Xplorers are a new, soon-to-be-released, NFT collection of 8,500 astronauts. The project combines a philosophy of exploration and technology, perfectly encapsulating the NFT world that it’s a part of. With access to a myriad of different studio features available to any holder, this is a project that’s aiming to be at the center of a strong community. Xplorers’ Studio also contains elements of the metaverse to truly push the boundaries of NFT technology.
Today we sat down with [@cryptonaut93] to talk about NFTs and their place in the metaverse.
Q: Why do you think NFTs are currently capturing the public’s imagination so strongly?
NFTs have made it possible, for the first time ever, for people to own assets digitally. The potential that has is limitless - and people are noticing. Tickets to sporting events, proof of ownership for luxury items, or even physical real estate can all be sold as NFTs. When it comes to generative art collections, like the Xplorers, we believe they symbolize a turning point for social media as a whole.
With all the privacy concerns in social media, we are seeing a transformation of sorts where people are associating their digital identities with these unique avatars. This has allowed for the formation of digital communities that people can belong to without sacrificing privacy. It’s sort of social media 2.0. NFTs, being non-fungible tokens, have the ability to unlock tremendous value.
Q: What sets your NFT collection apart from the others?
Xploration is the first step to innovation. By creating a community of Xplorers, we aim to accelerate innovation, starting with Art and moving to other verticals. We really do believe the archetype of a person in this space today is that of an Xplorer—everyone is looking to explore new opportunities and possibilities in this space, be it different tokens, DeFi, DAO, or the metaverse. Our collection will provide them with a community of like-minded individuals. Another thing that we believe will make our community stand out and sustain itself is collaboration. We strongly believe the way forward is collaborating with people we align with in the industry. We want the Xplorers to explore different ecosystems that help add value to the Xplorers brand in the long run.
Q: Tell us about the features that will be available through Xplorer’s studio.
Humans have always needed a space to interact with one another, to converse, innovate, and create. It could be a bar, cafe or even your living room. We see the Xplorers Studio being that—in the metaverse. The goal with the Studio is to create a space where our community members can engage and interact digitally. We have also created features like AR filters with our iconic helmets and zoom backgrounds to help interactions feel more authentic to our community. Within the studio, we would be enabling a few things: a chance for creators and investors within our community to interact with each other and provide feedback on projects (this is where we have also set up a Community Wallet), a place for members to display curated collections or art, and most importantly, we plan on using the Studio to collaborate with different artists and create worlds for The Xplorers to go explore.
Q: What kind of community do you hope to build around your collection?
The biggest difference we see forming between our physical identity and our digital identity is that people don’t want their digital identity to be based on characteristics like gender or the color of their skin. Instead, they want it to be about something deeper. With the Xplorers community, that is exactly what our vision is based on—building a community of people who put on their Xplorer helmets and connect with each other around a single trait: the desire to explore. It is for people who are working hard at their day job but still take the time to explore this new digital world that is quickly forming around us.
Q: Tell us a little more about the Community Bank.
We want to provide our Xplorers with as much of a framework as we can to help them not only explore different possibilities but also allow them to kickstart their own projects in these varied avenues. Our Community Wallet has been set up to ensure 33% of proceeds we receive from secondary sales always go towards funding projects that members of our community choose to undertake. We have created different channels for photography, art, finance, and more to help community members discuss and explore different possibilities that they could work on.
Q: Your project integrates elements of the metaverse. What do you see the metaverse developing into in the long-term?
There is an age-old saying that when it comes to real estate, it’s all about location, location, and location, but technology is quickly changing that. The metaverse aims to create a digital world that is overlaid on the physical world we live in. We see a lot of current, regular online interactions get upgraded and enhanced in the metaverse. We are currently using the internet as a 2D scroll on a flat screen; the metaverse changes that to being more of a 3D spacial experience.
Q: When can we expect to see Xplorers launch and how should we stay up to speed with your roadmap?
Our launch is expected in the next couple of weeks with a pre-sale that will be announced soon. Keep an eye out on our discord and Twitter (links). You can also get updates by joining our mailing list through the website.
