# 2022 NFT highlights 🗓️

*Author: William M. Peaster*
*Published: Dec 15, 2022*
*Source: https://www.bankless.com/de/2022-nft-highlights*

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Dear Bankless Nation,

Over the past year I wrote over 150 articles about NFTs for Bankless!

Looking back on all that’s happened, 2022 was certainly a defining period for the young NFT ecosystem, which recently enjoyed advances in many areas but also recently faced the growing sting of its first major crypto winter.

As we get ready to face 2023 and its open possibilities, what do you say we look back on the big NFT happenings from the last year to catch up on all that’s happened?

For today’s post, then, it’s time to take a selected tour through some of 2022’s most notable NFT headlines. Let’s dive in!

-WMP

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# **2022 NFT highlights and headlines**

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### **January 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*State of the NFTs: 2021 in Review*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/state-of-the-nfts)
- 📖 [*Zora V3 Is Epic*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/zora-v3-is-)
**📣 Big news:**- **LooksRare **announced the [arrival of its NFT marketplace](https://docs.looksrare.org/blog/the-nft-marketplace)
- **GameStop **revealed to be working on its [own NFT marketplace](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/01/06/gamestop-surges-following-report-its-launching-an-nft-marketplace/)
- **Nate Alex** launched on-chain battle royale [ChainFaces Arena](https://chainfacesarena.com/#/arena)
- **Nouns DAO **traded a beer-themed Noun [with Bud Light](https://twitter.com/nounsdao/status/1483869104226328579)

> [Proposal 33: Feature Noun glasses in a Super Bowl commercial and on real beverage cans](https://twitter.com/punk4156/status/1480954320904495104)[nouns.wtf/vote/33](https://nouns.wtf/vote/33) 🚀  — 4156.⌐◨-◨ (@punk4156) [ 5:26 PM ∙ Jan 11, 2022 ](https://twitter.com/punk4156/status/1480954320904495104)[](https://twitter.com/punk4156/status/1480954320904495104)

- **OpenSea **acquired [Dharma](https://dharma.mirror.xyz/AiAKDL49ChgZmx-D-o_YmP-9zVDl2nqsD4uOwTcXBnI)
- **Gem **launched its [NFT marketplace aggregator platform](https://gem.mirror.xyz/DYpDOHRrp_ArxADmLX6ADJCtJa5mH8y4C0tzvSQy0kI)
- **Axie Infinity** released the [RON token](https://axie.substack.com/p/ron)
- **Reservoir **introduced its [NFT orderbook protocol](https://reservoir.mirror.xyz/cW3-xUuLpqpfYmTMZhfTowOrJssEL_iSThuNoUmMpxE)
- **Dmitri Cherniak** published [*Dead Ringers: Edition*](https://deadringers.dmitricherniak.com/)

---

### **February 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*The Metaverse Land Tax*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/the-metaverse-land-tax)
- 📖 [*The Nouns Are Going to the Super Bowl*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/the-nouns-are-going-to-the-super)
**📣 Big news:**- **Lens Protocol **announced its [web3 social platform](https://twitter.com/LensProtocol/status/1490782692786515970)
- **x2y2 **launched a [vampire attack on OpenSea](https://www.theblock.co/post/134450/another-nft-marketplace-x2y2-begins-vampire-attack-on-opensea)
- **CryptoPunk #5822** was resold for [8,000Ξ](https://cryptopunks.app/cryptopunks/details/5822)

> CRYPTOPUNK 5822 WAS JUST BOUGHT FOR 8000 ETH ($23 MILLION DOLLARS) 🤯 THIS IS THE HIGHEST CRYPTOPUNK SALE BY NEARLY DOUBLE  — 🏝nathanhead.eth🏝 (@NathanHeadPhoto) [ 8:34 PM ∙ Feb 12, 2022 ](https://twitter.com/NathanHeadPhoto/status/1492598009837854722)[](https://twitter.com/NathanHeadPhoto/status/1492598009837854722)

- **SHL0MS** introduced their [$CAR conceptual art project](https://twitter.com/SHL0MS/status/1494446592463720448)
- **Urbit **unveiled [plans for its own L2](https://twitter.com/urbit/status/1493283731913601027)

---

### **March 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*Discover New NFTs: Finiliar*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/discover-new-nfts-finiliar)
- 📖 [*Bored Ape Creators Acquire CryptoPunks*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/bored-apes-cryptopunks-the-big-ideas)
**📣 Big news:**- **Pixelmon **totally botched its [NFT collection launch](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/the-pixelmon-nft-debacle?s=w)
- **CyberBrokers **stored their [metadata completely on-chain](https://twitter.com/cybourgeoisie/status/1503130085993459722)
- **Nouns DAO** launched its innovative [Prop House community funding system](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/giving-props-to-prop-house)
- **Axie Infinity** saw its Ronin bridge [hacked for $600M](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/analyzing-the-ronin-bridge-hack)

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### **April 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*NFT Worldbuilding Projects*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/nft-worldbuilding-projects)
- 📖 [*Optimism and NFTs*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/optimism-and-nfts-)
- 📖 [*How to Make an Open Metaverse*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/how-to-make-an-open-metaverse)
**📣 Big news:**- **WAGMI United **completed a takeover of [Crawley Town FC](https://twitter.com/crawleytown/status/1512067682908073987)
- **Luca Netz** acquired the Pudgy Penguins IP for [750Ξ](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2022/04/02/pudgy-penguins-nft-collection-looks-to-next-chapter-with-25m-sale/)
- **Drift **made photography history with [+10k mints of ](https://opensea.io/collection/firstdayout?utm_source=hoobe&utm_medium=page)[*First Day Out*](https://opensea.io/collection/firstdayout?utm_source=hoobe&utm_medium=page)
- **Coinbase NFT** launched [in beta](https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz/status/1516799282233360386)
- **PROOF Collective** released the [Moonbirds collection](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/march-of-the-moonbirds)
- **Sotheby’s** held its [Natively Digital 1.3: Generative Art auction](https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/natively-digital-1-3-generative-art?lotFilter=AllLots)
- **OpenSea **acquired [NFT marketplace aggregator Gem](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/opensea-buys-gem-?s=w)
- **Yuga Labs** held its [Otherside land sale](https://twitter.com/OthersideMeta/status/1519853275079757825)

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### **May 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*The ENS Boom*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/the-ens-boom-)
- 📖 [*Decentralized Society (DeSoc) Explained*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/decentralized-society-desoc-explained)
**📣 Big news:**- **Azuki **creators were revealed to have been the creators of [multiple abandoned NFT projects](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/azuki-nft-drama-)
- **Goblin Town** arrived on the scene in [wild fashion](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/welcome-to-goblin-town-)
- **Lil Nouns** launched its [protocol and community](https://twitter.com/lilnounsdao/status/1523807863659196416)
- **Foundation **opened to [all creators](https://twitter.com/foundation/status/1526963563285209089)
- **Dr. Disrespect** and his Midnight Society game studio [partnered with Polygon on NFTs](https://twitter.com/polygonstudios/status/1531701433233465345)

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### **June 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*Free-to-Mint NFTs*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/free-to-mint-nfts-)
- 📖 [*Study These NFT Smart Contract Approaches*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/study-these-nft-smart-contract-approaches)
**📣 Big news:**- **Nate Chastain** was charged with [insider trading at OpenSea](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-employee-nft-marketplace-charged-first-ever-digital-asset-insider-trading-scheme)
- **PoolTogether **raised 100% of its legal crowdfunding goal [with Pooly NFTs](https://twitter.com/lay2000lbs/status/1533524341442453504)
- **sartoshi **faded into the ether, a.k.a. [left the space](https://mirror.xyz/sartoshi.eth/VQB_rWveDQuut4GQKcFA6aqL9hM3rS7raYwsW3UfdLA)
- **Async Art** launched its generative music platform [Music Blueprints](https://async.market/blueprints?category=music)
- **OpenSea **migrated to its new [SeaPort Protocol](https://opensea.io/blog/announcements/launching-seaport-saving-the-community-millions-in-fees/)
- **ClubNFT **launched its [metadata storage backup tool](https://twitter.com/artnome/status/1539244182207864833)
- **Uniswap **acquired [NFT marketplace aggregator Genie](https://twitter.com/uniswap/status/1539306956002820096)

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### **July 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*NFT Drop Styles*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/nft-drop-styles-)
- 📖 [*Create Your Own PFP Collection*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/create-your-own-pfp-collection-)
- 📖 [*Defending NFTs with Gnosis Safe*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/defending-nfts-with-gnosis-safe-)
**📣 Big news:**- **GameStop **launched its [NFT marketplace beta](https://www.theblock.co/post/156986/gamestop-goes-live-with-public-beta-of-nft-marketplace)
- **Sudoswap **released its [NFT AMM marketplace](https://twitter.com/sudoswap/status/1545535663365165063)
- **Nick Tomaino** bought CryptoPunk #4156 for [2,691Ξ](https://twitter.com/NTmoney/status/1551961016061177857)

> Recently bought Cryptopunk #4156 for $3.31MHere’s why:  — 1492.eth (@NTmoney) [ 4:01 PM ∙ Jul 26, 2022 ](https://twitter.com/NTmoney/status/1551961016061177857)[](https://twitter.com/NTmoney/status/1551961016061177857)

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### **August 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*Webaverse Explained*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/webaverse-explained-)
- 📖 [*A New Way to Sell Metaverse Land*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/a-new-way-to-sell-metaverse-land)
**📣 Big news:**- **Async Art **opened to [all creators](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/async-art-opens-for-all-)
- **PROOF Collective** entered Moonbirds [into the public domain](https://twitter.com/kevinrose/status/1555262099093200896)
- **XCOPY **designated all his [art hitherto as CC0](https://twitter.com/XCOPYART/status/1554112748816109569)
- **Vitalik Buterin** proposed [stealth addresses for NFTs](https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1556548617636556800)
- **Jonthan Mann** released his [music collector tool Song-A-DEX](https://songaday.world/songadex/)
- **CrypToadz **migrated to [onchain storage](https://twitter.com/cryptoadzNFT/status/1560024838189744129)
- **BLVKHVND** became the first esports DAO to win a world title by winning the [1st Pokémon UNITE Championship](https://twitter.com/UniteEsports/status/1561045888272896004)

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### **September 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*Writing NFTs*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/writing-nfts)
- 📖 [*Nouns on a Budget*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/nouns-on-a-budget)
- 📖 [*How to Create Editioned NFTs*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/how-to-create-editioned-nfts)
**📣 Big news:**- **Meta **introduced support for posting NFTs [across Instagram and Facebook](https://twitter.com/MetaNewsroom/status/1564281969134927872)
- **Sorare **entered into a partnership with the NBA for a [fantasy basketball game](https://twitter.com/Sorare/status/1567481971953045512)
- **Starbucks **tapped Polygon for its NFT-based [membership rewards program](https://polygon.technology/blog/starbucks-taps-polygon-for-its-starbucks-odyssey-web3-experience)
- **Axie Infinity** started [Origins: Season 1 gameplay](https://twitter.com/AxieInfinity/status/1569838928449966080)
- **Tyler Hobbs** launched the collaborative generative art project [QQL](https://qql.art/)
- **sound.xyz** released the [Sound Protocol](https://sound.mirror.xyz/t7GDH8RF6XbHLwbHb_R6QLnDTaln0KdGhExBgul6OXY)

> We’re excited to announce the Sound Protocol.✅Permissionless base layer✅Artist-owned & non-upgradeable song contracts✅Permanent & decentralized metadata✅Custom mint formats✅Payments & end-to-end royaltiesThis is a monumental step forward for Sound.Here’s why👇  — sound.xyz (🎧,🎧) (@soundxyz_) [ 5:07 PM ∙ Sep 21, 2022 ](https://twitter.com/soundxyz_/status/1572633595818422272)[](https://twitter.com/soundxyz_/status/1572633595818422272)

- **Linagee Name Registrar** was rediscovered as the [oldest NFT project on Ethereum](https://twitter.com/LeonidasNFT/status/1575670601330499584)

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### **October 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*The Reddit NFT Surge*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/the-reddit-nft-surge)
- 📖 [*NFT Game Design is Hard*](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/nft-game-design-is-hard)
**📣 Big news:**- **Art Blocks **released its [2.0 version](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/art-blocks-20)
- **Rarible **unveiled its [2.0 version](https://rarible.com/blog/rarible2/)
- **The U.S. SEC** launched an investigation into BAYC creators Yuga Labs for [potential securities law violations](https://metaversal.banklesshq.com/p/sec-investigates-bored-ape-creators)
- **Blur **launched its [NFT marketplace aggregator](https://twitter.com/blur_io/status/1582777817141370885)
- **Twitter **started testing [NFT tweet tiles](https://twitter.com/TwitterDev/status/1585707921433923585)
- **sound.xyz** released its [Sound Market](https://twitter.com/soundxyz_/status/1584560442235531266)
- **OpenSea **unveiled a [copymint detection system](https://twitter.com/opensea/status/1587194630432497664)
- **Art Gobblers** by Justin Roiland and Paradigm [launched](https://twitter.com/Loopifyyy/status/1587186173952380929)

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### **November 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*The NFT Skill Tree*](https://bankless.ghost.io/the-nft-skill-tree/)
- 📖 [*The Future of NFT Royalties*](https://bankless.ghost.io/the-future-of-nft-royalties/)
**📣 Big news:**- **Bankless **introduced [Bankless Collectibles](https://newsletter.banklesshq.com/p/collect-bankless-collectibles-web3-crypto) and [Bankless Market](https://twitter.com/BanklessHQ/status/1595104542428839936)
- **Zora **launched its [Drops](https://bankless.ghost.io/thankful-for-zora-drops/) and [Nouns Builder tools](https://bankless.ghost.io/zora-launches-nouns-builder/)
- **Instagram **added an [NFT toolkit](https://bankless.ghost.io/instagram-adds-nft-toolkit/)
- **PartyDAO **released NFT coordination-centric [Party Protocol](https://bankless.ghost.io/multiplayer-crypto-with-party-protocol/)
- **OpenSea** launched an [onchain enforcement tool for NFT royalties](https://twitter.com/opensea/status/1589058773196636160)
- **UpShot **opened its [NFT appraisal platform](https://upshot.xyz/post/upshot-is-now-open-to-the-public)
- **Uniswap **launched its [NFT marketplace aggregator](https://twitter.com/Uniswap/status/1597953698449494022)

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### **December 2022**
**✍️ Metaversal highlights:**- 📖 [*NFT TCRs*](https://bankless.ghost.io/nft-tcrs/)
- 📖 [*Trading NFTs on Uniswap*](https://bankless.ghost.io/trading-nfts-on-uniswap/)
**📣 Big news:**- **Tessera** introduced the [Tessera Market and Tessera Protocol](https://bankless.ghost.io/collective-nft-experiences-with-tessera/)
- **PartyDAO **released an [optimized version of the PartyBid app](https://bankless.ghost.io/partybid-evolved/)
- **Finiliar **launched [oracle connectivity](https://twitter.com/finiliar/status/1600605094760026113)
- **Decentraland **added support for [LAND rentals](https://twitter.com/decentraland/status/1599851774999138305)

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### **A tough year, but plenty to be excited for**
The NFT ecosystem faced its share of ups and downs in 2022. In some ways, the past year felt like a wilder ride than the raging bull market of 2021!

Yet beyond all the chaos and drama we faced in 2022, we also undoubtedly made promising advances in all directions. From new experiments to new platforms and new protocols, there’s never been more to do and never been more to be excited about around digital things.

That said, the fundamental reasons that many of us were excited about NFTs going into 2022 are the same reasons we’re still excited about them as we head into the new year.

In other words, the tech around NFTs continues to improve, bringing better efficiency and security. Mainstream adoption continues to pick up steam. And the ability for NFTs to disrupt and revolutionize traditional industries, like collectibles and gaming, will maintain them as big drivers of innovation for the foreseeable future. 2023 is poised to be another interesting year, then, to say the least!