April 14, 2023
SINGAPORE – Changi Airport is the first airport in the world to officially offer an airport experience on global gaming platform Roblox, via the ChangiVerse, which allows users to explore and play games in the aviation hub’s metaverse equivalent.
Besides the terminals and runways, familiar sights in the ChangiVerse include the iconic indoor waterfall surrounded by lush greenery at Jewel, the distinctive Changi control tower, and the outdoor dinosaur display attraction at Jurassic Mile.
From now until September, users can take part in the Changi Kart racing game, where the racer with the fastest time each month stands to win a pair of economy class tickets on Singapore Airlines to any destination with a direct flight on the airline.
Overseas winners can win a trip to Singapore and a chance to see Changi Airport come to life in person, said Changi Airport Group (CAG) in a media statement on Thursday.
There are also mini games such as Check-in Champ, where players help travellers find the right check-in kiosk for their flight.
As players progress through the games, they can also earn unique collectibles such as luggage and wings to add some extra flair to their digital avatar, or even skins to customise airplanes in the Plane Hangar.
Roblox is arguably the world’s biggest gaming platform, with more than 200 million active users. CAG’s Changi metaverse experience was created in collaboration with professional services company Accenture.
“The ChangiVerse aims to revolutionise the online airport experience, crossing physical barriers and time zones to allow fans of Changi, or those who have not had the chance to travel through the airport, to explore, interact and engage Changi in the digital space,” said CAG.
Ms Jean Hung, group senior vice-president of CAG’s enterprise digital ecosystem and business division, said: “With our customers becoming more digitally savvy and interacting in the digital space, ChangiVerse is also about engaging them, and serving them better through innovation and experimentation.”
Familiar sights in the ChangiVerse include the iconic indoor waterfall surrounded by lush greenery at Jewel. PHOTO: CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP
Some parents like Mr Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali, 39, are certain their children will enjoy the ChangiVerse.
“Changi Airport’s move into the metaverse on Roblox will expose young players to learning more about the various aspects of the airport in a format that is both educational and fun,” said Mr Abdul Malik, who is a laboratory inventory specialist and has two children aged 13 and 15.
“If they have faithfully modelled the airport, it could even spur interest in kids to know what career opportunities are available in the airport – from retail to apron services, and more.”
Earlier in 2023, iconic Singapore destination Sentosa also made its foray into the metaverse with SentosaLand, where players can take part in online quests such as the Siloso Speedway luge race and the Imbiah Magical Forest adventure course.
In March, Changi Airport was named the world’s best airport for the 12th time by London-based research firm Skytrax. Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, came in second overall, followed by Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan.
A bird’s eye view of the ChangiVerse. which also features the distinctive Changi control tower. PHOTO: CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP
The outdoor dinosaur display at Jurassic Mile is among the familiar sights seen in the ChangiVerse. PHOTO: CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP