“The old 2D Internet no longer has an endless future” | TechBuzz

The contrast couldn’t be greater: In the “Disc Gas Tank”, a building of the old gas works in Augsburg, in which city gas was produced until the middle of the 20th century, the future of the internet is at stake. At the Digital Experience Conference SparksCom, which the Augsburg digital agency Netz23 is organizing here, Alexander Geißenberger, Managing Director of the performance agency Xpose360, has just explained to an amazed audience why NFTs could become the next big thing.

NFTs are on everyone’s lips right now, why?
Alexander Geißenberger: An NFT (Non Fungible Token) is actually just a signed file, i.e. a file that only exists once. But the possibilities that result from this are limitless. Icrimax, one of the most successful streamers on Fortnite, just sold his Lamborghini to buy a digital monkey.

a monkey?
Geißenberger: Yes, a monkey, no kidding. These monkeys are created by the design company RTFKT – pronounced “artifact” – as individual pieces in order to be able to design his digital avatar in the Metaverse. Such a monkey sometimes costs more than 400,000 US dollars – or a Lamborghini. NFTs like RTFKT’s monkeys are status symbols like a sports car, but for the digital world.

Communities on Twitter and Discord

How important is it to have such a status symbol?
Geißenberger: It depends. More and more influencers are creating communities on Twitter or Discord, and owning a specific NFT then serves as a ticket into that community.

It all sounds very virtual. Where is the real life?
Geißenberger: The keyword is mixed reality. Things that mean something to you in the real world, you want to take with you into the Metaverse. This is also where the opportunity for branded companies lies. For example, if a sneaker label launches a limited edition, customers will receive an NFT in addition to their physically existing shoes, with which they can also wear their shoes in the Metaverse. And a watch manufacturer like Rolex can use an NFT to the watch as a digital certificate of authenticity. The future belongs to hybrid products that can be used in both worlds.

Digital Identity Control

And why are you so convinced that NFTs will be important?
Geißenberger: They give the user back control of their identity. Currently, access to the Metaverse usually requires a Google or Facebook login. If you cancel your Facebook account, the single sign-on no longer works. In the future, everyone could create their own identification NFT, which then goes into their crypto wallet and makes them unique.

Why should digital professionals deal with NFTs?
Geißenberger: I believe that the traditional, 2D Internet no longer has an endless future. The future of the Internet lies in a three-dimensional, interactive experience, and NFTs are the gateway to that world. The exciting thing about it, however, is that this world is still constantly evolving. Anyone who gets on board now has the chance to achieve great visibility with relatively little effort.