S04 E05 NAK3D’s Kelly Vero On Merging Fashion And Gaming To Revolutionise Game Commerce
Feb 1, 2024
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Kelly Vero, CEO and CTO of NAK3D, discusses the future of game commerce and bridging the gap between digital and physical retail. The podcast touches on topics such as web3, digital death, and the evolution of the metaverse. It also explores the rise of eSports in South Korea and the growing influence of the metaverse and web three technology in gaming.
NAK3D leverages AI-developed data to provide game studios with new in-game content and empowers fashion brands to establish a digital presence.
The rise of eSports and virtual sports indicates a shift in consumer interest and fosters an economy around gaming and digital experiences.
Deep dives
Exploring the Intersection of Games and Web3
The podcast episode features an interview with Kelly Viro, CEO and CTO of Naked, where they discuss the intersection of games and web3. They delve into topics such as digital death and the Davos Innovation Week at the World Economic Forum. Kelly shares that Naked won first prize in Davos for innovation, highlighting their focus on driving insights and data about Gen Z and Gen Alpha through digital models. They also discuss the importance of looking beyond the present and creating for the future, mentioning the advancements of the metaverse and web3 in Asia. The episode concludes with insights on digital objects, the ability to trace their entire life cycle, and the potential for games to become a leading commerce channel.
The Rise of eSports in South Korea
The podcast touches on the rise of eSports as a national pastime in South Korea. eSports teams are idolized, treated like pop stars and film stars. The discussion expands to include the diverse range of eSports, not limited to games like League of Legends, but also exploring unique experiences like VR cockfighting, which is popular in the Philippines. The trend indicates a shift in consumer interest from traditional sports to virtual sports, fostering an economy around gaming and digital experiences.
The Potential of Game-Branded Digital Objects
The conversation moves towards the potential for game-branded digital objects and how they can be used to understand and influence user behavior. Kelly talks about Naked's approach of digitizing real-world fashion items, embedding data about the product into the digital model itself, and placing them within video games. This allows for tracking the entire life of the item, gathering insights into how players interact with it and their preferences. It opens up opportunities for brands to understand and engage with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, offering them items and assets they can carry across games and even trade to purchase real-world fashion.
Democratizing Games and Fostering Innovation
The podcast wraps up by discussing the need for games to diversify and think beyond the traditional gaming space. Kelly emphasizes the importance of democratizing the gaming experience and bringing it to different sectors and industries. She highlights the potential for games to become the leading commerce channel in the world, challenging the hierarchical thinking prevalent in many industries. Kelly also shares insights from her book, which covers topics like digital death, storytelling, and the need for technology to constantly evolve and not be taken for granted. She envisions a future where games become a mix of traditional games and gamified experiences, pushing the boundaries of innovation.
In an industry where data-driven decision-making pays dividends and a deep content pool is the difference between customer churn and a long-term connection, game studios need a tool capable of gathering granular user data and satiating consumers' content cravings. NAK3D—a startup recently awarded for its innovation by the World Economic Forum—delivers on both ends. Kelly Vero, CEO and CTO of NAK3D joins Peggy Anne Salz for an on-the-ground interview into how the interoperable fashion marketplace leverages AI-developed data to provide developers a constant stream of new in-game content while empowering fashion and retail brands to establish a digital presence. She says the future of game commerce (or g-commerce as she calls it) lies in digital assets and putting the power back into the hands of the player. Few people are as daring, future-focused, and driven as Kelly, which is why major designer brands like Alexander McQueen and Lulu Guinness trust NAK3D to bridge the gap between digital and physical retail and deliver actionable insights into Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. Don’t miss out on this mega-meta episode—the first in a series of special live podcasts connecting you with the sharpest minds and savviest innovators in gaming.
CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:54 - Davos, the metaverse, and trends in Asia
07:06 - The evolution of Nak3d
12:29 - The future of Gcommerce and information sourcing
Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event
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