Storyverse.xyz – GoDaddy customer – (Japan)
Web3-focused developers are using .xyz domains to build innovative platforms that stand to disrupt industries. Forbes-featured artist Brandon Tory’s Formless.xyz leverages blockchain technology to change the way music and other digital content is valued and distributed. Venture fund CoopRecords.xyz strives to invest in artists and startup founders who are uniting web3 and music. Web3 video platform Shibuya.xyz aims to disrupt the Hollywood studio system of film distribution. In this week’s #BlockchainThursday, we’ll introduce you to a web3 platform that provides no-code interactive story game publishing tools and aims to empower communities to craft stories that enhance their brand’s value: Storyverse.xyz.
Storyverse.xyz is the online home of Storyverse, a web3 platform designed to help users create and share their own digital characters and games. While building a game, you have the freedom to design unique characters, set up engaging narratives, and develop interactive choices for other players. These games permit players to actively participate in the story by making decisions that shape the outcome, offering an immersive and personalized storytelling experience. The innovative platform is founded by Justin Waldron and Michael Carter, both of whom also founded game developer Playco, a mobile gaming startup that achieved unicorn status in September 2020 with a valuation “just north of $1 billion.”1 The Storyverse platform provides a space where Profile Picture (PFP) characters can be utilized in new ways. Profile Picture (PFP) characters are visual representations chosen by users to represent themselves online, often used as profile pictures on social media. They serve as a visual identity and a means of self-expression in online communities. The platform provides no-code interactive story game publishing tools, allowing communities to craft stories that enhance their brand’s value. Storyverse is not simply a story-building platform. It creates a creator-centric ecosystem that expands the utility of assets.
In Storyverse, “PLOTs” refer to unique digital areas that creators can buy to build their games and apps. Because there’s a limited number of these PLOTs, they become more sought-after among the community. Transactions and interactions on the platform are managed through the platform’s native currency, INK tokens. In the first week following its launch in February 2022, Storyverse attracted attention from creators around the globe and figures notable in the gaming and crypto space, such as Chain Runners2 and Carly Reilly.3
Interactive storytelling is the core of Storyverse, a function that is aptly utilized in Ape Stories, an interactive game featuring Bored Apes from the well-known Bored Ape Yacht Club. Members of the Bored Ape Yacht Club community, including Eric Golden, Zeneca, and TropoFarmer, participated in Ape Stories by contributing their PFP apes. This marked the first instance of a collection “Entering the Storyverse.” It was also the first opportunity for these owners to witness their apes in motion and interacting with others.4 As Tropofarmer, one of the Bored Ape owners, explained in the press, “I like how the Storyverse lets owners add utility to their PFPs. I can use the platform to leverage my assets in some really interesting ways, whether it’s making my own entertaining stories, or licensing a particular PFP to other creators who feel inspired by it.”5
In May 2022, Storyverse teamed up with Everyrealm, a web3-focused social gaming technology company. This alliance aims to help NFT communities by combining Storyverse’s easy-to-use story creation tools with Everyrealm’s expertise in metaverse development. The goal is to make it simpler for these communities to create fun, interactive story games in the metaverse. This partnership culminated in the Genesis Public Sale of PLOTs hosted by Storyverse, which sold out within seven minutes. Everyrealm bought 250 PLOTs, adding more virtual property to its large collection in the metaverse. The partnership between Storyverse and Everyrealm represents an evolution in the landscape of the global entertainment economy, providing more tools for creators to develop new content. As explained by founder Justin Waldron in the press, the platform’s capabilities include enabling creators to “create the next-gen Bart Simpson, Peppa Pig, or Cartman from their mobile phone.”6
We had the opportunity to speak with Kanto, Storyverse’s Marketing Director, about the platform’s choice to build on .xyz. As he told us, “We opted for the .xyz domain as it aligns with our commitment to creativity, inclusivity, and advanced technology. It’s concise, memorable, and globally acknowledged, mirroring our goal to reach a diverse audience. Its innovative reputation fits our web3 principles of decentralization and user-centricity. As such, .xyz was a natural choice, reflecting our aim to be at the forefront of the digital era alongside other web3 pioneers and innovators.”
As a distributed platform for user-generated interactive storytelling and game creation, Storyverse offers opportunities for creators to not only build but also monetize their applications. We are inspired by Storyverse’s commitment to empowering creators.
You can learn more by following Storyverse on Twitter @storyverse_xyz and LinkedIn, joining the Discord, and visiting Storyverse.xyz.
1. https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/21/playco-launch-funding/
2. https://twitter.com/chain_runners/status/1493398397880922117
3. https://twitter.com/carlypreilly/status/1582525556268335104
4. https://www.cryptopolitan.com/new-interactive-nft-platform-storyverse-welcomes-the-bored-apes-in-first-ever-community-driven-story/
5. https://www.cryptopolitan.com/new-interactive-nft-platform-storyverse-welcomes-the-bored-apes-in-first-ever-community-driven-story/
6. https://cryptobriefing.com/everyrealm-and-storyverse-partner-to-create-interactive-stories-for-nft-communities/
ElaineCarroll.xyz – Namecheap customer – (United States)
The .xyz community is home to many accomplished individuals using .xyz to showcase their passions and career experiences. Entertainer Ace Anderson uses AceofAllTrades.xyz to showcase his accomplishments as an actor, comedian, rapper, filmmaker, and graphic designer. Political satirist Bassem Youssef uses BassemYoussef.xyz to highlight his media appearances, upcoming shows, and press clippings. New York-based multi-talented creative Talia Goddess uses TaliaGoddess.xyz to share her music, merchandise, and music videos. In this week’s #WebsiteWednesday, we’ll introduce you to an accomplished actress, comedian, impressionist, and voiceover artist who highlights her career experiences on her own personal website: ElaineCarroll.xyz.
ElaineCarroll.xyz is the personal website of versatile actress, comedian, writer, voiceover artist, and improviser Elaine Carroll. She gained recognition through her 2010 web series “Very Mary-Kate,” which received press coverage from the Wall Street Journal1 and the Washington Post2, and was recognized as one of Time Out New York’s “Best Web Series of All Time.”3 Other notable highlights from Elaine’s achievements include:
Elaine most recently appeared in the 2022 comedy film “Out of Office,” directed by Paul Lieberstein. The film features a talented ensemble cast, including Ken Jeong, Jay Pharoah, Leslie Jones, and Shantira Jackson.4
Elaine boasts a strong social media following across many platforms and continues to showcase her talent and entertain audiences. Her Instagram profile features over 58K followers, and her YouTube channel has 93.3K subscribers. She invites fans and visitors to her website from her successful TikTok profile, which has 345.8K followers and 9.8M likes, and from her Twitter profile, which has 30K followers (as of June 15, 2023). Elaine utilizes her website as a central hub to display her latest content, appearances, and updates, ensuring her fans have easy access to the most up-to-date experiences. Additionally, the website serves as a resource, providing contact information for both Elaine and her management team. This helps visitors reach out for various inquiries and professional opportunities.
Elaine’s career endeavors are displayed in an easy-to-navigate manner for visitors to explore on ElaineCarroll.xyz. The homepage has a portrait of Elaine wearing a light pink jumpsuit. Her arms are folded, and she’s smiling. The image features an overlay of the text “ELAINE” in a white outline that enhances its visibility and legibility. Above her image are the various menu options for exploring her content. On her Reel page you can check out Elaine’s carefully curated acting reel, including her impression of Reese Witherspoon, a selection of “Very Mary-Kate,” and her scenes from “Arrested Development,” and “Modern Family.” If you click over to Elaine’s Projects page, you can find information about her various roles and any associated press coverage. You can also check out her Press page for links to her notable press clippings, including Deadline’s article about “Out of Office.”5
There is great benefit in a domain like ElaineCarroll.xyz for your personal website. ElaineCarroll.xyz can serve as Elaine’s main hub, helping her link out to all her important and up-to-date socials, and providing visitors with a centralized platform to explore and stay connected with her comedy journey. Website visitors have the opportunity to experience a wide sampling of Elaine’s talent all in one place. The simplified navigation makes it easy for visitors to get a strong sense of Elaine’s abilities and help them explore her comedy. Using a FirstNameLastName.xyz domain like ElaineCarroll.xyz can also help make it easier for Elaine and her comedy to be discoverable online. Anyone who Googles “elaine carroll” will see ElaineCarroll.xyz near the top of the search results page (as of June 15, 2023). With a professional website using a domain name that matches your full name, it’s more likely that your website will show up in relevant results.
We are proud to have Elaine among the thriving .xyz community of talented actors and comedians. You can learn more about Elaine by following her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and by visiting ElaineCarroll.xyz.
1. https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-SEB-32563
2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/creating-very-mary-kate/2011/12/08/gIQAT1XhpO_blog.htm
3. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/comedy/50-funniest-web-series
4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3014645/?ref_=tt_cl_t_1
5. https://deadline.com/2022/05/ken-jeong-leslie-jones-jason-alexander-cast-out-of-office-movie-comedy-central-1235025287/
Between 2022 and 2023, the term “ai” has become the #1 most popular keyword in newly registered .xyz domains, according to the monthly XYZ Registry Domains Reports. We have also witnessed a growing number of AI-focused end-users in the .xyz community, reflecting the increasing influence of artificial intelligence in our modern world. This underscores the distinctive appeal of .xyz domains, particularly favored by visionary individuals engaged in cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain, web3, and AI. Startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs in these fields are recognizing the value of .xyz domains for establishing their online presence. By gaining traction among the artificial intelligence community, .xyz continues to offer an accessible and unique online platform that empowers individuals and organizations at an affordable cost.
As .xyz’s popularity among AI developers continues to grow, we have launched a new blog series titled #AIMonday to complement our long-running #WebsiteWednesday series and our new #BlockchainThursday series. Every Monday we now share an #AIMonday feature about an innovative and pioneering member of .xyz’s AI community. Here’s a look at the websites we’ve featured so far:
Airstack.xyz – GoDaddy customer – (United States)
Airstack.xyz is the online home of Airstack, an AI-powered web3 developer platform aimed at revolutionizing the way developers build composable applications. The platform aims to simplify the process of discovering and consuming data from the web3 ecosystem via APIs. Airstack says they help facilitate data integration and querying, and shares on Airstack.xyz that its app can “instantly integrate on-chain and off-chain data into any application.” Developers can use a single query to access and combine data from different sources, including on-chain, off-chain, cross-chain, and cross-application data. You can learn more by following Airstack on Twitter @airstack_xyz and by visiting Airstack.xyz.
PeachlyAI.xyz – Hostinger customer – (United States)
PeachlyAI.xyz is the online home of Peachly AI, a business-focused platform aimed at helping organizations deliver efficient and effective advertising campaigns. The platform is developed by Peachly Digital, a digital advertising agency. It is part of Wolf Consulting LLC, which was founded by Mark Wolf, the former Lead Digital Advertising Consultant for SaaS company Quick Sprout. PeachlyAI seeks to assist businesses of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises, with the aim of achieving their advertising goals and improving overall performance. You can learn more about Peachly AI by following the platform on Twitter , Facebook, and Instagram and by visiting PeachlyAI.xyz.
AIPresent.xyz – Porkbun customer – (United States)
AIPresent.xyz is the online home of AIPresent, an AI-powered platform designed to automate the process of creating presentations. The primary goal of AIPresent is to save time by reducing the need for manual design work. The platform aims to help users transform their ideas into visually compelling slides without the time-consuming process of traditional design. For more information, you can reach out to [email protected], or visit AIPresent.xyz.
There are many valuable reasons to choose .xyz when developing your own AI project.
We are inspired by the many innovative AI developers launching their projects in the .xyz AI community, and look forward to sharing them with you.
The .xyz community is home to many freshly funded web3 projects (showcased on our monthly XYZ Registry Domains Report) as well as early-stage investment firms focusing on web3 technologies. San Francisco-based investment firm Dragonfly.xyz backs teams building generational companies and products in crypto across sectors and stages. Prominent venture capital firm Paradigm.xyz is expanding its investment focus to include crypto, blockchain, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Montreal-based investment firm BoxOne.xyz supports entrepreneurs aimed at making a positive difference in the world. In this week’s #BlockchainThursday, we’ll introduce you to three web3-focused VC firms that have chosen .xyz and .LOL domains to develop their online presence.
Dispersion.xyz – GoDaddy customer – (United States)
Dispersion.xyz is the online home of Dispersion Capital, an early-stage venture firm that specializes in decentralized infrastructure. As stated on Dispersion.xyz, the firm’s objective is to invest in “the foundational technologies of a multi-chain, multi-currency, and multi-platform world.” The firm’s investment focus spans various layers of web3 technology, including fintech and gaming infrastructure, security, data, and platforms that disrupt traditional industries. On May 23, 2023, Dispersion Capital announced a $40M fund focused on decentralized infrastructure.1
Dispersion Capital primarily invests in foundational technologies that support decentralized businesses, with a particular emphasis on providing developers with the necessary tools to implement this vision. Notable investments include:
You can check out more of Dispersion Capital’s investments by following the firm on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, and by visiting Dispersion.xyz.
gmjp.LOL– Hover customer – (Japan)
gmjp.LOL is the online home of gmjp (which stands for “good morning japan”), an early-stage web3 fund that focuses on global investments. The fund seeks out promising opportunities in the web3 ecosystem, including blockchain technology and decentralized finance. By targeting projects and ventures in Japan, gmjp recognizes the country’s influence in the digital landscape and aims to contribute to its growth as a player in the web3 revolution. Through strategic investments and partnerships, gmjp aims to facilitate the adoption and advancement of web3 technologies, both within Japan and worldwide.
Founded in 2022, gmjp has participated in ventures that have the potential to create a significant impact in the web3 landscape. A few prominent examples of these investments are:
You can stay up to date on the blockchain-focused investments of gmjp by following the fund on Twitter @gmjplol and Instagram @gmjp.lol, and visiting gmjp.LOL.
Superscrypt.xyz – GoDaddy customer – (United States)
Superscrypt.xyz is the online home of Superscrypt, an early-stage blockchain investment company focused on introducing the next generation of builders and users to the web3 space. Founded by Singapore-based global investment company Temasek, Superscrypt provides investment and support to innovative founders and projects across the entire blockchain ecosystem. In addition to capital, Superscrypt offers business and technology acceleration to assist projects in scaling from their initial stages to achieving significant growth.
Superscrypt’s focus includes investing in Layer 1 blockchains, web3 infrastructure, and more. Some of the firm’s notable investments include:
Keep up with Superscrypt’s web3 investments by following the company on Twitter and visiting Superscrypt.xyz.
Web3 projects and early-stage investment firms dedicated to supporting web3 technologies are building on .xyz and XYZ Registry domains. We are inspired by this vibrant ecosystem where emerging projects and investment companies in the .xyz community converge, working to shape the future of the web3 space.
1. https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/23/dispersion-capital-launches-40m-fund-focused-on-decentralized-infrastructure/
Brilliant.xyz – GoDaddy customer – (Singapore)
AR/VR developers are using .xyz domains to harness the potential of immersive technologies and create innovative platforms that redefine user experiences. Poland-based digital marketing agency Lune.xyz focuses on the use of interactive, cutting-edge AR and VR technology to connect consumers with products. AR audio platform Echoes.xyz aims to help you create immersive soundwalks, audiowalks, guided tours, and musical experiences. Browser-based 3D design tool Rooms.xyz envisions compatibility with AR/VR platforms as the technology evolves. In this week’s #WebsiteWednesday, we’ll introduce you to a tech company showcasing their wearable augmented reality device: Brilliant.xyz.
Brilliant.xyz is the online home of Brilliant Labs, a tech company developing open source gadgets, including wearable augmented reality (AR) devices. Brilliant Labs fosters a community-driven approach by providing open source software and encouraging collaboration among enthusiasts and developers. The innovative company aims to encourage individuals and foster creativity by exploring the potential of technology. In May 2020, Brilliant Labs raised $50K in a Pre-Seed round with the support of 1337 Ventures, a technology accelerator and early stage venture capital firm specializing in pre-seed and seed stage investments.1 As reported on June 28, 2023, Brilliant Labs raised an additional $3M in seed funding. The round was led by Brendan Iribe, co-founder of Meta’s virtual reality headset Oculus, and Adam Cheyer, co-founder of Apple virtual assistant Siri.2
Brilliant Labs has developed Monocle, a compact, wearable open source device that aims to enhance computer vision and augmented reality projects. By attaching it to existing eyewear, Monocle aims to provide an extended vision capability. Its hardware and open source software offer various potential applications for on-the-go augmented reality experiences.
Monocle weighs approximately half an ounce, which can make prolonged use more comfortable. The small device features some powerful technology. For those who are technically inclined, here are some notable features:
Monocle provides a range of features and functionalities. It connects to your mobile phone through Bluetooth, allowing integration with different applications. Monocle operates on open source software and offers a user-friendly introduction to MicroPython. MicroPython is a programming language designed for microcontrollers. Monocle includes capabilities such as 16x “super-zoom” vision, instant replay with slow-motion mode, and the ability to capture still images and videos, helping users to easily document and share their augmented reality experiences.
Monocle is available to order on Brilliant.xyz, helping enthusiasts and developers to explore augmented reality. The project source code for Monocle is accessible on GitHub under the permissive MIT license, promoting collaboration and community contributions for further development and enhancement of its capabilities.
Open source innovation can help developers explore and enhance Monocle’s capabilities as well as promote collaboration and community contributions. With its affordable price point comparable to an Oculus Quest, Monocle’s open source nature empowers developers to tinker with the hardware and software, fostering innovation, encouraging collaboration, and providing transparency in the augmented reality space.
Check out the Brilliant Labs Discord server, a platform where AR enthusiasts and skilled hackers converge to share their Monocle projects. You can engage in discussions with the company’s founders during monthly Ask-Me-Anything sessions and leverage office hours to access the knowledge of their lead engineer. Additionally, members gain the opportunity to participate in exclusive contests and giveaways hosted within the community. With a global user base, the active network of users provides a potential avenue for assistance whenever needed.
Brilliant Labs CEO Bobak Tavangar is a former Program Lead at Apple and the co-founder of Jellyfish, an AI-powered anti-spam software. Bobak and Brilliant Labs upgraded their domain from itsbrilliant.co to the shorter and more powerful Brilliant.xyz. Brilliant Labs aims to make augmented reality projects more accessible and encourages a community-driven ecosystem of innovation. We look forward to seeing more developments. You can learn more about Brilliant Labs and the Monocle by following the company on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, joining the Discord, and by visiting Brilliant.xyz.
1. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/brilliant-labs-15c9/company_financials
2. https://www.finsmes.com/2023/06/brilliant-labs-raises-us3-0m-in-seed-funding.html