Developing Metaverse Pride 23 in Decentraland

A captivating challenge came to our 3D Studio: to organise an incredible third edition of Metaverse Pride in Decentraland that would enrich the LGTBIQA+ community and create an immersive experience that would leave no one indifferent.

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In collaboration with Decentraland and Vegas City, and with a blank canvas before us, we meticulously created a virtual world that embodies the values of diversity and inclusion.

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Our goal was to create a truly meaningful event that would pay homage to the LGTBIQA+ community. Dive into the full article to explore the immersive world we crafted and the profound meaning behind Metaverse Pride 2023!

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Challenges in Organizing Metaverse Pride 2023

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A wide range of possibilities unfolded before us when we embarked on this project: we had to not only create, but also orchestrate a large-scale event like never seen before. Starting from a blank canvas gave us a lot of freedom to imagine all the possibilities, but not everything was easy.

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These were the main challenges we faced:

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• Design a visually appealing and explosive land. We are known for adding surprising touches to our creations, this development had to exceed expectations.
• Creating a festival that's bursting with personality everywhere. It wasn't just about designing a land, we had to make a whole world that's unique and gets the community hyped.
• Getting brands and artists who are all about the LGTBIQA+ community on board and giving them a spot at the event.
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An oasis in the desert

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One of the first phases of development consisted of considering what aesthetic line we were going to follow. And let me tell you, references played a major role in our creative journey! Since we aimed to infuse the event with a festival vibe, we delved into research on real-life music festivals. That's when the aesthetics of the well-known US festival Burning Man completely captivated us.

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With a more solid idea in our heads, we decided to give a twist to these original concepts. We wanted to capture the essence of the vibrant LGTBIQA+ community, which is synonymous with joy and diversity—represented by the iconic rainbow colors.

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In line with this, we envisioned our land as a kaleidoscope of lively and exuberant hues, creating a striking contrast against the terracotta backdrop of the desert. Imagine a colourful and cheerful oasis rising in the middle of the arid sands. We made it happen!

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Figuring out how to optimize the land and make it a functional space was no easy feat. Our main goal was to create a layout that could comfortably accommodate the spectators and provide an enjoyable experience for all.

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To achieve this, we designed a central Main Stage positioned at the back of the space, serving as the focal point of the event. Surrounding the stage, we crafted a pathway lined with booths offering various activities.

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We created a central main stage adorned with vibrant rainbow and chrome details, complemented by neutral textures like wood. The stage served as the event's focal point, surrounded by a pathway of booths offering diverse activities and information panels.

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Inspired by real-life festivals, we incorporated seating areas, fountains, and mini-bars, crafting a visually captivating and functional space for Metaverse Pride 23.

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'Echoes of Euphoria’ is ready to rock!

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Awesome! We've got this amazing land all set to welcome a bunch of excited guests who are ready to have a blast. But we wanted Metaverse Pride 23 to be more than just an event: it had to be an experience that attendees would never forget.

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One ingredient that can never be missing at a festival is music, so we came up with the idea of creating a band of virtual musicians in the style of Gorillaz. That's how ‘Echoes of Euphoria’ was born!

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We brought to life 5 unique NPCs, meticulously designed with a modern and diverse aesthetic that resonated with the LGTBIQA+ community. Each NPC had their own distinct personality, complete with diverse musical tastes that attendees could explore through specially curated Spotify playlists.

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These charismatic characters served as wonderful companions throughout the event, adding an extra layer of excitement and connection to the overall experience.

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Hey, but what music did this band play? You guessed it: we also created a soundtrack to add a lively and joyful rhythm to the event. Our team was personally in charge of composing the music and lyrics for Pride Song, in fact we also tuned our vocal cords to record it!

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Definitely, our first experience as composers and singers was more than satisfactory. Our song could be heard on the Main Stage of the festival, and it adorned all our audiovisual marketing materials.

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A committed ecosystem

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In order to amplify the impact and significance of an event of this magnitude, created by and for the LGTBIQA+ community, it was crucial to collaborate with brands that could contribute substantial value in raising awareness of relevant issues.

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With this in mind, we forged partnerships with non-profit organizations like AD Council, renowned for their efforts in promoting awareness of the community's history and milestones. Additionally, we joined forces with diverse brands, including KnowOrigin and the vibrant drag artist community of Dragverse.

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To give them a space at the event, we designed virtual and interactive booths in which there were different information panels for the audience, as well as links to learn more about their causes.

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In fact, some of them had interactive quizzes where attendees could test their knowledge of LGTBIQA+ history, such as the AD Council booth. Our coding team was in charge of making these mini-games fun and entertaining.

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We also collaborate with some of these brands in the creation of wearables, i.e. Decentraland clothing pieces to give to the attendees to wear their avatar. Check them out!

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We could not forget all the people belonging to the community who, with their originality and their particular vision, create brilliant works of art. It was essential to provide a space at the event where their art could be showcased and appreciated by all.

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Stands were created to host the works of NFT artists such as Aoife O'Dwyer or Luciano Dias. We love to give visibility and support artistic initiatives like these!

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The results

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Thanks to the unwavering commitment of Decentraland and Vegas City, the incredible brands, and the talented artists involved, Metaverse Pride 23 exceeded all expectations!

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It was a big challenge, that’s right. We started with a blank canvas and embarked on a mission to create a land that not only possessed exceptional artistic value but also radiated personality. Coordinating and organizing all the necessary resources was no small feat. However, we rose to the occasion and delivered a festival that was truly unforgettable.

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We were delighted that this event was so well received on social media, there were many good moments that the web3 community shared on their social networks.

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Nearly 4000 visitors came to the event in search of immersive experiences, and spent a total of 14 minutes on average at our festival. Meanwhile, our tweets reporting on Metaverse Pride 23 had a total of 70k views.

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Creating this event has been an absolute pleasure, as we strived to make it visually stunning while also deeply meaningful for the LGTBIQA+ community. You are a community filled with beauty, strength, and powerful messages that deserve to be shared with the world.

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Now more than ever, we know that your fight knows no limits!

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