KEY POINTS
Pudgy Penguins’ non-fungible token (NFT)-inspired toys, known as “Pudgy Toys,” are now available at Big W — Australia’s largest chain of discount department stores.
This expansion was announced on May 19 via a post on X (Twitter), just days after the project revealed its entry into the South Korean market through a partnership with Lotte Group.
Previously, Pudgy Toys had already made their way into Target and GameStop stores.
This growth was initially driven by the successful debut of Pudgy Penguins’ toys at Walmart stores in the US last year. The toys first appeared in 2,000 Walmart stores and were later added to 1,100 more locations.
In their first year, Pudgy Toys generated over $10 million in sales, selling more than 1 million plushies. These toys feature characters from the Pudgy Penguin NFT collection and include a QR code that allows owners to unlock perks and characters within Pudgy World, a story-based digital space.
The latest announcement appears to have significantly boosted the NFT collection’s sales. Over the last 24 hours, sales volume increased by 132.80%, totaling 374 ETH, which is over $1.3 million.
While Pudgy Penguins is among the most notable examples of an NFT collection expanding into the physical realm, it is not the only one to do so.
Last month, game studio Mystic Moose partnered with WowWee to release physical toys inspired by Planet Mojo NFT characters. These toys also include QR codes that enable owners to mint them as NFTs.
Other initiatives in this space include Chiru Labs, the creators of Azuki NFTs, launching a physical collection inspired by Beanz NFTs, and Axie Infinity opening an official merchandise store featuring character-themed items.
