Whether you're riding high after seeing Scottie Scheffler claim his second Green Jacket, or just relaxing between Coachella weekends #1 and #2, we’ve got something for you!

The Masters, already boasting one of the best sports viewing companion apps for mobile, pushed the envelope further this year with the release of their Masters 2024 app for the Apple Vision Pro; initial feedback was 🔥.

Coachella expanded its presence within Fortnite in an effort to keep the haters at bay and continue to find new audiences, potentially to offset lagging interest in the in-person event.

And Mysten Labs and Playtron have unveiled the SuiPlay0x1a (the, what?!), an open gaming device that kind of looks like a PSP but will serve as a new platform to "liberate games from Windows" and likely further the reach of Web3 gaming.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Coachella is back and bigger in Fortnite, with Sahara Island

• The Masters delivers a Apple Vision Pro app for fans

• Mysten Labs and Playtron have unveiled the SuiPlay0x1a

Let’s get into it…

Coachella is back and bigger in Fortnite

The Fortnite Coachella activation involves the creation of a new virtual destination called Sahara Island within the Fortnite Festival experience. Sahara Island features a variety of music-focused content and activities inspired by the real-world Coachella music festival:

• Players can explore the, music-reactive environment with visuals and elements inspired by the Coachella festival grounds. 

• There is a Coachella-themed takeover of the Fortnite Festival Jam Stage, which includes iconic Coachella landmarks. 

• Players can perform on the Fortnite Festival Main Stage and play musical mini-games using Jam Tracks from Coachella 2024 artists like Bleachers, Blur, Doja Cat, and more.

• Two Coachella-inspired wearables, known as the Horizon and Cosma looks, will be available in the Fortnite Item Shop, along with other festival-themed gear.

In Sahara Island, a new experience created by Alliance Studios, the electronic artist, Grimes has taken over the experience. Adding the Sahara Island activation includes the creation of a new virtual destination called Sahara Island within the Fortnite Festival experience. This builds on the introduction of Coachella Island in the previous year, marking an expansion of the festival’s virtual footprint in Fortnite. It allows Coachella to bring its festival experience to a broader online audience and create new immersive, music-focused experiences within the Fortnite platform.

Why you should care?

The introduction of gaming and virtual experiences at Coachella occurs amidst a backdrop of scrutiny regarding the festival's enduring appeal. Observers have pointed out a shift in its ticket sales, contrasting the rapid sell-outs of previous years with the more prolonged sales process witnessed recently. The Festival once sold out in minutes, but last year it took four days to sell out the first weekend alone, and this year's sales extended over a month.

The delay in announcing the musical lineup likely played a role in this, prompting confusion and frustration among fans. Speculation emerged regarding difficulties in securing headline acts, exacerbated by the postponement of ticket sales until mid-January, weeks later than has been typical.

In response to these challenges, Coachella organizers have embraced virtual expansion, leveraging platforms such as YouTube and Fortnite to broaden the festival's reach and accessibility.

This approach allows for the continuation of the festival's cultural impact without necessitating costly adjustments to physical venues or scheduling logistics. Through initiatives like YouTube streaming, enabling viewers to engage with multiple music acts simultaneously, and an expanded presence within Fortnite, Coachella seeks to adapt to evolving audience preferences and maintain its relevance in an increasingly competitive entertainment landscape.

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The Masters delivers a Apple Vision Pro app for fans

In collaboration with IBM, Augusta National Golf Club has introduced a immersive reality (spatial?) application designed for the Apple Vision Pro headset.

The unveiled application offers users a new way to experience the revered Augusta National golf course, presenting intricate 3D renderings complemented by live videos and player tracking functionalities. Moreover, the platform integrates state-of-the-art video artificial intelligence (AI) narration, heightening the viewing experience to simulate being physically present on the course.

This innovative endeavor builds upon the partnership between The Masters and IBM, which has consistently aimed to redefine how golf is experienced by spectators. A notable feature of the initiative is the introduction of real-time data-driven analysis through the 'Hole Insights' functionality on digital platforms, providing fans with unparalleled insights into each shot played.

Additionally, The Masters is extending its accessibility by incorporating generative AI-powered spoken word audio capabilities in the Spanish language, ensuring inclusivity and broadening its audience reach.

Why you should care

If The Masters decide to make a spatial app, they are going to make a really good one. And by most accounts, this was a great one. 

The introduction of the immersive reality app marks a strategic move by The Masters to align itself with prominent sports entities such as the PGA Tour, NBA, MLB, and NCAA, all of which have embraced mixed reality technology. Augusta National chair Fred Ridley underscored the significance of innovation while upholding the tournament's esteemed traditions.

During a press conference, Ridley articulated, "We certainly want to progress, we want to try new things, we want to continue our mission to reach out and to grow the game. But at the same time, I think we have to be cognizant of the fact that part of the magic of this place is those traditions and the mystique."

The Masters' venture into immersive reality signifies a proactive approach to enhancing fan engagement and remaining at the forefront of technological advancements. This move is characterized by a delicate balance between embracing modernity and cherishing the timeless customs that have come to define the tournament's legacy.

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Mysten Labs and Playtron have unveiled SuiPlay0x1a open gaming device

Mysten Labs and Playtron have jointly unveiled SuiPlay0x1, a handheld gaming device poised to disrupt the gaming landscape with its integration of blockchain technology. The collaboration between Mysten Labs, the group behind the Sui blockchain, and Playtron, a burgeoning gaming startup, underscores a strategic move to carve out a niche in the gaming hardware market.

The SuiPlay0x1 distinguishes itself as an "open gaming handheld," boasting compatibility with various hardware configurations akin to the versatile structure of Android. Powered by PlaytronOS, a proprietary gaming operating system developed by Playtron, the device offers users seamless access to multiple game stores, including industry giants like Steam and the Epic Games Store, through a unified launcher.

Why you should care

Central to the appeal of SuiPlay0x1 is its seamless integration with Sui blockchain technology. This integration facilitates features such as asset ownership, secure logins via zkLogin, and the utilization of Sui wallets for in-game transactions. Adeniyi Abiodun, a co-founder of Sui, emphasizes the potential of this device to empower developers by harnessing the synergies between the Sui chain and Web3 gaming, envisioning a meta layer that enriches game ecosystems through direct asset ownership.

The collaboration between Mysten Labs and Playtron is driven by the shared objective of democratizing the gaming experience and ushering in a new era of web3-enabled gaming paradigms. By establishing a mass market for web3 games and offering users exclusive tokens, on-chain rewards, and loyalty schemes, the partnership endeavors to redefine the relationship between gamers and their virtual assets.

Scheduled for a global release in 2025 at a retail price of $500, the SuiPlay0x1 represents another milestone in the convergence of blockchain technology and gaming hardware. The strategic alignment of Mysten Labs and Playtron underscores a concerted effort to challenge the dominance of traditional gaming ecosystems and foster a more inclusive and decentralized gaming landscape.

In a landscape where blockchain companies venturing into hardware remain a rarity, Mysten Labs joins Solana Mobile with its foray into the hardware business. While hardware specifications await disclosure, the SuiPlay0x1 has already garnered support from 70 games integrating Sui technology, signalling a promising trajectory for its adoption upon launch. Though an exact launch date remains undisclosed, Abiodun affirms the device's availability in stores worldwide commencing in 2025, further fueling anticipation within the gaming community.

In other news…

A quick round up of other stories we found interesting this week!

• Samsung and Ledger have released a new Web3 TV bundle centered around NFT art and culture.

• Sequence and Google Cloud Join Forces to Advance Web3 Gaming

• Agora Partners with EZDRM To Bring Content Protection To Live Broadcasting

Working on anything cool, or have a press release you would like us to cover? Send it in!