Miami has officially entered the metaverse. Earlier this year, SmarterVerse, a metaverse platform and privacy-first social network, debuted “Habytat: Geniuz City,” a virtual world modeled after the Florida destination where users are able to interact, shop, and browse art installations. The move builds on the city’s reputation as the Web3 hub in the United States.
Gianfranco Lopane, President of SmarterVerse Inc., said in a statement that a goal of Habytat is to bring a group of artists together to deliver the best of contemporary art to a global audience. For that reason, the company has offered virtual gallery space and technical support at no cost to the artists.
SmarterVerse designed Geniuz City to resemble a specific Miami neighborhood: Wynwood arts district, which is known for its art galleries and open-air art installations. In addition, it curated works from over 200 artists to prioritize diversity, creativity, and social awareness in the virtual city’s contemporary art installations.
Before the launch, Lopane said, “We’re excited to unlock new business opportunities for talented creators and put value into our metaverse in the form of high-quality, creative content ahead of our upcoming launch.”
To access Genuiz City, users can download the Habytat Metaverse app in the Apple and Google play stores. After installing the app, players can choose a home, pick a name, and customize an avatar. The metaverse has its own virtual currency. Users start with 20,000 of that currency and can buy more with USD.
President of SmarterVerse: Miami a Natural Choice
Lopane told Rarity Sniper that he believes that the metaverse is a space that will foster innovation and become a global hub for arts and culture, making the modeling of Geniuz City after Miami a natural fit. In his view, Miami is the innovation and cultural hub of the United States.
“Miami also ties in nicely with our mission to become the metaverse for the masses,” he added. “And what do the masses want? Access to fun things like lively nightclubs, sunny parks and a bustling arts and culture scene. We’re essentially creating a welcoming and appealing space for people to make meaningful connections.”
How does SmarterVerse want Geniuz City to help artists and creators? By expanding their reach globally. Lopane gave the example of a user in Asia who could visit the gallery of an artist based in Canada and purchase some of their artwork. Geniuz City, then, would serve as a two-way global street for artists and collectors.
“In terms of users, we’re really aiming to make the metaverse the next social networking platform where people can connect with one another and have access to exciting content from around the world,” Lopane said. “That’s why we’re making it free to join, easy to use, and most importantly, fun (we’re bringing AI-powered metaverse pets to Habytat shortly!).”
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