Platform: Roblox

Commissioned by: ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
Developer: Cosmow
Launch Date: September 27, 2024 (World Tourism Day)
Partners: AirAsia, Agoda, ASEAN-Korea Centre
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCSzbUQJoEW/
Launch Stats: ~200,000 players in first 3 days | ~50,000 daily active users

Uniting Southeast Asia Through Play

ImaginASEAN – The Great Metaverse Hunt is the first-ever multi-country tourism activation on Roblox. Commissioned by ASEAN and supported by regional travel partners, the game reimagines Southeast Asia as a unified, explorable digital world—featuring landmark recreations, cultural mini-games, and avatar collectibles that reflect each of the ten member states.

Launched on World Tourism Day 2024, the experience was designed to promote intra-ASEAN travel and cultural discovery among Gen Z and Gen A players, using gameplay as the gateway to real-world interest.

What Set This Activation Apart

• Pan-Regional Approach: Unlike other tourism games focused on single cities or countries, ImaginASEAN represents all 10 ASEAN nations in one cohesive metaverse experience.
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• Landmark Storytelling: Players explore virtual recreations of iconic sites such as Angkor Wat, Borobudur, Rizal Park, Merlion Park, and more—earning points and prizes through scavenger-style missions.
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• Custom Cultural Avatars: Players can unlock traditional outfits from each country—like the Philippine barong, Indonesian batik, and Thai silk dress—bringing cultural diversity to avatar personalization.
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• Public–Private Collaboration: The project was supported by AirAsia, Agoda, and the ASEAN-Korea Centre, with prizes including travel vouchers and sweepstakes for real trips.
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• Strong Early Engagement: With over 200,000 users in its first 72 hours and 50,000 daily active players in the weeks that followed, ImaginASEAN generated momentum far beyond typical educational games.
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Game Category: Scavenger Hunt / Cultural Exploration / Edutainment

Tourism Strategy:

ImaginASEAN uses gamified missions and layered storytelling to connect players with the culture, history, and identity of ten diverse destinations. The game encourages replayability through timed events and unlockables, while rewarding top players with both digital badges and real-world travel incentives.

Innovation in Action

• Metaverse-Scale Diplomacy: A tourism-first example of what digital regionalism can look like—delivering visibility and shared engagement across multiple countries.
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• Playable Cultural Education: By tying exploration to in-game challenges, players learn through doing—moving beyond passive promotion into experiential learning.
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• Evolving Game World: The addition of a new ASEAN–Korea Hall (inspired by Jeju Island) shows how this model can grow, evolve, and support international partnerships.
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• Cross-Platform Influence: Short-form reels, TikTok clips, and media coverage expanded reach far beyond Roblox itself—turning gameplay moments into shareable travel content.
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What It Signals for Tourism

ImaginASEAN is one of the most ambitious examples to date of how immersive platforms like Roblox can serve not just as branding tools—but as collaborative tourism infrastructure. By treating the region as a unified digital experience, it opens the door for other alliances, continents, or cultural blocs to do the same.

For younger players, it reframes Southeast Asia not as ten different destinations to choose between—but as one diverse region to explore. And for the tourism industry, it signals a future where discovery happens long before a boarding pass is issued—inside a game, through a mission, with a sense of shared purpose.

Explore the Experience

• Play “ImaginASEAN – The Great Metaverse Hunt” on Roblox
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• View gameplay highlights and media coverage
• Learn more about the ASEAN–Korea cultural partnership

Please research to find appropriate video content.

Here are some notes from Chat GPT

Recommended Video Embeds

1. Gamezebo Developer Interview
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Provides an in-depth look into the strategy behind ImaginASEAN, featuring insights from ASEAN Tourism Marketing lead Oliver Chong.

Ideal for context and behind-the-scenes depth.
einpresswire.com+15gamezebo.com+15asean.org+15

2. Instagram Reel from ASEAN
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Official promo clip featuring gameplay highlights, avatar transformations, and the World Tourism Day launch announcement.

Good for visual storytelling and teasers.
gamezebo.com+4linkedin.com+4seasia.co+4

3. TikTok Reel by @visitsoutheastasia
4. 
   

Short-form video showcasing cultural landmarks and gameplay, accompanied by community engagement stats.
instagram.com+6tiktok.com+6seasia.co+6

 Embedding Strategy

• Use the Gamezebo interview as your primary “highlight video” to offer depth and credibility.
• Include either the Instagram Reel or TikTok clip as supplementary multimedia—perfect for quick visual impact or social-media repurposing.
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• Label them clearly in the Destinate feature:
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Featured Video: Behind the Scenes with ASEAN Tourism Lead

Play Peek: In-game cultural highlights (Reel/TikTok)