Image: Talon
You can try on items, shop for clothes and more in the Forbidden Talon Temple, which isn’t as forbidden as it sounds.
Talon Esports has announced that it’s launching a metaverse for visitors to shop for esports-focused items online. Instead of a regular online store, Talon has set up what it calls ‘the Forbidden Talon Temple’ in the Highstreet World Metaverse, containing exclusive merchandise you can’t get anywhere else.
The Forbidden Talon Temple really isn’t that forbidden. To find it, you have to head on over to the shopping metaverse Highstreet, which is essentially a retail store with NFT/token integration. Talon and Highstreet are launching a physical collectible together, but a digital version of it will also be available in Highstreet.
What's in the Forbidden Talon Temple?
The Forbidden Talon Temple is an interactive online shop where visitors can check out Talon-inspired items, including an entire exhibition showcasing the esport brand’s accomplishments. The team’s merchandise is also available in the shop for purchase, and there will be quests and ‘token-gated areas’ that house exclusive content. The merch will be available for everyone, but you will need to create an account to enter the Temple.
There’s a lot to see in the Forbidden Talon Temple, if you’re a big fan of the team. The Temple has a few themed rooms, such as one that houses a Hall of Fame featuring Talon’s trophies, uniforms, achievements and posters. Talon HQ shows off the team’s products while the Talon Office is, according to the brand, “reserved for elite interactions and experiences.” I’m guessing that’s one of the ‘token-gated areas’ you need special access for. I can’t imagine what could possibly be worth being gated off inside, though.
All in all, it sounds like Talon is looking to diversify in how it interacts with fans of the team - either that, or Highstreet offered the brand a pretty sweet deal. CEO of Talon Esports Sean Zhang said:
At TALON, we strive to be at the forefront of innovation, and this partnership with Highstreet symbolizes that commitment. Our fans are the heart and soul of our success, and this collaboration allows us to offer them an unparalleled experience. With the Forbidden TALON Temple, we’re not just providing an online shopping platform; we’re offering an interactive, gamified retail adventure that brings everyone closer to TALON.
The Forbidden Talon Temple will have an exclusive hoodie available for purchase to celebrate this collaboration, priced at $89 - though a press release mentions that this price will be ‘settled using HIGH tokens’. Anyone who wears this hoodie in the metaverse will get a special set of wings attached to their digital avatars.
Talon is currently in the heat of competition at TI12 for DOTA 2, as well as Worlds 2023 for League of Legends. The company operates seven esports teams worldwide.
