KDDI Corporation, Future Design Shibuya, and the Shibuya Tourism Association will be holding "Virtual Halloween 2024" (hereinafter referred to as "this event") in the city-linked metaverses "Virtual Shibuya" and "Virtual Osaka" from October 24th to November 30th, 2024.
This event, which marks its 5th anniversary, will feature a new initiative that combines the real and virtual towns. Players can enjoy the game "Escape from Never-Ending Halloween," in which they solve puzzles while traveling between each town.
Virtual Halloween 2024 https://open-metaverse.net/autumnfes2024/
About Virtual Halloween 2024
1. Details of the project
(1) A fusion of the real and the virtual, AI puzzle-solving game in which you travel between different cities to solve puzzles
There are quizzes hidden in both the virtual Shibuya and Osaka, and the real Shibuya and Osaka. Based on the theme of "the magical pumpkin that grants any wish," solving the riddles and collecting pumpkin pieces will advance the adventure story.
The quiz is hidden somewhere in the virtual space, either in "Virtual Shibuya" or "Virtual Osaka," and in the real world, it will be displayed in AR by holding your smartphone over somewhere in Shibuya or Osaka.
If you get stuck during your adventure, an avatar equipped with generative AI will support you. The combination of metaverse, AR, and generative AI allows you to enjoy a new experience of solving puzzles on the border between the real and virtual worlds.
(2) Space decoration by major domestic metaverse operators
A total of five metaverse platforms, αU metaverse/STYLY/XR CLOUD/REALITY/cluster, will work together to decorate each space with Halloween decorations. Enjoy a unified world view while taking advantage of the unique features of each platform. This event will be held with the cooperation of the Open Metaverse Network, one of the largest metaverse alliances in Japan.
(3) Collaborative content
・Kohanaram, an artist with over 600,000 subscribers on YouTube, covers a song that matches Halloween (the song "Happy Halloween" by Vocaloid creator Junky)
・Stardust Records' "Super Artist Audition" second round digest video will be released exclusively. ・Limited edition Halloween stamps will be available to acquire within the avatar app "Mirror Muse."
・You can travel to and from the Halloween event at "Virtual Sapporo Station JR Tower Satue.world" ・A virtual social event such as quizzes and group talks will be held at the "Virtual Social Festival GOTEMBA" in cooperation with the dating and marriage matching app "Pairs."
In addition, Virtual Osaka will provide content introducing the attractions of Osaka to promote the EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai Expo, which is scheduled to be held in 2025.
2. How to participate
Anyone can participate for free from a smartphone or PC.
For details, please visit the "Virtual Halloween 2024" special website.
3. Event period
October 24, 2024 - November 30, 2024
4. Event Partners
Virtual Shibuya's "Virtual Halloween 2024" will be hosted by KDDI, Future Design Shibuya, and the Shibuya Tourism Association in cooperation with Shibuya Ward. Virtual Osaka's "Virtual Halloween 2024" will be hosted by the Future Osaka Project, which operates Virtual Osaka, in cooperation with Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City.
Details of the event and content will be announced on the special website in due course.
(reference)
■ Shibuya Ward's Initiatives
Shibuya Ward considers serious issues such as "obstruction of traffic due to drinking on the street," "scattering of garbage due to littering," and "noise," mainly around Shibuya Station, to be issues. In order for everyone to enjoy their stay in Shibuya comfortably, safely, and securely, in August 2023, it declared "zero nuisance drinking on the street." In response to this, Future Design Shibuya launched the "Shibuya Good Manners Project" with multiple companies and organizations to solve the problem, and is promoting the project to "make the city safe and secure." In addition, the Shibuya Ward Tourism Association launched the "Sustainable Shibuya Project" with the aim of "sustainable tourism" and is promoting Conscious Travel City. In order to continue to promote manners, we will implement various measures such as awareness that leads to easing congestion in front of the station and behavioral change, and spreading the hashtags "#ShibuyaGoodManners" and "#ShibuMana".
■ Overview of the "Shibuya Good Manners Project"
The Shibuya Good Manners Project works to make Shibuya a safe and secure city. In cooperation with various stakeholders, we will work to solve social issues such as nuisance street drinking, street smoking, and littering throughout the year.
https://shibuya-good-manner.com/
■Overview of “Sustainable Shibuya Project”
This project was launched by the Shibuya Ward Tourism Association in September 2023. With the rapid recovery of Shibuya following the COVID-19 pandemic, tourists from both within Japan and overseas are flocking to the area, and Shibuya is regaining its vitality. However, the increase in visitors has Over-tourism, including crowding and poor manners, is becoming an issue. The city aims to develop Shibuya into an international cultural and tourist city through the promotion of tourism. We believe that the realization of "sustainable tourism" is essential, and we are promoting the "Sustainable Shibuya Project" to introduce sustainable Shibuya experiences and initiatives for the local community, as something we can do now, together with the local community, in order to create a new We aim to present a new style of tourism and create a Conscious Travel City.
https://sustainable-shibuya.com/
■ Overview of "Virtual Shibuya"
Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, Virtual Shibuya is Japan's first city-linked metaverse officially recognized by a local government, launched in May 2020 by the Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project, which is comprised of KDDI, Future Design Shibuya, and the Shibuya Ward Tourism Association. Since its launch in May 2020, it has regularly held virtual events such as "#ShibuyaGhostintheShellNIGHTbyau5G", "VirtualHalloween", and "Shibuharu Festival".
A total of more than 1.3 million people from all over the world participated in the event, and it has won various awards, including the Grand Prize at the 7th JACE Event Awards, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, and Spikes Asia 2021 Silver.
https://vcity.au5g.jp/shibuya
■ Overview of "Virtual Osaka"
"Virtual Osaka" is promoting the appeal of the city of Osaka both domestically and internationally ahead of the Osaka-Kansai Expo to be held in 2025. Based on the theme of "City of Emergence," the project aims to bring together a variety of people and contribute to the creation of a new culture and community in Osaka through each individual's new experiences and expressions.
https://www.virtualosaka.jp/
(Note) Click here for details on αU metaverse and to download the app (https://metaverse.alpha-u.io/)
