EA Sports moves closer to the NFT world with Nike Partnership

Quick take:

• EA will integrate select virtual assets from Nike’s .Swoosh NFT Marketplace into future EA Sports titles.
• EA did not mention any specific games that will be integrated with “virtual creations”.
• Nike calls NFTs in its .Swoosh marketplace “virtual creations.”

EA may be about to jump on the NFT bandwagon based on its latest collaboration with Nike. The two companies have partnered to bring virtual assets from Nike’s .Swoosh marketplace to future EA Sports titles.

.The Swoosh Marketplace is Nike’s internal NFT platform where it sells digital sneakers and other collectibles as “virtual creations”. Although the sports and apparel giant has refrained from calling its .Swoosh marketplaces NFTs, all have the characteristics of a non-fungible token (NFT).

First, they are minted on the Layer 2 Ethereum scaling blockchain Polygon. Second, they can serve as a digital tradable for the real thing and can be adapted to gaming ecosystems where players can collect points based on running or walking distance. They can also be used as part of virtual clothing in games.

Although EA Sports has seemingly stayed off the NFT bandwagon, the company’s CEO was quoted in November 2021 as saying that NFTs will be “part of the gaming industry of the future”.

On the other hand, Nike has been one of the most active brands in the NFT space after the acquisition of the popular NFT project RTFKT in December 2021.

Last year, a Dune Analytics dashboard showed Nike topped the charts in brand revenue from NFTs, with more than $185 million. Adidas and Gucci were also part of that list.

While retail and fashion brands have found it easier to embrace NFTs, gaming companies have faced constant backlash from their hardcore fans, who believe NFTs are being used for greed rather than increasing joy and fandom in games.

This may explain why the likes of EA Sports have been reluctant to associate themselves with the word NFT.

In a press release announcing the partnership, Andrea Hopelain, EA’s SVP of Brand for EA Sports and Racing, said: “All of us at EA Sports are focused on leading the next evolution in sports fandom, and this new collaboration with our long-time partners at Nike directly at the intersection of innovation, sport and culture.”

“By working with the .Swoosh, we want to bring creativity and self-expression to the forefront for fans as they connect, compete and share their love of sports,” Hopelain added.

The companies plan to release more details on the integration of .Swoosh creations into EA Sports titles in the coming days.

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