More brands are venturing into metaverses like The Sandbox—a decentralized universe of virtual lands on the blockchain. But beyond engaging citizens or players, we wanted to open doors for brands of all sizes to enter the metaverse. Our quest was to empower smaller local brands to tap into new Web3 communities without the steep costs of digital land acquisition.
What happens when we combine uniquely Singaporean stories with the immersive potential of The Sandbox? That was our key question, when we conceptualized Happitat. Designed as a microcosm of Singapore, Happitat is a space that reflects the rich cultural tapestry of our little red dot, over three sprawling levels of interactive & immersive discovery.
Level 1 : Heartland (the cultural core of Singapore)
Level 2 : Commercial (the modern city centre)
Level 3 : Skyline (the pinnacle of luxury entertainment)
Happitat also stands as the social hub and core to Singapore's Lion City, connecting our citizens to the most iconic and culturally significant brands from all parts of the country. Its magic lies in the familiar, localized interactions, enriched by brand collaborations and trending topics or events that mirror the dynamic pulse of the real world.
In conjunction with the unveiling of the Lion City land sales and Sandbox's latest self-publishing feature, the aim was to reveal Happitat and enchant potential brands and the press. Hosted in an Extended Reality studio, we showcased the Sandbox experience in true cinematic, immersive fashion, marking a pivotal moment in virtual-real world integration.
In a groundbreaking 25-minute Sandbox performance, we combined three unique voxel-art 3D virtual sets with immersive storytelling, including augmented reality and real-time animations, to unveil new experiences in Lion City and Happitat. The show culminated in a music act by Manifest, the world's first cryptopunk NFT Band, projected onto a transparent screen for a visual feast.
Leveraging motion capture, we transformed the presenters into captivating Sandbox voxel art avatars, achieving an immersive Extended Reality presentation—the first of its kind. Additionally, this content was assembled into a teaser trailer and integrated into a unique holographic gift box for attendees—a memorable keepsake which projected the trailer within a wine bottle gift box.
The exclusive launch, graced by luminaries and brand partners like One Championship, Lufthansa, Vogue, and other VIPs from the metaverse 2049 event, demonstrated the potential of virtual worlds that translate into innovative storytelling and community cultivation.