Jagat dives into the metaverse with a social-first virtual world

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Indonesian social metaverse platform Jagat is launching a social-first virtual world which will focus on user creativity in creating spatial and immersive shared experiences, targeting creative and productive Indonesian creators. It is a user-generated content platform that allows users to create their own virtual spaces and build their communities.

Additionally, creators can design their own experiences, create their own avatars and digital assets such as clothes, furniture, and other accessories in the form of NFTs, with easy-to-use tools accessible to even those without technical or cryptocurrency knowledge, according to Jagat.

The virtual world will be available on both web and mobile phones without the need for additional hardware such as VR or AR gadgets. Its alpha version will be launched later this year.

Jagat’s approach to a social-first experience is based on extensive user research that highlights the need amongst Indonesian youths and creators to stay connected. This approach aligns with a study done by Populix 1 in June 2022, which noted that as many as 44% of Indonesians view the metaverse as an extension of social media platforms, providing new ways to communicate freely.

Jagat co-founder, Barry Beagen explained that Jagat is different from other metaverse platforms as it is introducing the concept of a hybrid or a real link between the metaverse and the physical world. It will partner cities, creator communities, institutions and retail brands. Through blockchain technology such as tokenisation, Jagat can drive community-building, as communities can create and prosper through various X-to-earn models, he added.

Jagat has attracted global tech company partners, including Advance Intelligence Group, an independent AI and technology startup, and Utown, a metaverse platform from Singapore. Advance Intelligence Group comprises Asia’s buy now, pay later platform Atome, AI company ADVANCE.AI, and eCommerce merchant services platform Ginee. Meanwhile, Utown has developed social applications with over a 90 million subscriber base and are looking to push further into metaverse and create a platform with true utility and practicality.

Beagen said that as Indonesia has one of the highest social media activity and mutual cooperative spirits, Jagat sees the metaverse and Web3 as the future of Indonesia’s internet and social interaction. “In the new creator ecosystem of Jagat, everyone can build new experiences, connect with friends across islands and borders, own their creation and benefit from the economy they generate,” he added.

Advance Intelligence Group co-founder, chairman, and CEO, Jefferson Chen, said: “With our deep knowledge and ecosystem of products and services in Indonesia and globally, Advance Intelligence Group will collaborate on knowledge, experience, and resources regarding fintech, eCommerce, retail, payment, technology and AI in order to develop the next generation of the internet through Jagat in Indonesia.”

Meanwhile, Utown co-founder, Zach Loy added that socialising plays an important role in the metaverse, and the metaverse will be purposeless without it. “With years of experience in social app development and operation, Utown provided more novel interactive experiences and solutions for Jagat, offering immersive interactions to the users of Jagat while also allowing them to build and develop social connections on Jagat,” he said. Loy believes that social connections established on Jagat will be an extension of people’s existing connection offline and online.

More tech firms are venturing into the metaverse. In March, Hong Kong tech startup Air World had stepped into the metaverse. Through blockchains, the firm said users can build and claim ownership of digital properties with tokens in the Hong Kong-themed virtual world. AiR metaverse leveraged its unique offline-to-online mode to give users access to its ubiquitous gateways into the metaverse.

Meanwhile, in January, Warner Music Group (WMG) had partnered with The Sandbox, a gaming virtual world under Hong Kong-based software company Animoca Brands, to create its first music-themed world, WMG LAND, in the gaming metaverse. The partnership marked WMG's first entry into the NFT metaverse realm, and The Sandbox's first deal with a major music company.

Just recently, Meta allowed its consumers to buy digital clothes to style their avatar through its Avatars Store launch on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, some of the brands included in the lineup of new looks include Balenciaga, Prada, and Thom Browne.

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