Saudi Arabia Launches Cultural Metaverse

The Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia launched a metaverse platform aimed at showcasing and preserving the country's cultural heritage in honor of its founding day.

Named Cultural Universe, the Saudi government's metaverse project provides users with a virtual journey through the nation's history dating back to 1727.

This initiative, unveiled on Feb. 22, was constructed using Oracle's Hyperledger Fabric 2.5 blockchain technology and developed by droppGroup's Generative Media Intelligence (GMI) artificial intelligence (AI) system droppPhygital.

In this virtual realm, users navigate the metaverse with a first-person shooter (FPS) approach, allowing them to freely explore a common path while learning about various historical events through voice audio prompts triggered when they approach virtual representations.

However, these audio prompts are currently only available in Arabic and not in English.

Beyond historical events, the Cultural Universe encompasses sectors dedicated to music, art, history, food, and crafts, all celebrating Saudi heritage.

Additionally, users can engage in mini video games. This service is accessible free of charge via website, mobile devices, virtual reality (VR) headsets, and other compatible digital platforms.

The Saudi Ministry of Culture, responsible for safeguarding and promoting the country's cultural legacy and fostering contemporary artistic expression, views the metaverse initiative as a transformative step, heralding it as a cultural revolution.

According to Samuel Huber, CEO of LandVault, a metaverse company collaborating with various government bodies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, along with other Middle Eastern countries, has moved beyond the initial hype of the metaverse and is now leveraging the technology to drive economic growth.

Huber emphasized that the region's governments, particularly those of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, are keen on digitalizing their infrastructure and fostering vibrant economies for their citizens.

He sees the metaverse, alongside blockchain and AI, as a fundamental pillar for the region's economic development.

Sources:

https://cointelegraph.com/news/saudi-arabia-launches-cultural-metaverse

https://www.cryptometer.io/news/saudi-arabia-launches-cultural-metaverse-on-founding-day/