Ubisoft’s new Assassin’s Creed NFTs are also cubes with “souls”

pcgamesn.com:

That’s right, Assassin’s Creed NFTs that bridge the gap between physical and digital collectibles are on the way, as Ubisoft partner Integral Reality Labs announces “smart collectibles” that will let you own both a real-world customized Assassin’s Creed figure and proof that the RPG game figure exists on the blockchain as well.

So, let’s break down exactly what these Assassin’s Creed NFTs are: Ubisoft partner Integral Reality Labs has developed what it calls “smart collectibles,” clear cubes with figures in them that act as both physical collectibles and NFTs minted on the Polygon blockchain. An upcoming app will let you track and authenticate the collectible too, which you can customize with different poses, weapons, and outfits related to Assassin’s Creed.

This customized figure is then put in the clear cube and shipped to you, but it’s also minted on the blockchain and fitted with identifiers so that you can, and I quote, “interact with your character and engage in a rewarding collector experience, complete achievements, and level up” in the companion app – whatever that means.

As a physical collectible, this sounds pretty cool, but then Integral Reality Labs talks about how these collectibles will have a “digital soul,” rarity tiers that offer more customization options, and a companion app that seemingly seeks to gamify the entire process of, let’s face it, owning a statue you customized that’s locked in a clear box.

I’m going to be honest, trying to understand exactly what the “soul” of a “digital collectible” even means hurts my brain. It sounds an awful lot like buzzwords for an idea that hasn’t even taken off yet. That’s right, the app and smart collectibles aren’t actually out yet, instead, they’re just “coming