The Sandbox partners Hanjin Tan to unveil new metaverse collab

The Sandbox, a decentralised gaming virtual world and subsidiary of Animoca Brands, has partnered up with Hanjin Tan, an Asian singer-songwriter and Hong Kong Film Awards winner, to launch a new metaverse avatar collection called Hamsterz Doodles.

This effort underlines The Sandbox's commitment to merging cultures and creativity, offering a dynamic platform that enables artists such as Tan to engage with a global audience. 

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Erich Wong, head of growth (Hong Kong), The Sandbox, Greater China, said it is a long term collaboration since 2022 which includes LAND purchase, experience launch, avatar and NFT collections launch, while more aspects will be involved in the future as the platform evolves. 

Blending art with utility, this collection features 1,500 hamster-inspired avatars, including eight special one-of-a-kind NFTs hand-crafted in homage to famous artists.  

Wong said the The Sandbox has created the avatar collection that deeply relates to Tan's fans. "These avatars are NFTs designed to provide players with opportunities for self-expression and fun, with custom ‘emotes’ - the expression of emotions via customisable animations - and various collectible traits that help define a user’s digital identity."

Owners of the Hamsterz Doodles avatars will have exclusive access to participate in quests for the upcoming new experience “Hamsterz Art Odyssey”; they can also share in a SAND prize pool; and engage in special community activities. 

The collaboration is promoted on social media, where Twitter and Discord as the main channels, where web3 audience resides, EDM, PR, and influencers.

The collaboration is being promoted through social media, with Twitter and Discord being the main platforms where the web3 audience is active. Additionally, they are utilising electronic direct mail (EDM), PR efforts, and influencers.

According to Wong, Tan is chosen to be part of The Sandbox ecosystem as he sees the potential of the metaverse. He has built experiences and avatar collections to engage his fans and the wider audience support this notion.

Tan has already made a significant impact in the Web3 space, particularly in the Chinese community. He is among the first celebrities to delve into Web3, establishing himself as a pioneer in the field, according to the release. 

In 2022, Tan created Hamsterz as an exclusive NFT collection available only to his fans. He advocates for direct relationships between fans and artists, eliminating the need for intermediaries. This direct connection is made possible through the use of NFTs.  

Tan also launched an interactive gaming experience titled "Hanjin Music Palooza: The Monstrous Multicolor Guitar" in The Sandbox, becoming the first celebrity in the region to pioneer such a venture in the metaverse.  

"Stepping back into The Sandbox has allowed me to blend my deepest passions for music and digital innovation, creating a new universe of possibilities that resonates with my fans and the global community alike," said Tan. 

The Sandbox has launched 19 official avatar collections, selling over 62,000 unique avatars to more than 32,000 owners. These collections feature avatars of prominent figures such as Snoop Dogg, Steve Aoki, Paris Hilton, The Notorious B.I.G., Elvis Presley, and Agoria.

This is not the first collaboration between The Sandbox and Tan. They previously joined forces in September 2022 to launch an NFT collection featuring musical instruments and animals from the Hanjin Music Palooza game experience

Don't miss: AIA Carnival and The Sandbox integrate the metaverse with real-life events

Back in December last year, The Sandbox 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 published a single-player interactive game in the metaverse of The Sandbox, expanding the fun and games of the real-life carnival.  

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