A video emerged on Twitter, on Monday, showing camels running down the stretch of Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road among skyscrapers and passing cars. The edited video was shared by Meta Camel Racing Club, a platform that brings the sport of camel racing to the metaverse.
In a world’s first, the company brings “a well-known Middle East sport – camel racing – to the Metaverse, connecting the cultural heritage of the Middle East and blockchain technology,” the website reads.
Races take place in “Hippodromes”, which resemble football stadiums. “Each location’s size, racetrack shape, decorations, complexity, and structure differ,” Initially, there will be a supply of 100 hippodromes, with 10 available for sale prior to the launch of the game.
Camel racing is a popular traditional sport in the Middle East, particularly in countries like UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The sport involves racing camels, which are specially bred and trained for speed, over long distances ranging from 4 to 10 kilometers.
“Camel racing is a multi-billion dollar industry, highly supported in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. It is an actual millionaire sport, as prices for camels start from about $55,000.”
The sport is a significant cultural event and attracts thousands of spectators, including royalty, who gather to watch the camels compete in races. Jockeys ride atop the camels to control them and encourage them to run faster. Camel racing remains relevant as it is often associated with traditional Bedouin culture.
Through the Meta Camel Racing Platform, players can purchase, sell and upgrade NFT camels and participate in races as well as buy, sell and upgrade Jockey Bots which are used to control the camels in the multiplayer races.
The current market size of global blockchain gaming is $4.6 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 70.3 percent within five years, according to Markets and Markets.
Last week, Arabian Business reported that the Dubai Racing Club (DRC), organizers and hosts of various races at Meydan including the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup, is planning to adopt the metaverse as its host venue.
DRC announced it will launch the Dubai Verse Cup (DVC), a metaverse-based gaming platform, that started on Sunday, 15 January.
News Source: arabianbusiness
