There are high hopes for Africarare, Africa’s first metaverse which is, its founders say, set to unlock African creativity and connect Africa to the global digital economy.
During an event in Johannesburg at the end of February, plans were announced for commercialisation of a 3D virtual reality experience set in Ubuntuland, a virtual world that marries creativity, cryptocurrency, and commerce.
There’s even virtual land available to purchase and develop. Operator MTN plans to join Africarare with its very own village containing 144 plots of real estate.
Landholders will be able to customize their 3D land spaces by hosting shops, producing resources, renting virtual services and developing games or other applications.
Designated spaces will serve the community for work, play and wellness purposes, including state-of-the art meeting rooms, online therapy rooms (with optional anonymity), concert stages, film festival spaces, meditation lounges and other dynamic interactive environments.
And there’s more to come, such as staking, DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) and blockchain play-to-earn gaming.
Avatars for the metaverse gave been developed; these will shortly be available to purchase. Also, a collaboration between Africarare and South African superstar Boitumelo Thulo has been announced.
A currency, local tribes, art galleries, in-world asset trading, custom-made experiences and a dizzying array of other offerings are also planned for Africarare, which, its founders excitedly claim, “will connect Africa to a booming arena of the global economy, stimulate growth and create multiple new jobs such as digital designers, creators and architects”.
