Nike Reveals First .Swoosh Digital Sneaker Drop

Several months after unveiling its Web3 community platform called .Swoosh, Nike, the footwear titan, is set to roll out its first NFT collection on the platform.

The NFT assortment, named Our Force 1 (OF1), will feature virtual sneaker NFTs on Polygon that are a tribute to the renowned Nike Air Force 1 sneaker, which first debuted 41 years ago. Two variations will be part of this release: Classic Remix sneaker boxes, which contain digital reinterpretations of Air Force 1 shoes that were launched between 1982 and 2006, and New Wave boxes, presenting designs from 2007 and onward.

In the Classic Remix boxes, buyers may find a unique number of custom-made AF1s that reflect a “nostalgic twist.” Likewise, the New Wave boxes will include custom AF1s that display a more “futuristic twist.”

Each virtual sneaker box will be sold at $19.82 USD, symbolizing the Air Force 1's debut year. Nike, however, will not be accepting cryptocurrency as payment for these NFTs.

Nike, one of the biggest players in the fashion industry, has had a significant presence in the Web3 domain through RTFKT, the NFT and digital apparel startup it bought in late 2021. The .Swoosh platform is Nike's hub for its digital ventures into Web3, shining a spotlight on the brand's NFTs and virtual apparel projects, including potential future offerings.

While there doesn't seem to be a specific limit to the number of Our Force 1 NFTs that will be available, Nike will start distributing virtual AF1 posters— the key to unlocking an OF1 box NFT—to chosen .Swoosh members. These members can start minting OF1 boxes from May 8, and two days later, the entire .Swoosh community will have the chance to purchase OF1 boxes.

As of now, the .Swoosh platform boasts more than 330,000 members, with no fee to join. The exact pairs of virtual shoes that holders will receive have been deliberately left vague.

In an interesting twist, four virtual shoe designs conceived by .Swoosh members were announced by Nike in February to be included in the OF1 drop. Since then, Nike designers have collaborated with these community members to actualize the designs on the blockchain. These fan-created designs will be randomly distributed among both types of boxes.

As per Nike, OF1 box holders will soon unlock additional features and perks, including access to exclusive physical products and experiences.

The OF1 collection isn't Nike's first venture into the digital sneaker space. In the previous spring, they launched CryptoKicks, Ethereum-based digital sneaker NFT wearables created in partnership with RTFKT, an NFT sneaker studio that Nike bought in late 2021. Some CryptoKicks were initially airdropped to holders of other rare RTFKT NFTs and later saw a sharp increase in value on secondary markets.

By offering a large number of OF1 NFTs at a comparatively low and fixed price, Nike seems to be favouring a more community-oriented approach, aiming to encourage participation in .Swoosh rather than focusing on instant NFT revenue - a tactic that seems to be a response to recent backlash against brands that seem purely motivated by immediate financial gains from NFT sales.