Claynosaurz, the NFT brand known for its vibrant, animated dinosaurs, is officially expanding its web3 footprint. First launched on Solana in late 2022, the project is now making moves to Sui, a blockchain built for scalability and smooth user experiences.
The announcement came during Token2049's Sui Basecamp event, where Claynosaurz CEO Andrew Pelekis detailed the studio's next big steps. According to Pelekis, this is not a chain switch but a wider expansion: "We're not moving chains—we're expanding to shape the future of entertainment," he said. "Sui offers a scalable, flexible foundation that empowers us to build entertainment products that feel frictionless, immersive, and rewarding—whether you're a seasoned web3 user or brand new to NFTs."
The original Claynosaurz NFTs—including the Genesis collection—will stay on Solana. But starting soon, new collections and upcoming features will be built on Sui. "The Genesis collections will always be on Solana," said co-founder and Co-Creative Director Nicholas Cabana. "That's their provenance. But for expansionary collections tied to new experiences, we're doing that with Sui."
First on the roadmap for Claynosaurz is a new achievements system: an ecosystem-wide rewards engine that recognizes engagement across gaming, collecting, and creativity. Although the Claynosaurz assets on Solana will still be integrated, the actual achievement badges will be minted on Sui. Holders will also get to engage in "soft staking" to earn rewards from both their Solana and Sui assets.
Shortly after, Claynosaurz will launch Popkins, a massive 25,000-character NFT expansion bringing a new species into the Claynosaurz universe. But, there won't be a standard mint. Instead, collectors will buy themed booster packs with digital perks like shop discounts and cosmetics for the upcoming game. Each pack includes a shot at catching a Popkin—but it's not guaranteed.
When you open a pack, there will be either a Popkin in it—meaning you caught one—or otherwise, one of nine collectible species cards. The full mint mechanics, distribution, and pricing are expected to be announced soon.
Later in 2025, Claynosaurz plans to roll out its very first mobile game. It will first go live on iOS and Android, before arriving on the SuiPlay0X1 handheld gaming device. The game will feature real-time creature battles and rich world-building, pulling players into the Claynotopia world without overwhelming them with crypto jargon.
In fact, the blockchain layer will be completely abstracted away for casual players. It's a move designed to make the experience smoother and welcoming for gamers who may not care about web3 but still want to have fun. That said, web3 elements will still run in the background.
Claynosaurz believes that by partnering with Sui, they'll be able to realize a bigger vision for storytelling, gameplay, and collectibles. They described the move as one that will "enable Claynosaurz to craft the most epic and engaging on-chain experience ever."
Claynosaurz is a vibrant NFT collection launched on Solana in November 2022, featuring 10,222 animated 3D dinosaurs. Each dinosaur has its own personality, whether it's cheerful, shy, brave, or simply curious. The seven main species in the genesis collection include Ankylo, Bronto, Raptor, Rex, Stego, Dactyl, and Trice.
The project was born from the imagination of seasoned animators Danial Cabral and Nicholas Cabana. Their vision was to create an original world, Claynotopia, where dinosaurs crafted from clay came to life. The backstory of Claynosaurz is rooted in nostalgia: it follows a young boy who, during a summer at his grandparents' house, discovers clay and old toys in the attic. Using his imagination, he creates an entire world of dinosaurs, honoring the limitless creativity of childhood.
On a technical level, the Claynosaurz Studio team is no less impressive. It's a powerhouse group of artists and builders with experience at studios like Disney, Dreamworks, Marvel, and Warner Bros. They've worked on major hits such as Avatar, The Dark Knight, Jurassic World, and Game of Thrones.
When Claynosaurz first launched, the collection saw immediate success, generating over 600k in trading volume within two weeks. Its vibrant art style, compelling lore, and strong team credentials made it one of the standout NFT projects on Solana.