Pudgy Penguins has dismissed rumors about acquiring the NFT marketplace Opensea. On Saturday, Beau, the security officer for Pudgy Penguins, addressed the speculation, stating plainly, “The stubborn penguins didn’t buy an OPENCEY… it was cold.”
He emphasized that the project has significant plans in the works, suggesting there’s no need to fixate on just one possible acquisition. “We’re discussing partnerships, like the one with Lufthansa and NASCAR, and we’re looking to find the next major brand to collaborate with,” Beau added.
Pudgy Penguins is a collection of 8,888 NFT flightless birds that launched in July 2021. Recently, they have expanded into physical products through their Pudgy Toys Line in partnership with PMI Toys, which allows NFT holders to benefit commercially through the overpassy platform.
Rumors about acquisition of Opensea
Speculation regarding the acquisition gained traction after several X users referenced past statements made by CEO Luca Netz. Community members pondered whether the purchase might have already taken place, especially following Opensea’s recent policy changes that seemed to coincide with Pudgy’s announcements.
However, Beau pushed back against these notions. “I don’t think it really makes a lot of sense to us to get an OS RN,” he stated in a response, highlighting the team’s preference for focusing on confirmed plans rather than rumors.
Recently, Pudgy Penguins has sought brand partnerships, including those with Lufthansa and NASCAR. Additionally, they launched a skill-based Web3 game, Pengu Clash, targeting the Open Network (Ton) blockchain, stepping into a thriving mini-game market.
The NFT market shows signs of recovery
In the meantime, the NFT market is experiencing a resurgence, showing new energy. According to Dappradar, there has been a 51% increase in weekly trading volume, marking its strongest performance since February.
At the forefront of this recovery is Cryptopunks, an Ethereum-based collection whose floor prices rose by 53%. Analysts from Dappradar noted the collection’s lasting popularity as a Web3 status symbol. On July 22, Cryptopunks recorded 83 new purchases, with a 15.9% increase in floor price within just 24 hours, reaching nearly $180,000 per piece.
