Complicated turned its style and music competition right into a futuristic online game

Since 2016, ComplexCon has been a spot the place streetwear fans can collect in a single place to purchase unique gear, take heed to superb dwell music, and gorge at high-end meals vans. As with most dwell exhibits, although, the occasion isn’t going down in 2020 — a minimum of, not within the conventional method. In lieu of an in-person competition in Lengthy Seashore, Complicated has constructed a online game the place customers can store, watch talks and performances, and, sure, order from native eating places.

It’s not a sprawling digital world the place hundreds of thousands can collect in a single place, however quite a single-player expertise designed to imitate the sensation of being at a dwell present. ComplexLand is a online game the place the primary exercise is buying, and also you chase after sneaker drops like a hero within the newest open-world blockbuster.

ComplexLand will happen from December seventh–eleventh, and it’s utterly free. The expertise was in-built WebGL, which means it’s accessible through an internet browser, both on desktop or cell. When you create an account, you’re dropped right into a form of summary, futuristic cityscape and instantly prompted to create an avatar, selecting from varied brandname hats and sneakers.

From there, the expertise opens up, with a giant world filled with NPCs to speak to and factors of curiosity to discover. To emulate a few of the social expertise, there can even be a persistent chat the place attendees can discuss concerning the day’s occasions. Most significantly: there are many locations to buy.

Complicated’s head of collaborations, Neil Wright, says the artistic staff was impressed by Travis Scott’s appearance in Fortnite earlier this year, however they felt one key factor was lacking. “Aesthetically, I assumed it appeared actually cool. It was so excessive and kooky in a method that was actually artistic,” Wright explains. “I feel, for us, the one factor that it lacked was the commerce facet. In the event you wished to purchase any of the merch, you needed to go to Travis’ web site. You needed to go elsewhere for it. So after we have been constructing this world, we wished to guarantee that commerce was prime of thoughts.”

ComplexLand is basically a recreation constructed fully round buying. Sure, you possibly can watch talks the place Fats Joe and Lil Yachty focus on the most effective sneakers of the yr or take heed to T-Ache’s ideas on the way forward for esports. (All the talks can be broadcast through YouTube Reside.) However you’re additionally working by way of a sci-fi metropolis looking for the newest gear. Complicated has partnered with style manufacturers like Adidas, BAPE, and Tokidoki for digital cubicles that customers can go to to buy unique sneakers or hoodies. Every thing is branded and shoppable: there are artists cubicles the place people can promote their work, or you possibly can pop by a Perrier sales space plastered with Takashi Murakami’s iconic smiling flowers.

The expertise additionally gamifies that ever-present a part of streetwear tradition: the restricted drop. As gamers are exploring the world, they’ll get notifications {that a} new drop is about to occur. From there, it really works form of like an open-world recreation like Murderer’s Creed. Your mini-map will present you the overall space the place the drop will be discovered, nevertheless it’s as much as you to truly discover it. In the event you handle to, you’ll be entered right into a queue for the chance to purchase regardless of the merchandise is. “In my excellent situation, your avatar can be buying round, and then you definitely’ll be alerted {that a} drop goes to happen. And you must cease what you’re doing after which attempt to find it on the earth,” says Wright.

Maybe probably the most formidable facet of ComplexLand is the meals vans. You’ll have the ability to go as much as a digital truck, order meals, and have it delivered to your own home. Right here’s how Wright describes it:

It’s one thing that we actually wished to verify we have been capable of execute on as a result of the meals vans at ComplexCon are such an vital half as a result of the eating places that we select are actually top-tier. Principally, what you’ll have the ability to do is, whenever you’re on the earth, we’ll have 4 meals vans all primarily based round issues like burgers or tacos.

At that time, your avatar will method the truck, and also you’ll have the ability to see menu objects which can be region-specific — so for those who’re in New York, you get the New York burger, and for those who’re in Chicago, you get the Chicago burger — after which we’ll work with the restaurant to have that merchandise out there by way of their supply platform. As soon as you choose the menu, you’ll be related to the restaurant’s meals supply service of selection, and it’ll be delivered to you.

ComplexLand represents the confluence of a number of developments, from occasions going digital to the collision of style and gaming. Each of those turned extra distinguished in 2020, whether or not it’s Balenciaga making a game to show off its next clothing line, Lil Nas X performing inside Roblox, or Animal Crossing fans working together to design in-game streetwear.

ComplexLand differs in some methods as a result of it’s so overtly industrial, designed explicitly for buying, however that is also indicative of the way forward for digital worlds. In spite of everything, Fortnite’s continued development has been constructed largely off of popular culture collaborations with Marvel and Star Wars. Manufacturers are in all places. ComplexLand merely embraces this reality greater than most. And whereas it was designed initially for a week-long occasion, it might additionally find yourself being a extra everlasting digital house.

“We constructed it with the target that we’d most likely convey it again,” says Wright.