Bandai Namco: Gundam Metaverse Project enters Early Access from October 6th, 2023. PV released. General Access scheduled for mid-October.

[ggx2ac]

It's been over a year since I made this thread: https://www.installbaseforum.com/fo...rch-2025-realizing-the-metaverse-concept.560/

That thread is still relevant to look at since now we're seeing one of their metaverses releasing.

Here's a promotional video for the Gundam Metaverse Project:


Here is the Gundam Metaverse Project official site: https://gmpj.bn-ent.net/en

PR for pre-registration campaign having ended: https://gmpj.bn-ent.net/en/information/detail?id=6

Press release for the Early Access: https://gmpj.bn-ent.net/en/information/detail?id=4

Press Release:

Gundam Metaverse Early Access Announcement​

Gundam Metalverse will begin an "Early Access" with limited participants in the U.S. and Japan on October 6, 2023 (Friday).

Those who will be able to participate in the "Early Access" will be drawn from those who have applied for the Gundam Metalverse pre-registration.
The winners will receive an invitation to the e-mail address of their Bandai Namco ID registered at the time of pre-registration.

Depending on the operational status of Gundam Metaverse, the lottery will be conducted sequentially, and the information will be sent by e-mail.
Please wait for the announcement.

The "General Access" without limitation is scheduled to start around mid-October. Metaverse Live and the sale of the event's limited edition Gunpla (6 types) will not be available during the "Early Access" but will be made available after the "General Access" begins.

Details will be announced on this website at a later date.

* Customers who will be invited to the "Early Access" will be notified to the e-mail address registered in their "Bandai Namco ID (free registration)".
* If you have not registered your e-mail address, we cannot contact you for early access, so please confirm your "Bandai Namco ID (free registration)" settings in advance.
* When you pre-register, you will need to agree to receive the e-mail magazine. Please note that if you do not agree to receive the e-mail magazine, we cannot send you any e-mails.
* If you have registered a cell phone e-mail address and have set the domain limitations, please set your e-mail address to receive e-mails from "id.banapassport.net".

Main page details from the Gundam Metaverse Project official site:

GUNDAM METAVERSE PROJECT​

A place where GUNDAM fans from around the world can gather, communicate,
and share experiences.

The GUNDAM METAVERSE is a project where Bandai Namco and fans cooperate in managing and developing a community with the
aim of creating future GUNDAM projects.

What is the Limited Time Opening?​

The GUNDAM METAVERSE will be open for a limited time in Japan and the
US for a two-week period from October 6th to the 16th (PDT).

During this opening, visitors will be able to fully immerse themselves in a
virtual metaverse themed after space colonies, allowing complete
immersion in the world of GUNDAM, and also experience exhibits such as
the GUNPLA UGC (User Generated Content) museum and more, which
are sure to garner excitement in the GUNDAM fan communities.

We will be using the data and feedback received during this opening to
further improve the GUNDAM METAVERSE and make it the best fan
community possible.

So we invite you to visit during the test period and share your
impressions and feedback.

Please note that a Bandai Namco ID and a PC that meets the minimum
system requirements will be required to participate in the GUNDAM
METAVERSE Limited Time Opening. Details regarding the system
requirements and application download will be posted on the official site
at a later date.

Content page has a lot of details: https://gmpj.bn-ent.net/en/pr/

 

[ILikeFeet]

so what do you even do in this? because it sounds like a novelty that will die very quickly. nothing to really keep people coming back.

essentially, this could have just been a custom Fornite island

 

[askatmat]

so what do you even do in this? because it sounds like a novelty that will die very quickly. nothing to really keep people coming back.

essentially, this could have just been a custom Fornite island

this is a space for gundam community where people can chat, look at GUNPLA Builders World Cup creation, history, buy exclusive gunpla from there, and the most important ones: watching your gunpla or other people gunpla in 3D and pilot your gunpla (not really sure how will they do this one). it can't be added in fornite since there is store here where you buy gunpla directly from bandai namco, 3D render of gunpla need 3D scanner from Bandai Namco.

 

[Nanashrew]

Basically they're trying to recreate what they've turned the Gundam Build anime series into.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

This will never let me be a witch from mercury.

 

[ggx2ac]

Also, unsurprising that the first episode of their Gundam Build Metaverse anime is premiering in less than 3 hours:

 

[Joseki]

Gundam anime went from "queerbaiting: the series" to "metaverse bs" in the span of 12 months.

Thanks Scamco, always kind to your IPs.

 

[ILikeFeet]

this is a space for gundam community where people can chat, look at GUNPLA Builders World Cup creation, history, buy exclusive gunpla from there, and the most important ones: watching your gunpla or other people gunpla in 3D and pilot your gunpla (not really sure how will they do this one). it can't be added in fornite since there is store here where you buy gunpla directly from bandai namco, 3D render of gunpla need 3D scanner from Bandai Namco.

I know that, I just don't think that's gonna be a good enough hook to keep people around. Unless there's more to piloting your Gundam build, a lot of this is a website with extra steps, a problem that has plagued the metaverse concept as a whole

 

[Lite_Agent]

I know that, I just don't think that's gonna be a good enough hook to keep people around. Unless there's more to piloting your Gundam build, a lot of this is a website with extra steps, a problem that has plagued the metaverse concept as a whole

The people pushing for Metaverse can't see it as anything other than some super fancy commercial where brands can force feed their Content to users all day long (instead of just during commercial breaks on TV / ads on the internet/video platforms), so that's not surprising.

I remember that interview of Tim Sweeney about it which could be summarised as "brands brands brands brands brands". Literally nothing about what users may get out of the experience, as if they can never be anything other than consumers who want nothing else in life than consume stuff

 

[askatmat]

I know that, I just don't think that's gonna be a good enough hook to keep people around. Unless there's more to piloting your Gundam build, a lot of this is a website with extra steps, a problem that has plagued the metaverse concept as a whole

the problem with metaverse? you mean Horizon Worlds? what meta describe for horizon worlds is very far from their current version. so lots of people will be disappointed when try it. Gundam Metaverse is limited in scope only focus about gundam from manga, anime, 3d gunpla model, etc. a community in metaverse will respond better than going to website. for example, if you just begin making gunpla and don't know where to start, interacting with people will help you more than scrolling website.

 

[ILikeFeet]

the problem with metaverse? you mean Horizon Worlds? what meta describe for horizon worlds is very far from their current version. so lots of people will be disappointed when try it. Gundam Metaverse is limited in scope only focus about gundam from manga, anime, 3d gunpla model, etc. a community in metaverse will respond better than going to website. for example, if you just begin making gunpla and don't know where to start, interacting with people will help you more than scrolling website.

What's the benefit over a Gundam discord channel? What's what I mean by websites. It's kinda thr same thing but more lightweight, more portable, and much faster to use than a 3D representation of such.

I was half serious when I said they can make a fortnite island, especially now with UEFN. Hell, this metaverse is probably made in UE. Or VRChat

 

[askatmat]

What's the benefit over a Gundam discord channel? What's what I mean by websites. It's kinda thr same thing but more lightweight, more portable, and much faster to use than a 3D representation of such.

I was half serious when I said they can make a fortnite island, especially now with UEFN. Hell, this metaverse is probably made in UE. Or VRChat

if you want to join gundam discord channel, where should people go? is there even Gundam Discord channel? Bandai Namco won't make Discord server since clearly there is no benefit for them. if people prefer lightweight, portable platform to interact, why is VRChat still Popular? there are people that prefer 3D Avatar compared to wall of text. so both platform could still exist.

 

[squall23]

I refuse to believe the gunpla scanning tech is flawless or even working at all.

 

[MMXZero]

if you want to join gundam discord channel, where should people go? is there even Gundam Discord channel? Bandai Namco won't make Discord server since clearly there is no benefit for them. if people prefer lightweight, portable platform to interact, why is VRChat still Popular? there are people that prefer 3D Avatar compared to wall of text. so both platform could still exist.

It's called Google, friend. If you want to join a community then you're better off joining Reddit, Discord or a forum dedicated to that interest.

The fact they even mention PC system requirements already tells me this is going to be incredibly niche.

 

[Koti]

I mean this doesn't even look that good, but I feel like people have a refusal reaction on the word "metaverse". There's a negative correlation with that term. The concept is nice tho, it basically is a website but more interactive. A place for the community to hang around.