Breakin' B.I.G. — The Sandbox and Warner Music Group Unveil Nostalgic Hip-Hop Gaming Experience

The Sandbox, a leading decentralized gaming virtual world and subsidiary of Animoca Brands, and Warner Music Group (Nasdaq: WMG), the global music entertainment company, announced today the launch of a unique experience for hip-hop fans: "Breakin' B.I.G.".

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A nod to the beloved side-scrolling games of the 1990s, "Breakin' B.I.G." immerses players in a neighborhood where The Notorious B.I.G. reigns supreme. The new game celebrates the era when Biggie rose to dominate the airwaves and brings the G.O.A.T. to today's music fans in a whole new way, with homages to his cherished Brooklyn roots and the formation of Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Several exciting activities are set to launch in December, including the playable "Breakin' B.I.G." experience, an exclusive avatar collection, and the freshly revamped Warner Music Group social hub.
"Breakin' B.I.G." invites players to step into a 2D arcade-style world set in the music-infused backdrop of 1990s Brooklyn, where they assume the role of an aspiring rapper with deep admiration for Biggie, striving to make it big in the music industry.

In this role, players will engage with Biggie and other characters to complete quests essential to earning his respect, such as revitalizing Brooklyn neighborhoods, confronting those who dare to challenge Biggie's influence, and assisting the hip-hop legend in achieving even greater success.

“The Notorious B.I.G. is one of the most respected hip-hop artists of all time, so we are honored to be included in his lasting legacy through our partnership with Warner Music Group,” said Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox.
“I’m excited for our players to explore a rich Brooklyn environment with an arcade-inspired feel unlike anything we’ve done before. Fans will interact with Biggie in entirely new ways as they immerse themselves in a throwback 90s adventure.”

Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox
Elliot Osagie, Chief Strategy Officer of The Notorious B.I.G. Estate, and Founder and CEO of Willingie and Benin City, says, “The 90s created a modern iconic decade similar to the 1920s. No artist represents the style of the 90s more than Biggie.

By bringing the appeal of the 90s style side-scrolling game, starring Biggie's music, to an innovative Web3 platform, we are ensuring that the world he built will continue to be enjoyed by day-one fans and discovered by today’s new generation of fans in fresh innovative ways that remain authentic to Biggie's brand and goals as an artist."

Early last year, The Sandbox and Warner Music Group announced a partnership to create the first music-themed world in The Sandbox, featuring WMG’s roster of artists including Sueco and his “Split Personalities” experience, which was one of the top three most visited experiences on the platform in 2022. The strategic partnership marked The Sandbox’s first deal with a major music company and delivers on WMG’s pursuit to create new, interactive experiences for fans.

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About The Sandbox

The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is one of the decentralized virtual worlds that has been fueling the recent growth of virtual real estate demand, having partnered with major brands including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, The Rabbids, Cut the Rope, Tony Hawk, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, SM Entertainment, The Smurfs, Care Bears, and Atari.

Building on the existing The Sandbox IP that has more than 40 million global installs on mobile, The Sandbox metaverse offers players and creators a decentralized and intuitive platform to create immersive 3D worlds and game experiences and to safely store, trade, and monetize their creations.

For more information, please visit www.sandbox.game and follow the regular updates on Twitter, Medium, and Discord.

About Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands, a Deloitte Tech Fast winner, a Fortune Crypto 40 company, and one of the Financial Times’ High Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2023, is a Web3 leader that leverages blockchain to deliver digital property rights to consumers around the world to help to establish the open metaverse. The company develops and publishes a broad portfolio of products including original games such as The Sandbox, PHANTOM GALAXIES™, Life Beyond, and Crazy Defense Heroes, and products utilizing popular intellectual properties from the worlds of sports and entertainment, such as The Walking Dead, Power Rangers, MotoGP™, and Formula E.

It has multiple subsidiaries, including The Sandbox, Blowfish Studios, Quidd, GAMEE, nWay, Pixowl, Forj, Lympo, Animoca Brands Japan, Grease Monkey Games, Eden Games, Darewise Entertainment, Notre Game, TinyTap, Be., PIXELYNX, WePlay Media, and Gryfyn. Animoca Brands is one of the most active investors in Web3, with a portfolio of over 400 Web3 investments, both directly and through Animoca Ventures, including Yuga Labs, Axie Infinity, Polygon, Consensys, Fireblocks, OpenSea, Dapper Labs, Yield Guild Games, Alien Worlds, and many more.

For more information visit www.animocabrands.com or follow on Twitter or Facebook.

About Warner Music Group

With a legacy extending back over 200 years, Warner Music Group (WMG) today brings together artists, songwriters, and entrepreneurs that are moving entertainment culture across the globe. Operating in more than 70 countries through a network of affiliates and licensees, WMG’s Recorded Music division includes renowned labels such as 10K Projects, 300 Entertainment, Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Canvasback, Elektra, Erato, First Night, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Spinnin’, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and Warner Music Nashville.

WMG’s music publishing arm, Warner Chappell Music, has a catalog of over one million copyrights spanning every musical genre, from the standards of the Great American Songbook to the biggest hits of the 21st century. Warner Music Group is also home to ADA, the independent artist and label services company – as well as next gen artist services division WMX, which includes consumer brands such as Songkick, the live music app; EMP, the merchandise e-tailer; UPROXX, the youth culture destination; and HipHopDX, the hip-hop music news site. In addition, WMG counts storytelling powerhouse Warner Music Entertainment and social media content creator IMGN among its many brands.

Follow WMG on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook.