Key Takeaways

• Claynosaurz, born from Nic Cabana's childhood fascination, is a Montreal-based studio that brought forth the animated Genesis collection of 10,222 unique PFPs. The stellar team driving this project shares a collective passion for animation and boasts a strong background with Disney, HBO, and Marvel.
• Overcoming challenges amid FTX’s collapse, the Claynosaurz Genesis collection stands resilient, securing the eighth spot in Solana's total volume rankings as of Nov 27th, 2023. At its peak, the Genesis collection reached a whopping 90 SOL.
• Claynosaurz strategically expands into physical collectibles with limited plushie editions like the Jurassic Aqua, aiming to appeal beyond the NFT space. Simultaneously, it enters the gaming arena with "Clayscape" with many upcoming games in Claynotopia (the Claynosaurz world).
• Through in-person events and unique offerings like Booster packs, Claynosaurz fosters community bonds. Events such as Breakpoint 2023 amplify its marketing impact and draw attention within the Solana community.

Enthralled by dinosaurs since childhood, Nic Cabana (co-founder) immersed himself in the world of Dinotopia book. While initially aspiring to be a filmmaker inspired by Jurassic Park, he ultimately pursued his passion for animation. This deep-rooted fascination with dinosaurs paved the way for Nic to create his own dinosaur kingdom, the tale of which unfolds in the genesis of Claynosaurz.

If you’re on Twitter/X lately and following NFT degens across the space, you’ll likely notice that the Claynosaurz collection stands out unmistakably. Its rise aligns with Solana's resurgence, elevating Claynosaurz as a top-tier NFT collection in the Solana ecosystem.

What Are Those Clay-Made Dinosaurs and Who Are the Big Brains Behind Them?

Claynosaurz is a 3D animation Montreal-based studio dedicated to developing quality entertainment IP in Web3 with robust community engagement. Their well-known collection is the Claynosaurz Genesis collection, featuring 10,222 captivating animated PFPs.

The inception of Claynosaurz took place when Nic collaborated with his co-founder, Daniel. Together, they brainstormed, sketched, and modeled to transform their idea into reality. The complete behind-the-scenes story is detailed by @PixSorcerer.

A successful business is not built by a single person alone. The Claynosaurz team shares common values and a passion for animation. Comprising former Hollywood animators, designers, and advisors with professional backgrounds from Disney, HBO, and Marvel, they bring extensive experience from working on renowned titles like Spiderman, Avatar, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones. This is a no-brainer that those Claynos exude a Hollywood vibe, and the team aims to bring Pixar/Disney quality into the NFT space.

Popular movie/series titles that the team worked on

The Lore of Claynosaurz

Claynosaurz originates from a boy's summer at his grandparents' house. In the attic, he discovers toys and clay and starts creating dinosaurs in an imaginary world named Claynotopia. This story celebrates a child's boundless imagination during the fleeting days of summer.

The trailer only unveils a snippet of the bigger picture of Claynosaurz. The intention is to invite the community to contribute and shape the unfolding narrative of the dinosaur kingdom.

The Growing Ecosystem

The Claynosaurz Genesis collection was minted in quite possibly the worst minting time in the NFT history, coinciding with the FTX collapse and rumours of Solana's demise. Despite these formidable challenges, the team pressed forward and maintained high standards. The collection has demonstrated resilience, contributing to an expanding ecosystem, and is now recognized as an up-and-coming blue chip, currently valued at approximately 34 SOL as of Nov 27th, 23.

Claynosaurz has introduced multiple NFTs, but there is minimal concern about the ecosystem becoming diluted. This is because a significant portion of the NFTs, including Clays, Claymakers, and Items, follow a deflationary model, designed to be burned. These burnable NFTs not only give value to the original collection but also serve a purpose for the upcoming game.

The expansive NFT ecosystem of Claynosaurz

Additionally, Genesis Claynosaurz collection holders can choose a class for their Claynosaur through class selection. Each species has access to three predefined classes. Holders need to own three clays matching the chosen class and a Claymaker for class selection. Clay and Claymaker will be burned during the selection process.

Class Selection is the process of choosing the role Clayno will perform in their upcoming idle MMORPG game. Currently, each Clayno is like a naked character, patiently awaiting its assignment. Class details will be announced in the future.

Source: Claynosaurz

Claynosaurz has demonstrated its popularity within the Solana community and the broader NFT space, currently holding the eighth position in terms of trading volume as of Nov 27th, 23. At its peak, the floor price soared to an impressive 90 SOL.

Source: Tensor (Data as of Nov 19th, 23)

What Brings Them to the Spotlight Recently?

Physical Collectibles

As part of their vision, the team is breaking into the physical collectibles segment following extensive market research. Recognizing a gap in the market for high-quality dinosaur plushies, the team identified a significant opportunity to create a distinctive collection (as shared with nft now following the team’s attendance at Toy Fair 2023 and Licensing Expos).

The initiative began with the launch of their first limited plushie edition - the Jurassic Aqua. This plushie collection was made available on November 3rd, 2023, opening for a 72-hour window with a special discount for NFT holders. After that window, the First Edition colour will be retired forever. Serving as an experimental release, it sets the stage for numerous plushie variants in the future, with an anticipated launch in early 2024. Additionally, the team is also prototyping Apparel and Vinyl collectibles.

Claynosaurz creating a toy line is a strategic step. This helps to extend its appeal beyond the NFT space and reach a broader audience. The charming and family-friendly design makes it particularly well-suited for children and enthusiasts of plush toys. So unique is the design that the team envisions them as showstoppers, capturing everyone's interest when shopping. There's potential for the plushies to achieve a significant milestone akin to Pudgy Penguins, whose physical toys reached the shelves of 2000 Walmart stores in September 2023.

“Even if you’ve never seen Claynosaurz before, if you’re a mother or a kid or anybody really, and we want you to walk by a shelf full of these things and be like, ‘Man, these make me smile.’” - Cabana (nft now)

Jurassic Aqua Claynosaurz. Who doesn’t want those cute dinosaur plushies?

Gaming

As Web3 gaming gains momentum (again), the team is strategically entering this space. Claynosaurz has partnered with Octo8gaming to create "Clayscape," a free-to-play mobile game inspired by the Temple-Run style. In this game, players guide the dinosaur, avoiding the pursuing lava, navigating obstacles, and collecting bones to defeat bosses (the Ancients) during the run. To make it more competitive, the game pairs players against each other, competing for higher scores. The winner earns a prize pool of an in-app currency. Additionally, there are also tournaments that offer competitive gamers the chance to strive for championship titles and attractive rewards.

This mini-game serves as a prelude to many upcoming games within Claynotopia, developed in collaboration with Raindrops Studios.

RAWR Map. “Epic quests, dangerous monsters, and magical creatures await around every corner in this vast prehistoric world.”

Partnerships

In collaboration with Solana Mobile, Claynosaurz launched the "Call of Saga" expansion pack, introducing the Spino and Para species to the ecosystem. This expansion brings fresh classes, mechanics, and lore possibilities. While these species lack the utility of genesis counterparts, they maintain high-quality animation standards and are available as a complimentary mint for Saga buyers and Saga genesis token holders.

With the migration of y00ts and DeGods from Solana, there's a significant opportunity for Claynosaurz to establish itself as a leading Solana NFT. The partnership with Solana Mobile's native phone not only underscores the IP's potential but also highlights the brand's already-established reputation within Solana's blockchain community.

Beyond that, Claynosaurz is expanding its efforts to make its adorable family-friendly IP more widely appealing through partnerships with other brands, including Elixir (Seige of Elixir), Atari, Cupcake Protocol (Booster packs), and ZTX.

Live Events and Community

The team excels in generating community hype by organizing in-person events that foster stronger bonds. They have successfully hosted several events in major cities, including Paris, LA, and NYC. During these events, Booster packs were generously distributed to participants as a welcoming gesture, aiming to amplify their excitement and encourage them to join the ecosystem. Community members received exclusive "care packages" and enjoyed "VIP" treatment, resulting in numerous positive experiences shared across Twitter.

Event participants also had the opportunity to receive a "goodie bag" containing an Artifact, a rare item exchangeable for a 1/1 Claynosaurz crafted by leading ecosystem artists. The experience of searching and opening this rare package delivered a thrill and nostalgia similar to unveiling Pokemon packs in search of rare cards. The IRL event provided attendees with the excitement and anticipation of opening a coveted rare Clayno card, as showcased in Minhdynasty’s video clip. These cards hold significant value and can worth thousands of dollars.

At the recent Breakpoint 2023 in Amsterdam, an annual Solana community conference, Claynosaurz tooks a stage to present themselves to the public. Amidst Solana's significant moment of revival, Claynosaurz emerged as one of the standout projects featured at the event. This not only acts as effective marketing but also helps the team capture considerable attention from Solana enthusiasts and newcomers.

The Nostalgia and Meme

Jurassic Leonardo (@JurassicLeonard) well observes that the project taps into people’s nostalgia, particularly resonating with Gen Y collectors in Web3. This demographic, having grown up with timeless classics such as "The Land Before Time" and "Jurassic Park," shares a deep emotional connection with dinosaurs sparked during the 80s. Building on this sentiment, Claynosaurz aims to create an enduring IP that spans generations.

Also, Web3 culture is fueled by memes and sarcasm. Memes are a crucial recipe for uniting people and providing entertainment within the space. Utilizing high memeability is an enjoyable way to spread and promote the image of Claynos across the internet, making the brand highly recognizable in the crowd. It also sparks the creativity of community members and gives rise to the emergence of memelords. The Twitter intern (run by Cabana) has posted a bunch of funny tweets and memes using Clayno's faces. How many memes can you recognize below?

Sources

• DinoHerd | Stats by @Decay235 - checking the status of class selection, clay molded and maker charges. Also, you can explore different herds and tribes (subDAOs and sub-communities) within the Claynotopia
• The Claynopedia - the Encyclopedia of the Claynosaurz ecosystem
• Making processes: Step 1 (concept art), Step 2 (art direction), Step 3 (modelling/rigging), Step 4 (lookdev, texturing & lightning) and Step 5 (animation)

Closing Thoughts

In the vibrant Web3 space, Claynosaurz emerges not just as an NFT project but as a dynamic force captivating enthusiasts across various domains. Its genesis, a testament to Nic Cabana's enduring love for dinosaurs, unfolds as a charming narrative in the animated world of Claynotopia. Despite challenging market conditions during its inception, the Claynosaurz Genesis collection stands tall, securing its place as a top-tier NFT collection on Solana.

As Claynosaurz continues to evolve, its journey becomes a testament to the power of community, creativity, and strategic diversification in navigating the ever-changing landscapes of Web3 and NFTs. The adorable dinosaurs of Claynosaurz are not just JPEGs on a screen; they represent a vibrant ecosystem and a shared passion that transcends digital boundaries.