ITV Studios’ ‘The Voice’ Partners With The Sandbox to Debut ‘Coach Battle’: An Immersive Gaming Experience

The Sandbox, a leading decentralized gaming platform and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, announced today its official partnership with the Virtual Brand Group (VBG), an award-winning metaverse pioneer known for building immersive experiences, virtual commerce and digital fashion, and their collaborator ITV Studios,  to launch ‘The Voice Coach Battle,’ a Web3 gaming experience  based on ITV Studios’ ‘The Voice’ TV format with 155 adaptations around the world. For the first time ever, ‘The Voice Coach Battle’ allows fans anywhere in the world to act like a celebrity coach and sit in the show’s iconic red chair, hit the big red button, and lead talent to stardom in a game that adapts to each choice you make, ensuring a unique experience with each playthrough. Jump in to play and coach here!

In another first and exclusive to ‘The Voice Coach Battle,’ fans are empowered to play along with  season 25 of NBC’s ‘The Voice’, now airing, from within the game experience. Players will receive an exclusive limited NFT each week they correctly predict which NBC contestants move forward and ultimately win. Participants are also automatically entered into a 15K SAND prize pool and can win ‘The Voice’ karaoke microphones to sing at home, provided exclusively by The Gander Group. Additionally, by completing ‘The Voice Coach Battle,’ players earn a chance to win tickets to attend tapings of ‘The Voice’ TV show in any one of five (5) different countries: United States (NBC), France, Germany (SAT.1), Australia, and the United Kingdom (ITV).

‘The Voice Coach Battle’ offers players a similar journey to real-life celebrity coaches on ‘The Voice,’ starting with a blind audition. As the three contestants perform — a tiger faced pop singer, a rebellious young female rocker, and an intense, moody alien balladeer — players will hit the iconic red button to select their artist.

Fans progress through interactive quests to prepare their talent for the Live Show in the ‘The Voice Coach Battle’.  Just like on the TV show, players must select music, choose a fantastic wardrobe, perfect stage lighting, and offer advice to their artist at each stage. In addition, players must complete quizzes on the TV show’s real celebrity coaches. Unlike any other game ever on The Sandbox, each player’s selection changes the outcome of their performers' score based on a brand new game logic technology.

Along the way, players receive help from four new celebrity coaches debuting on The Sandbox: Eon B. Rabbit, Kid Flaire, Cenalia, and IngoAmelis. Designed by an Academy Award® nominee, each coach has their own musical backstory. These coaches assist the players along the way, guiding them toward the final Live Show.

At the ‘The Voice Coach Battle’ Live Show, players have the opportunity to support their chosen artist as they perform the selected song and wear the chosen outfit. The player-designed stage serves as a backdrop for the performance. To win, the artist will have to secure a standing ovation. Thanks to the implementation of new game logic, players are incentivized to keep coming back to ‘The Voice Coach Battle’ to experience something new each time.

“The Sandbox is a hub for creativity, discovery, and self-expression, naturally making it the perfect venue for ‘The Voice.’ We are very excited to collaborate with them and bring the show’s energy into the digital realm,” said Arthur Madrid, CEO and co-founder of The Sandbox. “We can’t wait to see players truly shine as they take on the roles of their favorite coaches.”

“It’s showtime in the Sandbox. The future of entertainment is here now with new ways to unite and delight ‘The Voice’ fans globally”, said Justin W. Hochberg, CEO of Virtual Brand Group.  “Collaborating with ITV Studios and the Sandbox created a unique opportunity for VBG to merge the physical and digital worlds with three innovations: the first time global TV territories have united in one activation; first game experience on the platform with dynamic choices so every player decision creates a new outcome and television’s first ever virtual coaches”.

Jurian van der Meer, EVP Brand Licensing, Global Partnerships, ITV Studios said: "In the wake of 'The Voice' being named Franchise of the Year in K7 Media's 'Tracking the Giants 2023' report, alongside its recognition for boasting the highest number of active versions in 2023, our collaboration with The Sandbox to launch 'The Voice Coach Battle' represents an exciting step forward for our esteemed franchise”.

This innovative gaming experience invites enthusiasts and fans worldwide to step into the coveted coach's seat and immerse themselves within the unique gameplay. With real-world prizes and exclusive opportunities,'The Voice Coach Battle' brings the excitement of the TV show to the digital space like never before."

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About The Sandbox

The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is a leading Web3 virtual world platform whose major partners include Adidas, Warner Music Group, Snoop Dogg, Gucci, The Walking Dead, Deadmau5, Atari, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Care Bears, The Smurfs, and more. The Sandbox offers players and creators a decentralized and intuitive platform to create immersive 3D worlds and game experiences and safely store, trade, and monetize their creations. For more information, please visit www.sandbox.game and follow for regular updates on Twitter, Medium, and Discord.

About Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands, a Deloitte Tech Fast winner and ranked in the Financial Times list of High Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2021, is a leader in digital entertainment, blockchain, and gamification. The company has multiple subsidiaries, including The Sandbox, Blowfish Studios, Quidd, GAMEE, nWay, Pixowl, Bondly, and Lympo. In addition, Animoca Brands has a growing portfolio of more than 150 investments in NFT-related companies and decentralized projects that are contributing to building the open metaverse, including Axie Infinity, OpenSea, Dapper Labs (NBA Top Shot), Yield Guild Games, Harmony, Alien Worlds, Star Atlas, and others. For more information, visit www.animocabrands.com or follow on Twitter or Facebook.

About Virtual Brand Group
Virtual Brand Group (VBG) is an award-winning metaverse pioneer extending global brands into social gaming and virtual businesses. VBG strategizes, builds, markets and operates games, commerce, avatar fashion, and brand sponsorships in partnership with intellectual property across entertainment, fashion, and lifestyle. The company has partnered with iconic brands, including Barbie, Forever 21, NBC, XOMG POP, Authentic Brands Group and The Voice singing competition in 145 territories. The team is credited with developing the world’s first physical fashion line that was incubated as virtual merchandise along with "Infinite Loop Marketing,™", the first-ever avatar-to-ecommerce program with items sold simultaneously in the metaverse and real life.  VBG’s work has earned it “Best Digital Licensed Product,” for  building Forever21’s Shop City and the “Deal Of Distinction” for Barbie, nominated by iconic designer Bob Makie. The company has been featured in over 500 top-tier media outlets, podcasts and three books on innovation. Click here for case studies on how VBG can put you in the metaverse LINK

#JustBeVirtual on Twitter and LinkedIn. For more, visit virtualbrandgroup.com.

About ITV Studios

ITV Studios is a creator, producer, and distributor of world-leading programmes that people can’t get enough of. We connect millions of people every day and shape and reflect the world they live in, we are More Than TV.

Its Brand & Licensing department is responsible for all global commercial activities, including sponsorship, brand licensing, consumer products, gaming, and live events. It represents a diverse portfolio, including scripted and non-scripted content, game shows, and kids’ titles, which offers a wide range of commercial opportunities. Brands include The Voice, Hell’s Kitchen, Love Island, I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, The Chase, Coronation Street, Schitt’s Creek, The Last Unicorn, Thunderbirds, Space: 1999, The Prisoner, and more.