Published on: 29/11/2022
Deadmau5, Richie Hawtin launching music metaverse game Elynxir
PIXELYNX, a Web3 startup co-founded by electronic music legends Joel “Deadmau5” Zimmerman and Richie “Plastikman” Hawtin, is launching Elynxir, a new music metaverse game based on the Polygon Ethereum scaling network.
Elynxir is debuting this week through an AR scavenger hunt planted throughout Miami Beach, which will begin alongside the annual Art Basel event. PIXELYNX co-founder and CEO Inder Phull calls the hunt “a Rock Band meets Pokémon Go experience.”
The Elynxir app, similar to Pokémon Go, will layer digital content on top of real-world terrains, allowing them to interact with music-themed objects. During the hunt, users will compete for one of 20 widely dispersed pieces of NFT known as “shards” from an already established “blue chip” profile picture (PFP) project. Players can support and determine the future of a virtual musician on the Elynxir platform by owning one of those shards.
horde, there’s only a few Droplet digital collectibles left. registration closes Nov 14 + the drop is Nov 18! grab the music reactive #ELYNXIRDroplet + be one of the first to access #ELYNXIR. reserve yours now here -> https://t.co/fGKQLjxZhx cc: @elynxirgame pic.twitter.com/hFws39yzOU
— Goat lord (@deadmau5) November 11, 2022
PIXELYNX’s goals
Phull said his team was working to make Elynxir a magnet for music fans in the metaverse, with plans to release more products and experiences next year.
According to Phull, the project’s primary goal is to create a platform where users can collaborate to develop a virtual artist who will flourish in the near future in the metaverse.
“What we want is to give a number of winners the promise of voting rights, in a sense, to this virtual act,” the CEO said, “and for the community to then collaborate and make proposals on how this virtual artist will evolve.”
The technology behind the Elynxir AR app is developed by Niantic — the company behind Pokémon Go. They also use Unreal Engine to create a digital experience with user-generated content and chances for fans to work collaboratively with musicians.
According to Phull, the AR app aims to help new users enter Web3 and the world of NFTs. “It’s super simple in terms of onboarding,” Phull said. “The idea is you can get your first NFT for free, in principle.”
Elynixr intends to be a music-focused multi-platform metaverse experience, and the AR app, which will offer advanced functions beyond the initial scavenger hunt, is only one part of the whole.
More about PIXELYNX
The company recently announced a collaboration with Metanoise, a Web3 company focusing on forming a collective of builders, futurists, creatives and tech leaders to assist organizations in entering and navigating the rapidly evolving Web3 space.
“Our vision is to create new ways for fans and artists to interact while driving culture together and pushing the artform forward. I’ve always been impressed at how strong and inspiring the Metanoise community is,” Phull said.
The company was founded in London and Los Angeles in 2022. It has been developing a music metaverse that aims to change how artists connect and engage with their fans through gaming experiences. It recently raised $4.5 million in Seed funding led by Animoca Brands, with participation from Solana Ventures, Everyrealm, Alameda Research and others.
Elynxir is not the first NFT-powered virtual band or artist. Kingship, for example, is a virtual band comprising characters based on Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT avatars with music written by Grammy-winning musicians Hit-Boy and James Fauntleroy.
