Bored Apes Hit Roblox Thanks to Universal’s NFT Band Kingship

By Andrew Hayward

Kingship, a fictional “supergroup'' composed of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT avatars that was created by Universal Music Group’s 10:22PM label, has expanded into Roblox with Thursday’s launch of an interactive world on the popular gaming platform.

The Kingship Islands game on Roblox sees players “crash land in an island paradise and embark on a quest to unite the band members," per the announcement. Players can earn free in-game items and avatar emotes during the first six weeks after launch.

Kingship has also created animated avatar accessories that utilize Roblox's facial animation technology. These items, as well as Kingship-themed emotes, are available for purchase via the in-game shop and through the Roblox Marketplace.

Holders of the Kingship Key Card—an Ethereum NFT pass that unlocks special access to content and experiences built around the band—will also receive “special Roblox badges and Floating Villa access,” per the announcement.

Revealed in late 2021, Kingship was developed as a metaverse band featuring characters based on three Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT avatars, along with one Mutant Ape. Bored Ape Yacht Club creator Yuga Labs provides commercialization rights to NFT holders, letting them use the artwork to develop and sell derivative projects and products.

Inspired by the popular virtual band Gorillaz, Kingship has recruited Grammy-winning producers Hit-Boy and James Fauntleroy to develop music that will eventually be released by the fictional band. Roblox players will be able to sample some of the tunes they’re working on.

Editor’s note: This article was written with the assistance of AI. Edited and fact-checked by Andrew Hayward.

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