Foraying into the world of metaverse, ESPNcricinfo announces the launch of ‘Cricinfoverse’, a metaverse-based digital platform for cricket fans all over the world. The virtual mobile first 3-D world enables fans to create their own virtual avatar to have a never-seen-before first-hand experience of ESPNcricinfo’s features and content. Being the second most popular sport in the world, there is an insatiable appetite of cricket-based content for fans. Tapping into this opportunity, Cricinfoverse is an endeavor by ESPNcricinfo to offer the upcoming generation’s fan base an immersive and interactive experience to cricket.
In partnership with Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), Cricinfoverse offers its flagship pre, mid and post-match video show ‘T20 Time Out’ which features match predictions and analysis by cricket experts like Anil Kumble, Robin Uthappa, Tom Moody, Stephen Fleming, Faf du Plessis, among other international cricketers. The platform will also see the integration of ‘ASKcricinfo’, India’s first AI-driven voice-based cricket statistic search tool which will answer any cricket stats, insights, or records query through a simple text or voice command.
Further, the unique platform allows fans to access latest cricket videos, match statistics, and also offers various fun and interactive games including Scramble and Trump Cards. It will also be a platform where various cricket fans can get together, Cricinfoverse also gives fans the ability to interact with each other.
Commenting on the announcement, Ramesh Kumar, VP & Head of ESPN India and South Asia, ESPNcricinfo said, “At ESPNcricinfo, we believe in constant evolution in the form of content and technology to keep up with the changing time and catering to the ever-evolving fan base. The future of how the new generation of fans consume cricket content is changing. Considering the opportunity, we are leveraging Metaverse and other latest technology with our ESPNcricinfo content to create an immersive and interactive experience for our fans. Cricinfoverse is ESPNcricinfo’s take into the future, and while it remains just a steppingstone, the overall outlook is long term and we will continue to update the platform with new features.”
As a part of the collaboration, MSIL has worked with ESPNcricinfo to offer an immersive experience for cricket fans inside Cricinfoverse itself, where fans will have the ability to get up close and personal with the newly launched Grand Vitara. The platform will also have innovations like Splash Screen on App and in-content stories ads to Maruti Suzuki.
Speaking on the occasion, Shashank Srivastava (Senior Executive Director) from MSIL said, “Taking forward our innovation on NEXAVerse and adding to the thrill of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022, we are excited to partner with ESPNcricinfo to launch Cricinfoverse, as part of our long-term collaboration with ESPNcricinfo. The cricket-centric virtual world will allow fans with various touchpoints to know more about our newly launched Grand Vitara in an interactive way. Further, our sponsorship to ‘T20 Time Out’ will offer fans smart and in-depth analysis of matches and player performance. We are glad to be part of this journey and look forward to exploring how we can make this platform better for all of Maruti Suzuki and ESPNcricinfo fans.”
