AIA Carnival and The Sandbox integrate the metaverse with real-life events

The Sandbox, a decentralised gaming virtual world and subsidiary of Animoca Brands, has partnered with AIA Carnival, one of the largest outdoor events in Hong Kong, to integrate real-life activities with virtual experience, offering visitors a unique and engaging experience across both domains. 

Together with The Sandbox and metaverse studio Index Game, AIA Carnival will publish a single-player interactive game in the metaverse of The Sandbox, expanding the fun and games of the real-life carnival.  

This experience will celebrate the Hong Kong festive spirit, showcasing all the excitement of Hong Kong’s iconic elements and featuring a unique storyline built around Chinese New Year and the upcoming Year of the Dragon. Players will have the opportunity to win in-game wearables and passes in the form of NFTs, as well as tickets to the real-life AIA Carnival. 

"We are delighted to partner with The Sandbox to bring the spirit of the AIA Carnival to the metaverse. And at the same time, we will bring The Sandbox to real life in surprising new ways at the Carnival," said Randy Bloom, CEO of Great China Entertainment Group, the organiser of the AIA Carnival.   

"Our event welcomes over one million visitors each year who can now combine the familiarity of the real-life carnival with the limitless possibilities of the virtual world. We always look to put smiles across all our visitors' faces and we are looking forward to doing this in the digital realm too,” Bloom added. 

Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox, said: "The partnership between The Sandbox and the AIA Carnival is a testament to the power of the metaverse to create experiences that seamlessly blend the real and the virtual. As the AIA Carnival returns for the first time in four years, visitors can now enjoy the AIA Carnival in-person on the Central Harbourfront - and also on The Sandbox platform.” 

In addition to providing an immersive experience in its virtual world, The Sandbox will also showcase digital experiences at the real-life AIA Carnival. Visitors will be able to engage in dance battles using avatars and enjoy interactive elements that bridge the gap between the physical and digital realms.  

Furthermore, there will be educational 3D voxel modelling workshops for all ages, metaverse build competitions with winning entries showcased on The Sandbox map, and a live voxel creative contest adding an extra layer of excitement to the traditional AIA Carnival experience. 

AIA Carnival has also collaborated with crypto payments solution hi.com to ease up cryptocurrency payments for attendees. Visitors will be able to purchase popcorn or drinks with The Sandbox's SAND tokens, allowing the utility token to have physical world applications. 

Visitors engaging in several quests at The Sandbox booth can swiftly open an account on The Sandbox and receive a CashHash card. This card allows them to redeem SAND for use at the event or for storing in their hi.com wallet.  

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