Hatten Group will invest RM30m to develop the Integrated Metaverse e-Sport Hub Resort through the rebranding and upgrading of the Elements Mall Melaka building into a private digital project called Element X. The project also includes the development of Arena X, which will become the largest international esports centre in the region. With more than 500,000 sq ft of retail space, Element X is expected to attract RM100m worth of investments and generate almost 5,000 job opportunities for residents in the state. Retrofitted works are underway and are expected to be completed by November 2022.

Element X will collaborate with several leading international companies, including Moonton Games, which is famous for the game “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang,” Focus Media Sports (Shanghai) Co Ltd, and Kitamen. A commercial STEM centre will also be developed in Element X by the Melaka Revo-STEM Centre. Education and Technology state executive councillor Datuk Rais Yasin and Hatten managing director Datuk Colin Tan were present at the launch of the Smart Melaka Blueprint 2035 (SMB 2035) and Asia’s First Metaverse Immersive Experiential Mall, as well as the soft launch of the Smart Melaka International Conference 2022 in Banda Hilir.

Melaka chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali said SMB 2035 outlines the state’s strategic direction towards transforming into a smart city, with emphasis on smart initiatives and data empowerment as the main thrust to improve Melaka’s digital services. The SMB 2035 will guide Melaka’s digital transformation by combining digitalisation, administration, business, research and development and commercialisation, as well as communities in a complete ecosystem. The state government is also focusing on the “smart government” component in SMB 2035, which is the development and empowerment of platforms and digital contents, as well as smart applications to improve digital services across the public, private, industrial sectors, and communities.

During the event, Sulaiman witnessed the signing of a tripartite collaboration between Malaysia’s Sustainable and Smart Cities Organisation, Melaka ICT Holdings, and Hatten Edge to implement short-term initiatives and drivers of transformation as outlined in the SMB 2035.