Fans of the British football club Manchester City can enter a digital world where fandom meets futuristic technology.
Manchester City and global cryptocurrency exchange OKX have launched a digital project: “Unseen City: Echoes of Blue”, a virtual escape room that combines Web3 technology with interactive artificial intelligence (AI). This immersive experience, which began on August 9 and runs until September 5, invites fans to immerse themselves in a digital adventure and offers a new way to interact with their favorite team while unlocking exclusive rewards and unique interactions.
The virtual escape room offers an immersive journey through five uniquely designed rooms: Training Room, Strategy Room, OKX Lounge, Trophy Room and Lobby. Each room offers different tasks and themes where fans can interact with AI-controlled avatars of Manchester City stars such as Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne. These digital avatars assist users with guidance and hints, enhancing gameplay and providing an exciting and tailored experience.
This initiative continues OKX’s efforts to integrate Web3 technology into the fan experience and reflects a close partnership with Manchester City since its inception in 2022.
In an interview with PYMNTS, Michael Page, head of brand marketing at OKX, explained the goals behind “Unseen City: Echoes of Blue.”
“At OKX, we work with some of the best partners in the world, including Manchester City,” said Page. “On the pitch, where Manchester City just won its historic fourth consecutive Premier League title, and off the pitch, the club and OKX are harnessing that shared ambition and creating experiences that bring fans closer to the players and shared brands they love.”
The main goal of launching Unseen City: Echoes of Blue is to create an innovative and immersive experience that deepens fan engagement, Page said. He said the game is “designed to continue to explore new ways in which fans interact with the club and provide a unique digital journey that enhances the traditional fan experience. This is in line with OKX’s vision to drive digital engagement and bring fans closer to the things they love.”
The idea of a virtual escape room concept that offers an exciting experience reflects the excitement and strategy of football, said Page.
“As with everything we do, we have ambitious engagement goals and hope the novelty and immersive nature of the campaign will drive high levels of engagement from fans worldwide,” he said. “Digital initiatives like ‘Unseen City: Echoes of Blue’ can significantly increase brand advocacy, going beyond the ordinary. By engaging fans in unique and interactive ways, OKX and Man City will continue to provide new ways for fans to interact with the partnership around the world.”
AI-controlled avatars of Manchester City players guide fans through the virtual escape room, making the experience more personal and engaging. These avatars interact with participants, providing clues and feedback that enrich the gameplay and add realism and connection, making the experience even more immersive.
AI-powered player avatars create a direct and interactive connection between fans and their favorite players, adding a personal touch to the digital experience, Page said. “Humanizing the digital experience not only increases the appeal of the campaign, but also leads to deeper engagement that will be more memorable for our fans.”
Success will be evaluated using several key metrics, Page said, including participation rates, interaction levels in the virtual escape room, digital reach and participant feedback. In addition, the impact on fan loyalty and brand advocacy will be measured through follow-up engagement metrics and surveys to assess how the initiative impacts long-term fan relationships.
