Sony, Theta Labs to giveaway glasses-free 3D display with exclusive NFTs

Theta Labs is partnering with Sony to release a unique 3D NFT that works without 3D glasses.

The “Tiki Guy” NFT will work with a Sony Spatial Reality Display, retailing at $4,999. However, purchasers of the NFT will be able to claim a free display with a valid US shipping address.

The Tiki Guy

Only 10 of the NFTs will be minted, so demand may far outweigh supply, especially if the price is lower than the RRP of the display itself. Sony, an investor in Theta Labs, says the device tracks eye movement to deliver a 3D image no matter how you view the display.

A high‐precision micro‐optical lens separates images for each eye to create a 3D experience without special glasses. The website for the product lists the use cases like gaming, entertainment, and medical.

However, the scope for use as a high-end display for NFTs is evident. For investors spending thousands on unique NFTs, the ability to showcase them to friends, family, and the wider community is limited.

NFT viewing experience

There are NFT frames on the market available for 2D content. They primarily work by connecting to your wallet to verify ownership and display the associated content. However, you could also download the image or video from the blockchain and display them on a simple WiFi digital display or other glasses-free displays like the Acer ConceptD Spatial Labs edition laptop.

The Sony display won the CES Innovation award in 2021. It could be the solution to the decrease in the popularity of 3D content in recent years, especially for those who already own a high-end computer.

Nick Colsey, Vice President of Business Development, Sony Electronics Inc., said:

“Immersive, three-dimensional NFTs are a great way to showcase the potential of Sony’s Spatial Reality Display for metaverse enthusiasts and collectors.” 

The “Tiki Guy” NFTs will require a Windows PC running Unity to display the images on the Sony device. The recommended specs for the computer are relatively high. It needs the equivalent of an Intel Core i7-9700K and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER. Therefore, if you do not already own a gaming rig purchased within the last few years, you may need to spend a few thousand dollars on a computer just to run the display.

A new 3D NFT experience

Mitch Liu, CEO of Theta Labs, Inc., said: 

“NFT owners are ready for the next revolution. Sony’s Spatial Reality Display is a ‘whoa, baby’ experience – showcasing NFTs in a whole new way. Web3 Metaverse ready.”

Currently, the NFT itself must natively be in 3D, so investors won’t be able to enjoy a 3D version of their Bored Ape just yet. However, the move into 3D NFTs could potentially be opened up further by technologies like NFT derivatives similar to Nifty Tailor.

Such services allow users to create verifiable on-chain derivatives from NFTs. So, while users cannot display the current generation of high-value NFTs in 3D, they might one day be able to create a 3D NFT derivative.

Alternatively, NFTs for 3D objects for use in metaverse projects such as Decentraland or Sandbox may be compatible with the Sony display depending on how they are configured. Avatars, items, and characters in these projects show as 3D objects that can be interacted with in wallets such as Trust Wallet or on OpenSea.

However, there may be additional work to integrate these into the Unity software needed to power the Sony Spatial Reality Display. The possibility to display these is much greater than NFTs that are entirely 2D, but for now, “The Tiki Guy” NFT holders will be able to enjoy their art in a very exclusive club.

The “Tiki Guy” limited-edition NFTs will be available on the Theta Labs marketplace, ThetaDrop, but a release date is currently unknown. Sony has revealed that 2D versions of the NFTs will also be available.