Hackatao: Pioneering Italian NFT Artists on Blockchain and Gaming

Hackatao, the Italian duo of Sergio Scalet (Transacqua, 1973) and Nadia Squarci (Udine, 1977), has been active in crypto art and NFTs since 2018, before the recent boom. They recently announced their video game 'Hack the Tao' in collaboration with The Sandbox platform by Animoca Brands, a metaverse regulated via NFTs on a blockchain. In an interview, Scalet and Serena Tabacchi, head of publishing for Sandbox in Italy, discussed the project. The Sandbox allows artists to create voxel-based game experiences, objects, and landscapes without coding, using VoxEdit for NFT creation and Game Maker for spaces. Hackatao's NFTs in The Sandbox are collectible and playable, serving as creative tools. The duo was drawn to Sandbox due to their passion for video games and the desire to integrate their art into a game environment. They emphasize that blockchain enables a real economy in gaming through play-to-earn mechanics, where players can earn and trade assets. Unlike traditional royalty systems, blockchain provides automatic, trustless royalty payments. Hackatao believes blockchain has given digital art a faster, more liquid market and a global community. They note that while digital editions existed before, blockchain provides immutable certificates of authenticity. Despite regulatory uncertainties, they see blockchain as a borderless, sovereign technology that challenges traditional economies. The interview was conducted by Matteo Lupetti.