SK Telecom (SKT) inked a deal with operator e& to bring its metaverse knowledge to the Middle East, a collaboration which will include building a platform based on consumer demands.

The duo signed a Memorandum of Understanding covering the promotion of the metaverse in e& markets, with Saudi Arabia and UAE identified as having particularly strong potential.

Their potential set up would involve SKT tailoring metaverse services based on insights from e&.

The companies plans to localise the metaverse according to the region’s traditions and cultures, incorporating iconic landmarks and appropriate avatars.

e& launched a metaverse platform in partnership with device maker HTC earlier this week.

“We expect to deliver new and differentiated metaverse experiences to customers in the Middle East and develop global opportunities for our metaverse service”, SKT chief development officer Ha Min-yong stated.

The South Korean operator’s Ifland metaverse platform had racked up 8.7 million downloads by July, a year after it launched.