All good things must come to an end, including yet another summer hopefully soaked with relaxation. But before August completely disappears in the rearview mirror, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the month’s most interesting, noteworthy, or just plain cool stories of the month. If you don’t know, …now you know.
staying power
Web3 ventures have had a tough time over the last year like Trump’s had legal trouble over the last year; whatever your beliefs, it’s been a LOT. But despite an ongoing crypto winter and increasing regulatory concerns, Web3 gaming is seeing an uptick in investment. In July the gaming space attracted $297 million in fresh capital, a significant increase from June’s total of $68 million. So while the winter continues, there are certainly signs of life beneath the ice.
Web3 Gaming Investments Surge to $297M in July
a completely different sensory experience
We’ve been promoting the idea of VR as a tool to widen access to experiences, especially for those with physical or mental/emotional difficulties for years, and this story from the Royal Ballet is a perfect case in point. The Royal Ballet recently launched a virtual stage for its performances with the explicit goal of bringing more people into the fold. “There are lots of people who can’t attend live theatre, and can’t come and watch us – not just neurodivergent people, but also elderly people or young children,” said Tom Rogers, a creative digital producer at Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Birmingham Royal Ballet uses virtual reality to make dance more accessible
a life-changing amount
Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” will go down in history as one of the most lucrative tours ever, and it’s nice to see that Ms. Swift is making sure everyone shares in the bounty by giving her truck drivers a $100K bonus. It’s a life-changing amount for most people, and some much-needed recognition for all the people who make these shows possible long before the artist even gets to the arena.
Taylor Swift gives ‘life-changing’ $100,000 bonuses to Eras Tour truck drivers
midnight utero chambers
Nostalgia can be a trap that leaves us stuck like mosquitos in “Jurassic Park” amber, but recognition never gets old. Case in point, did you realize that we’re currently celebrating the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s “In Utero” and Wu-Tang Clan’s “36 Chambers” AND A Tribe Called Quest’s “Midnight Marauders”, plus a whole bunch more? What a year.
