Introduction
Week 42 of Coffee with Captain brought us a diverse range of topics, from ApeCoin DAO governance changes to exciting developments in blockchain gaming and AI. We explored the global expansion of NFT-backed businesses, the integration of crypto into mainstream culture, and the potential of onchain gaming. The week also featured discussions on content creation strategies and the evolving landscape of AI technology.
In case you missed any of the shows, below is a small recap of each day with links to the podcast on Apple and Spotify. Links to other streaming platforms can be found on our buzzsprout page. Check out the timestamp if you want to catch the specific interviews.
Monday
Bored & Hungry’s Global Push + Derek Pulls Back AIP-466 Support
The Coffee Crew discussed recent drama in the ApeCoin DAO. Derek released a Medium article over the weekend rescinding his support for AIP-466. There were various rumors surrounding the proposal, which Derek aimed to clarify. He has been advocating for dissolving the working groups, arguing that they’re receiving bloated salaries and are ineffective. The special counsel also seems to be inefficient. Derek’s Medium post was intended to provide clarity on his intentions and disassociate from any potential rumors. I think it was a smart move by Derek if he thinks the original purpose of his AIP-466 is being changed. This withdrawal could significantly impact the future of ApeCoin DAO’s governance.
Made by ApeCoin Monday
For Made by ApeCoin Monday, JBond joined the show to discuss his journey in BAYC and his role as the Business Development Lead with Bored & Hungry, an NFT-backed restaurant group. He addressed the FUD about the closing of Bored & Hungry’s United States location and shared exciting news about Bored & Hungry IP appearing in KT’s iPhone 16 Pro video. KT, South Korea’s largest telecom, made this video in partnership with Apple. The scene outside their Bored & Hungry Korea store features J-Black, a globally renowned South Korean dancer who has choreographed dances with Blackpink.
This mainstream exposure is a big deal. Bored & Hungry IP appearing in KT’s iPhone commercial continues to show how crypto and NFTs are expanding across the globe and integrating into culture. This kind of visibility could significantly boost the BAYC ecosystem’s recognition and acceptance in mainstream markets.
ENS: The More You Know
ApeCoin DAO launched in March 2022, designed as a decentralized governance structure for the ApeCoin ecosystem, directly empowering $APE holders to shape the future of the community. While its creation was sparked by Yuga Labs’ Bored Ape Yacht Club success, the DAO itself is fully independent, allowing decentralized decision-making and community-driven proposals to take the lead.
The DAO allows ApeCoin holders to submit Ape Improvement Proposals, better known as, AIPs and vote on various aspects of the ecosystem—ranging from fund allocation, collaborations, partnerships, and development of new initiatives. With its structure, ApeCoin DAO is a vehicle for community-driven innovation, aligning participants on projects spanning Web3, gaming, and culture.
Said more simply, ApeCoin DAO is a grants DAO, making it different from many other DAOs, like investment DAOs that buy art and crypto, protocol DAOs which improve the blockchain, or philanthropy DAOs which serve to donate funds to cause work.
Check this episode out on Apple and Spotify.
Tuesday
Blockchain Gaming Goes Mainstream with Off The Grid
The Coffee Crew discussed Off The Grid, a free-to-play, third-person, battle royale game developed by Gunzilla Games. It’s currently ranked as the number one free-to-play game on the Epic Games online store and is available on Xbox Early Access, PS5, and PC. The game’s success is partly due to a promotional campaign featuring popular streamers.
Players can earn GUN tokens by performing well in the game and can extract loot boxes containing cosmetic NFTs such as gun skins, cybernetic upgrades, loadout features, and player customizations.
I think Off The Grid making mainstream waves will be a huge leap for blockchain gaming. It legitimizes the tech and will make gamers feel more comfortable exploring blockchain gaming. The word “scam” is often associated with NFTs and this still needs to be overcome, but it’s slowly happening. This could indeed be a turning point for blockchain gaming, though challenges remain in changing perceptions and ensuring seamless integration of blockchain elements.
Harpie Hack of the Week
Last week, NFT artist DeeKay Motion faced a major security breach, losing over $1 million in crypto. The attack occurred while DeeKay was mid-flight, leaving his wallet vulnerable. Hackers exploited this opportunity to access his account. DeeKay says he has no idea how it happened, however he conceded he had a photo of his handwritten seed phrase synced to Google Drive.
In an off twist of fate ,only crypto was taken while all of his NFTs remained untouched, showing even criminals things NFTs are down horrendously.
What can we learn from this? Don’t keep your seed phrase anywhere people can access it. Self custody means you’re solely responsible for your assets, so protect them accordingly.
Check this episode out on Apple and Spotify.
Wednesday
Sugartown Launches Royal Nutz Poker Club Onchain
After a casual conversation about poker, Camol joined the Coffee Crew to discuss Sugartown’s latest venture into onchain gaming. Sugartown has created an onchain, multi-table poker championship product called the Royal Nutz Poker Club. It’s currently open exclusively to Ora holders, the Sugartown NFT, and is available on both desktop and mobile browsers. The prize pool includes 84 Oras distributed to tournament participants.
Camol posted on X, “Social casino is such a huge industry, and we all know degens love poker. Growing the product on Base, giving ERC-20 rewards to players, and working to provide meaningful utility to partners is near and dear to our hearts.” Onchain poker has the potential to be yet another use case for blockchain technology, but I’ll still have to wait and see how it develops and if it gains traction among users.
The Coffee Crew also discussed memecoins and their current position in the market cycle. Cap mentioned he’s avoiding new coins due to poor past experiences. Lastly, they touched on the BMW M Mixed Reality Racing experience at ApeFest in Lisbon, which blends the adrenaline of a BMW M car with a brand new BAYC-themed virtual track.
ENS: The More You Know
Marc Andreessen is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, and software engineer. He co-authored Mosaic, the first widely-used web browser, which played a pivotal role in popularizing the internet. In 1994, he co-founded Netscape Communications, which quickly became a dominant web browser before being acquired by AOL. Andreessen later co-founded Loudcloud (later Opsware), which was sold to Hewlett-Packard. In 2009, he launched Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), a venture capital firm that has funded tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Coinbase. Known for his influential insights, Andreessen remains a prominent voice in the tech industry.
Check this episode out on Apple and Spotify.
Thursday
AI Influencers + AI Tools For Content Creators
The show started with quick-hit updates, including news that Zed Run is moving to Reboot.gg, which will be hosted on ApeChain. I don’t really see Zed Run being revitalized on ApeChain unless their game mechanics change. I haven’t been following it closely, but that’s my outsider view. It will be interesting to see if this move does indeed breathe new life into the project.
AI with Bunchu
Bunchu discussed Google’s partnership with Kairos Energy to purchase 6-7 small nuclear reactors for energy production, noting that other big companies are also moving towards nuclear energy. The conversation then shifted to creating AI influencers, which Bunchu demonstrated live on their Wednesday show, Mid Mic Crisis. Bunchu emphasized that using AI for content creation isn’t about being lazy, but about getting 80% of the way there with content and then adding personal touches.
Bunchu stressed the importance of using AI a little every day to better understand and leverage its capabilities, as the technology continues to evolve rapidly.
Ape Ecosystem Update with Lost
There’s no Ape Ecosystem Update with Lost this week as ApeFest is currently happening in Lisbon. We hope to bring it back next week!
Check this episode out on Apple and Spotify.
Friday
Exploring ApeFest Lisbon with Steve
In this shorter episode, Steve hosted the show from Lisbon, sharing his ApeFest experience so far. The episode featured guest co-hosts MicroM43 and Budswithnick. Key points from the show:
- Stripe is looking to buy Bridge, a stablecoin platform, for $1bn, indicating crypto is a huge priority for the company.
- Steve described his BMW experience in Lisbon, a mixed reality experience unlike anything he’s done before.
- Discussion of the Vonga ApeQuest in partnership with ThankApe.
This episode provided a firsthand look at the experiences and events surrounding ApeFest, showcasing the community aspect of the BAYC ecosystem.
ENS: The More You Know
There was no More You Know this week as Steve takes on Lisbon for ApeFest. We’ll be back on schedule next week!
Check this episode out on Apple and Spotify.
Wrap Up
Week 42 of Coffee with Captain highlighted governance challenges in DAOs and groundbreaking developments in blockchain gaming. The success of Off The Grid in mainstream gaming markets signals a potential turning point for blockchain integration in the gaming industry. Meanwhile, the global expansion of NFT-backed businesses like Bored & Hungry demonstrates the growing acceptance and integration of web3 concepts in mainstream culture. The discussions on AI advancements and their applications in content creation underscore the rapid evolution of technology and its potential impact on various industries. If you missed Week 41, be sure to catch up here.
Be sure to check out:
- The Everything Token: A Book on Web3 and NFTs
- Making Coffee: Our Official Coffee Partner (Coffee with Captain sponsors)
- ENS: Ethereum Naming Service (Coffee with Captain sponsors)
- Harpie: The Onchain Firewall (Coffee with Captain sponsors)
