PETALING JAYA: i-City will be investing RM10mil as part of its digital transformation plan to enhance its theme park with “metaverse” technology, a virtual reality network that focuses on social connection.

       In a statement yesterday, i-City said the theme park enhancement project will be carried out in collaboration with China Mobile International to entwine i-City’s City of Digital Lights with an immersive 3D metaverse experience.

       i-City leisure head Tang Soke Cheng said China Mobile was currently building the metaverse platform at the i-City theme park.

       She said the new metaverse experience will be unveiled starting with the 2023 new year countdown at the end of the year.

       She added that i-City is expected to draw 10 million visits to the theme park in 2023.

       “With metaverse being the latest buzzword in the edutainment and gaming world, we would like to be the first to adopt such new technology in Malaysia.

       “As such, we are aiming for the enhancement works to be completed in time for the 2023 new year countdown so that visitors can enjoy digital lightscapes with interactive virtual reality as they count down to the new year,” Tang said.

       Developed by I-Bhd, i-City is located in Shah Alam, Selangor.

       On making metaverse technology a reality at i-City’s theme park, China Mobile enterprise director Jackie Chen Jiang Long said the 5G implementation in the country this year was timely for the project.

       “Metaverse technology requires 3D modalities that are to be transmitted digitally.

       “This can be in the form of avatars and structures, among others.

       “The more live-like the 3D model is, the more details it will require and the more data it will consume.

       “As such, the implementation of 5G, together with hyperscale cloud computing infrastructure that i-City is currently building will be instrumental to the success of this project.”

       With China Mobile’s focus on cloud-to-digital conversion in creating high-quality cloud virtual reality and augmented reality content, Chen said visitors to the theme park will be assured of “an immersive metaverse experience like never before”.