Changi Airport Group (CAG) has unveiled the virtual world ChangiVerse, marking the airport’s debut in the metaverse.
Developed on gaming platform Roblox and in collaboration with Accenture, this expansion of the Changi experience complements the physical realm by offering games set the airport’s notable sights, such as Jewel Changi Airport (Jewel), the distinctive Changi control tower, outdoor dinosaur display attraction Jurassic Mile, a plane hangar and more.
Once players enter ChangiVerse, explorers can pop by glamping tents, each with a different theme to celebrate festive seasons, or visit a café. ChangiVerse will invite players to explore three key areas of Changi Airport initially: Jewel, Terminal 3 (T3) and Airport Boulevard. Players ‘level up’ by accumulating experience points from the games, with each level unlocking access to special items or areas. CAG intends to continue adding more experiences to this online offering.
Mini-games in Terminal 3’s Departure Hall include Check-in Champ, where players help travelers find the right check-in kiosk for their flight, and Baggage Expert where they assist travelers in locating their luggage based on a description. The Changi control tower features the Obby Expert obstacle course mini-game, challenging players to scale the building by bouncing on clouds to reach the top, and housed along the runways is the Plane Hangar, where players can customize their own airplanes. Different models, ranging from a vintage propeller plane to a sleek, modern fighter jet, and skins to decorate the aircraft, can be unlocked as players ‘level up’. Aside from taking in the sights of the terminals and runways, players can also visit the dinosaurs of Jurassic Mile, even taking a dip with a Mosasaurus.
The core game of the ChangiVerse is Changi Kart, where players race on a circuit that weaves through Airport Boulevard, collecting purple Butterfly Tokens to boost their speed while avoiding obstacles such as laser windmills or the sweeping tails of dinosaurs lumbering alongside the track. The top three competitors each week on the leaderboard will have their avatars appear at T3’s winners’ podium, celebrating their wins with victory dances.
From now till September 2023, the racer with the fastest lap timing of the month will win a pair of Economy Class air tickets on Singapore Airlines. Singapore residents will be able to make a round trip to any destination with a direct flight serviced by the airline, while overseas winners will be rewarded with a trip to Singapore and a chance to see Changi Airport come to life in person.
By traversing the far reaches of the ChangiVerse or playing mini-games, players can gather even more purple Butterfly Tokens. Five special golden tokens, worth vastly more than the purple tokens, have been hidden in various locations throughout the virtual realm and reappear daily, rewarding only the most determined of explorers.
Aside from being able to power up Changi Karts, Butterfly Tokens can be used to redeem plane models and skins for the Plane Configurator as well as ChangiVerse-exclusive limited-edition digital wearables at the ChangiVerse T3 store. A range of wings and luggage for Roblox avatars have been specially designed with Changi-themed motifs, like the butterfly wings or the dino tail luggage. Players who have reached Level 7 or above will unlock access to the VIP Lounge, which showcases even rarer collectibles that players can gun for, like the Purple Fairy Magic wings.
Ms Hung Jean, group senior vice president of CAG’s enterprise digital ecosystem and business division, said, “With ChangiVerse, we want to strengthen Changi Airport’s position as more than just a transport node, but a fun and magical destination where memories are created. With our customers becoming more digitally savvy and interacting in the digital space, ChangiVerse is also about engaging our customers and serving them better through innovation and experimentation, in line with our belief of customers being at the heart of everything we do.”
Wee Wei Ng, Southeast Asia market unit lead for Accenture, commented, “We are privileged to collaborate with CAG to drive digital-physical convergence through ChangiVerse. By combining digital and physical worlds, ChangiVerse can simulate the airport environment, creating immersive experiences that elevate human interactivity to new dimensions, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovation. We look forward to exploring new opportunities for CAG to leverage emerging technologies and differentiate themselves in the industry, as they continue to pioneer and provide revolutionary solutions for their customers in this exciting new era.”
To find out more about Changi International Airport’s latest developments, click here.