SCMP brings Star Ferry Pier on to the metaverse

The South China Morning Post is offering a gamified tour of Hong Kong's iconic Star Ferry Pier on blockchain gaming platform The Sandbox, leveraging its photography, illustrations and data to recreate the iconic scene. The publisher said its metaverse experience Hong Kong Star Ferry Pier is one of 35 that The Sandbox is offering with its new season. It will run through March and is open to the public for free.

Based on an extensive visual library of photography, visual illustrations, data, infographics and associated journalism, the game covers more than 100 years of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese history. The newspaper said the experience was built in collaboration with local metaverse studio Index Game, featuring a virtual portal that brings players between the present day and moments in the past. They can also learn the ferry pier's history and relive some of the city's most iconic moments and events.

Gary Liu, CEO of South China Morning Post, said, "This serves as a bridge to connect with a new generation of readers and digital natives and we look forward to working closely with our partners to continue serving our audience. SCMP's 118 years of reporting and extensive library of photographs gave us the opportunity to breathe new life into historical locations in the metaverse,"

The game features a backdrop of Hong Kong's skyline, allowing gamers to interact with game characters to understand Hong Kong's history. They can also talk to Star Ferry's longest-serving employee to learn how Victoria Harbour has changed over the years. In addition, gamers can also embark on a virtual ride on the ferry to take a closer look at the design of the game.

The SCMP ventured into the metaverse last year. It tied up with the Sandbox last year to bring an authentic new series of cultural experiences to The Sandbox’s open gaming metaverse. The strategic partnership brings Hong Kong to life in The Sandbox’s metaverse through SCMP’s 118 years of journalism. Part virtual real-estate, part amusement park, The Sandbox fully embraces the idea of the metaverse - as popularised in movies such as Ready Player One - as a continuous shared digital space where worlds and heroes collide to create immersive experiences that stretch the imagination.

SCMP’s extensive gallery of visual graphics will be brought to life in The Sandbox in new interactive games and experiences that recreate modern and historic locations and artifacts of Hong Kong and mainland China, such as the Kowloon Walled City and the Star Ferry, in collaboration with local game studios and creators. This includes bringing together Hong Kong’s past and present in a ‘Mirrored World’ in the metaverse of The Sandbox.

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