Microsoft Teams up With Enjin to Offer Crypto Collectible Rewards

Do good work, earn a “badger.”

That’s the idea behind a new incentives scheme launched by Microsoft in partnership with blockchain gaming project Enjin.

Dubbed Azure Heroes, a new web page for the initiative describes its as a “new and fun way to earn digital collectibles for meaningful impact in the technical community.”

Simply, Azure Heroes rewards Azure community members for positive actions, such as coaching, making demos, providing sample code, making posts about Azure or completing challenges​.

News of the partnership looks to have given a big boost to the price of Enjin’s token. At press time, enjincoin was up over 40 percent, according to CoinMarketCap.

Participants with demonstrable contributions will be handed badges, er no, badgers, across various categories. These include community leadership, content, mentorship and innovators.

Issuance and transactions of the badger collectibles will be carried out on the ethereum blockchain, allowing winners to hold them as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

“Microsoft and Enjin have collaborated in a local pilot to create a blockchain based recognition programme. The Azure Heroes badgers were created in a number of original and unique designs which have been tokenised into a digital asset on the Ethereum public blockchain.

Initially a pilot in “select Western European countries,” badgers will be created in limited numbers verifiable on the public blockchain. Some of the NFTs, which will be issued in “seasons,” will be tougher to win than others, says Microsoft.

Badgers will be issued by sending a QR code to winners, which when scanned will give the recipient the option to install Enjin’s wallet. Once claimed, the NFTs can be sent to any public ethereum address or destroyed if desired.

In October, Enjin became one of the first portfolio companies of the new venture arm of wallet and data provider Blockchain after receiving an undisclosed investment. The project also became an official partner of Samsung Electronics on its flagship, blockchain-enabled Galaxy S10 smartphone this Spring.