In a remarkable achievement, the Pudgy Penguins nonfungible token (NFT) project has soared past the one million mark in toy sales over the last year, marking a significant milestone for the popular digital collectibles venture.

Led by CEO Luca Schnetzler, the Pudgy Penguins project has witnessed a surge in sales, expanding its footprint to retailers worldwide. Schnetzler expressed astonishment at the unexpected rise of what he terms the "Consumer Crypto revolution," led by the iconic "fat flightless birds."

The success story of Pudgy Penguins began in 2021 with the launch of a collection comprising 8,888 colorful penguin avatars. Despite initial challenges, including allegations of a rug pull against the former founder, Schnetzler's acquisition of the brand for $2.5 million in 2022 injected new life into the project.

Now, Pudgy Penguins merchandise, including stuffed toy versions of the beloved characters, grace the shelves of major retail chains like Walmart and Target, fueling the project's ongoing triumph.

A unique feature of Pudgy Penguins is its model, enabling NFT holders to earn 5% royalties on net revenues from sales of physical products featuring their unique designs. The digital NFT versions have also surged in value, with a floor price of 12.87 ETH on NFT marketplace OpenSea.

Recent highlights include the sale of Penguin #6873 for a staggering 400 ETH, equivalent to approximately $1.17 million. While daily sales peaked in mid-February at 439 transactions per day, the project still maintains a healthy average of around 269 daily sales as of May 6.

On the secondary market, Pudgy Penguins ranks twelfth on NFT sales tracking platform CryptoSlam, with a total value of $2.2 million over the past seven days.

In a strategic move to expand its ecosystem, Pudgy Penguins partnered with Unstoppable Domains in February to introduce ".pudgy" domain names. This collaboration offers customers the opportunity to associate their Pudgy Penguin NFTs with top-level domain names, unlocking various functionalities such as web3 messaging, crypto payments, and exclusive utility badges.

Sandy Carter, COO at Unstoppable Domains, expressed excitement about the partnership, welcoming Pudgy Penguins as a pioneering brand into the Unstoppable Domains family.

As Pudgy Penguins continues to captivate both digital and physical realms with its charming avatars, the project exemplifies the growing intersection of NFTs, retail, and blockchain technology, paving the way for innovative ventures in the ever-evolving metaverse landscape.