A coalition of key Abu Dhabi entities, including the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Aldar, Miral, twofour54, Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, Flash Entertainment and Yas Island, have come together to take Yas Island into the metaverse, as a first phase in placing Abu Dhabi in the virtual world. This pioneering initiative is a first for the UAE in recreating an entire physical destination across multiple world-leading immersive 3D platforms. The result will be a full-featured metaverse ecosystem, allowing visitors from all over the world to access the joys, wonders, and attractions of Yas Island from home.
The Yas Island Metaverse is a collaboration between DCT Abu Dhabi, Aldar, Miral, twofour54, Abu Dhabi Motorsport, and Flash Entertainment. The virtual experiences conceptualised by these dynamic businesses will enable users to gather, socialise, play, create, and transact. From building and purchasing digital homes, to discovering cultural attractions, to enjoying theme park adventures, special events, premier golf courses, and a world-class motorsport racing circuit, individuals will be able to experience all that Yas Island has to offer in a digital-first journey. Customisable avatars and surprise rewards will be part of every user’s personalised adventure.
“Flash Entertainment is extremely proud to be collaborating with all established stakeholders to be a part of this project,” said John Lickrish, CEO, Flash Entertainment. “Digitalisation has seen a monumental rise over recent years, which was most certainly expedited through the pandemic. The launch of the Yas Island Metaverse initiative will provide new experiences to meet the demands of the changing event and entertainment landscape, enabling us to reach a new level of audience, diversify our content offering and continue to create unmissable experiences for our fans.”
Currently in the development phase, the island is being recreated using multiple world-leading metaverse platforms, including The Sandbox and Roblox, and is powered by Super League Gaming, a global leader in metaverse gaming and experiences. Once completed in Q1 2023, the Yas Island Metaverse will be operational and fully available to digital visitors.