KEY POINTS
Pudgy Toys, the physical toys inspired by the Pudgy Penguins non-fungible token (NFT) collection, have made their way onto the shelves of another major retailer, Target, following their previous debut in Walmart stores.
The line of physical toys — which comprises “Pudgy Toys” and the newly licensed “Lil Pudgys” — features plushies, figurines, and collectibles. Each toy includes a QR code that, upon scanning, unlocks traits and collectibles within the updated version of “Pudgy World” — a virtual world where users can create their own avatars and embark on various story-based missions.
This marks the project’s second significant retail rollout. The journey began in September 2023, when the toys debuted in 2,000 Walmart stores, followed by an expansion in February 2024, reaching an additional 1,100 Walmart outlets.
The collaboration with Target contributes to the broader reach of the NFT project, which has been actively engaging with its community and expanding its presence in the space.
In February, Pudgy Penguins collaborated with Unstoppable Domains to introduce NFT-focused Web3 domains, offering users exclusive digital identities and fostering community engagement through themed badges.
More recently, Orange Cap Games announced intentions to license 200 Pudgy Penguins NFTs for an upcoming Web3 trading card game.
Debuting in 2022, the Pudgy Penguins collection comprises 8,888 NFTs — showcasing various penguin characters — minted on the Ethereum blockchain. Rapidly gaining traction, it emerged as one of the most popular NFT collections in the space.
In terms of sales volume, Pudgy Penguins trails only the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection over the past 30 days, claiming the top spot in the last 24 hours. The introduction of Pudgy Penguins toys in Target stores potentially fueled this surge, with CoinMarketCap reporting a 106% sales increase and a trading volume of 1,021.72 ETH, equivalent to over $2.9 million.
This surge isn’t an anomaly. Back in February, Pudgy Penguins stood out as one of the leading collections driving the resurgence of Ethereum’s NFT market, which experienced a 97% spike in sales during the second week of the month.
