The Saudi Ministry of Culture marked the celebration of Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day on February 22 by introducing the country’s inaugural official national cultural metaverse platform.
Developed in partnership with Web3 company droppGroup, the platform aims to provide users with an immersive virtual tour to delve into Saudi Arabia’s rich history.
The virtual experience starts with the History Walk, a comprehensive journey through Saudi Arabia’s history from 1727 to 2016. Along this chronological exploration, visitors encounter kiosks strategically placed at significant historical periods, providing information and context about each era.
Upon completing the History Walk, users gain access to the Founding Village. Within this space, there are various informative stations, including the Art Lobby featuring an exhibit of relevant historical photos.
Additionally, visitors can engage in interactive experiences, such as mini-games, to earn points. For instance, the Palm Tree mini-game invites users to climb village palm trees, each bearing one of four types of dates, distinguished by color. Players accumulate points for each collected date bundle.
The accessibility of this experience extends across a wide array of devices, including mobile phones, VR headsets, and desktops.
This development marks Saudi Arabia’s continued involvement in Web3 initiatives. Notably, last year’s Saudi National Day celebrations unfolded in the Decentraland metaverse from September 22 to 24, 2023. Furthermore, the country has been at the forefront of innovation, with Meta’s announcement of the first metaverse academy in the MENA region located in Saudi Arabia.