Pukkelpop and Proximus launch “digital twin” in Roblox
Pukkelpop and Proximus are launching their multi-branded “digital twin” within the online game creation platform Roblox. The virtual festival environment of the Belgian festival features numerous fun playgrounds with unique fauna & flora, cool mini-games and, of course, music. Young fans can thus enjoy the energy and atmosphere of Pukkelpop, regardless of their physical location.
Roblox is a famous gaming platform that unites millions of mostly young users worldwide in virtual worlds and games. The gaming platform offers the opportunity to interact with others and share creative content. The collaboration with Roblox allows Pukkelpop to offer a whole new dimension of interaction and fun. Pukkelpop’s digital twin in Roblox offers a free gaming experience. It has its own identity, but also includes familiar Pukkelpop elements such as the signature flags, artist stages and even a backstage area. Visitors can walk around the festival grounds with their virtual avatars. At different spots, they are challenged for and by various amusing mini-games.
Roblox is primarily played by young teenagers and fresh-faced twenty-somethings, so it fits perfectly with an important target group of the festival. “Pukkelpop is often the first festival Belgian teenagers go to,” says spokesman Frederik Luyten. “For them and even younger pre-Pukkelpoppers, this is a fun way to get acquainted with everything Pukkelpop stands for. Even if you can’t or may not yet come to the real festival. And where in the ‘real world’ we are primarily a music festival, in the virtual environment we focus a little more on fun and games.“
First virtual headliner: ISE
But music remains the explicit feature. The young Limburg-based ISE gets the honor of giving a first avatar show in the virtual Pukkelpop world. She convincingly won Pukkelpop’s open call and received her own unique mo-cap avatar for the first-ever virtual showcase. On Saturday 19 Aug. her performance will premiere in Roblox and ISE will also play live at the brand new E-rena stage at Pukkelpop.
“We are and will remain a festival where musical talent is given every opportunity. With this initiative, we also hope to get artists excited about new channels and offer them the opportunity to tell their story in a way that belongs in the lifeworld of Gen Z and soon to be Alpha. With a digital revolution in full expansion, it makes sense for us as a festival to experiment with this. That totally fits the DNA of Pukkelpop” Luyten concludes.
Strong partnerships
The virtual Pukkelpop world is the result of intense collaboration with Proximus and digital developer yondr.
Proximus and Pukkelpop traditionally look back on a solid partnership and are delighted to be launching the first virtual Pukkelpop together. This is not Proximus’ first test. After the success of the Proximus Fiber Hyper Run campaign in Fortnite earlier this year, the company is once again demonstrating its expertise in the metaverse. This project fits seamlessly into Proximus’ Think Possible culture, where innovation and collaboration are central to making festivals accessible to all.
Proximus wants to be the ideal ally for gamers striving for an unparalleled gaming experience. With Fiber’s ultra-high speeds and minimal latency, this quest is now taken to the next level. The partnership with Pukkelpop in Roblox confirms Proximus’ commitment to connecting people through innovative technologie.
Developer yondr also looks back on this project with great satisfaction. With this multi-branded world, combined with an avatar concert, we are marketing a unique concept worldwide. To get through the noise of “information overload,” marketers will have to focus more on building communities in the future.
Just like on the real festival grounds, you will also find several creative partner projects in the virtual environment. So look out for the obstacle trail by smartphone manufacturer OnePlus, the vegetable quest by healthy food specialist Foodmaker and jump on the tail of the “Frikandel XXL” by snack manufacturer Van Reusel.
Finally, we also link to Plan International Belgium‘s e-pavilion, where young people can learn in a low-threshold way about transgressive behavior in virtual worlds and especially how to deal with it. “A praiseworthy initiative with which we want to endorse our own We Care A Lot policy also virtually” concludes Frederik Luyten.
Practical
Pukkelpop in Roblox is now available for free to all users of the platform. During Pukkelpop you can also come and test the game in the new E-rena, next to Food Wood. On Saturday, August 19, look out for the very first showcase with ISE, starting at 7 p.m. in Roblox and the E-rena at the festival site. Game on!
