Move over CryptoPunks and Apes — these 3D meka robots are gaining steam

MekaVerse is a new NFT project. As of writing this, its makers have yet to release a website or any NFTs, but have amassed large followings over 20K strong on Discord and Twitter with just a few GIFs and posts.

The Discord intro reads:

“MekaVerse is a collaboration between two artists, Mattey and Matthieu Braccini. We wanted to introduce something fresh to the NFT space and the realm of collectibles, with a strong artistic approach in 3D… We wanted to create our own universe in which each Meka is unique.”

The makers also shared their commitment to aesthetics and quality, and their love for the Mecha Universe.

The Japanese term meka, or mecha, encapsulates the world of robots in science and science fiction. The virality of MekaVerse is undoubtedly a result of the popularity of mecha anime and manga, the quality of the MekaVerse 3D designs (so far as we can tell by the GIFs), and the fervor around NFTs.

Since we first wrote about NFTs in March, there’s been a steady stream of NFT projects launching on Product Hunt, ranging from standard collectibles to multipurpose utilities for events. Still, the space seemed to quiet down a bit in the media for a few months. Then, in correlation with Bitcoin’s bounce back, news picked up.

Visa bought a CryptoPunk for $150,000.

Facebook said it’s exploring NFT support for the digital wallet it's building called Novi.

Simone Biles and Tom Brady announced they’re releasing autographed NFTs collections.

To name a few of the headines.

NFT platforms are reaping the benefits. OpenSea reported it surpassed $3 billion in monthly volume, and had its highest daily trading volume at $322 million.

OpenSea's success was spurred by the launch of Mutant Ape Yacht Club, another NFT collection, and a spin-off of its predecessor, Bored Ape Yacht Club. Like MekaUniverse, the "Apes" skyrocketed in popularity and became a cultural talking point, thanks to their Gorillaz-esque, eye-catching designs. The cheapest Apes cost $80,000, as of Monday’s CryptoBriefing report.

As for the MekaVerse, the project’s Twitter bio notes there will be “8,888 unique Mekas who need Drivers.” With the culture around the Mecha universe already high, we're expecting those 8,888 NFTs to go fast, and envision spinoffs in the style of Apes to follow.

You'll just have to wait a bit longer for all of it — Meka's won't arrive until the end of September, and the makers are trying to their manage the sudden influx in attention:

(Paraphrased for readability) "We need to finish randomizing each Meka before we can declare a precise launch date. If all goes as planned, we want to arrive towards the end of September. We need to change a number of settings because of the project's incredible buzz. The pricing will be determined by our level of satisfaction with the graphic quality. "