APE launches Macau metaverse project to promote the city

The project seeks to bring tourists unable to travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic closer to the city.

Macau.- If people can’t travel to Macau, we’ll take Macau to them. That seems to be the concept behind gaming technology supplier Asia Pioneer Entertainment Holdings‘ (APE) Mini Macau metaverse experience. It’s launched the project on mobile gaming platform Sandbox aiming to target tourists who are unable to travel to major resort destinations due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Through the Mini Macau metaverse project, people can visit places like the Macau Tower, The Senado Square, the Ruins of St Paul’s and the Ah Ma temple. Players can also complete in-game challenges and earn real prizes that can be redeemed in Macau.

Tony Chan Chi Lun, APE Holding’s CFO and executive director, said: “We hope to expand Mini Macau to other Macanese brands for advertising and for online to offline booking/e-commerce opportunities.”

The company hinted that Mini Macau will also serve as a prototype for the future development of Resortverse, APE’s own Metaverse travel and hospitality platform, which will include real-world resorts and destinations.

In 2021, APE reported that its revenue plunged 81.1 per cent to HKD7.6m (US$975,180). It made a loss of HKD23.1m for the year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the company initiated a diversification strategy and started maintaining and repairing consumer-related machines.

APE’s new smart vending machines business was in the start-up testing phase in 2021, but the company installed 40 vending machines in Macau and two in Zhuhai, in neighbouring Guangdong province. The company said the segment generated revenue of HK$145,305 as most of its vending machines were “only installed by the end of 2021”.