Lotte Group, a South Korean conglomerate, announced at CES 2025 that it has selected the Arbitrum blockchain to power its metaverse platform, “Lotte Caliverse.”
Lotte Caliverse is a virtual world built using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5. The platform allows users to explore a digital city, shop with real-world delivery options, play games, and engage with content in a more immersive way — replicating the feeling of being physically present.
The platform will feature well-known brands such as Givenchy, MCM, 7-Eleven, and even the music festival “Tomorrowland.”
Steven Goldfeder, CEO of Arbitrum’s development team, emphasized that the blockchain will offer efficient and seamless performance for the metaverse, ensuring users have a smooth experience.
This collaboration highlights Lotte’s continued focus on its virtual projects. The company introduced a prototype of its metaverse at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. Soon after, it announced a partnership with KT Alpha, a subsidiary of Korea Telecom, one of South Korea’s leading telecom providers, to incorporate virtual reality (VR) content into Caliverse.
Despite its push into the metaverse, Lotte’s recent history with blockchain technology has been mixed. In June last year, the company shut down its NFT platform after two years, citing declining sales and challenges in the broader industry. This decision followed similar moves by companies like Starbucks and GameStop.
