It looks as though Nike is preparing to enter the metaverse. The fashion giant is looking to hire a director of metaverse engineering. The fashion giant is looking to hire at least five metaverse specialists.
Nike Technology Innovation Office will unleash the power of technology
Nike’s Technology Innovation Office (TIO) will “unleash the power of technology, innovation. And talent to develop ground-breaking technology innovation products and services,” according to the job description.
“Lead the creation of rapid end-to-end proof of ideas, prototypes, and manufacturing of metaverse software and device solutions…for usage within Nike, as part of existing Nike goods, and for new lines of business,” says the director of metaverse engineering.
“Understanding of blockchain ecosystems, technologies, and culture, including DLTs, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, smart contracts, dApps, DAOs, wallets. And more” will be mandatory for candidates, as well as “knowledge of metaverse technologies, from web3 to spatial web.”
Nike is also looking to fill four other metaverse-related roles
Four other metaverse-related positions are also available. Including a senior 3D game designer / metaverse engineer with “expertise in Unreal Engine or Unity”.
Nike is also searching for a Blockchain specialist innovation program manager, a metaverse principal innovation engineer. As wel as a virtual material designer as it tries to expand into the virtual world.
Ken Kutaragi, the creator of the PlayStation console, expressed his views on the metaverse earlier this year. He said that he doesn’t see the point of it.
“Being in the real world is very important,” he said. “But the metaverse is about making quasi-real in the virtual world, and I don’t see the point.”
It follows statements made late last year by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, who stated that any metaverse should be geared toward fans.
“I believe it’s simple for a lot of IT companies to explain why the metaverse would be better for them,” he said. “However, we’ve recently realized that if we put the player at the center, to use another gaming term, and strive to construct an ecosystem that revolves around their demands and the requirements of creators, the platform dynamic will take off.”
Before the 2022 Game Developers Conference, 2,700 game developers were polled, with a third believing the metaverse will never deliver on its promises.
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