. However, the Theta Labs CEO believes that the “metaverse is already 3D.” This means that there is a need to enable users to “visualize and display their NFTs in a way that gives them a physical presence.”
According to Nick Colsey, a senior manager at Sony Electronics, the launch of the NFT is a way to showcase the capabilities of Sony’s new Spatial Reality Display technology to NFT and metaverse enthusiasts. He explained:
“Consumers can now enjoy a next-generation 3D experience without the need for 3D glasses. Theta’s NFTs are just the latest way to demonstrate our rapid adoption of metaverse technology.”
Sony stated that the NFT project was a new way for the company to showcase the potential of its SRD for metaverse enthusiasts. “Theta’s NFTs are the latest way for us to showcase our rapid adoption of technology for the metaverse,” stated Nick Colsey, Sony’s vice president of business development.
This marks a shift in Sony’s marketing of SRD, which was previously promoted as an industrial development tool for designers, artists and engineers. With the launch of the NFT, Sony hopes to get its SRD device into the hands of NFT collectors, regardless of their profession.
Sony has made great strides in the Web3 space. The company recently invested $1 billion in Epic Games to support the game studio’s metaverse initiatives.
