Webtoon Entertainment has signed a partnership with Genies, an AI avatar company, so creators on its English-language platform can turn their characters into customisable 3D avatars that fans can chat with.
The first titles are a hand-picked group of flagship series approved by their creators, among them The Greatest Estate Developer and The Knight Only Lives Today. Artists will work with both companies to match each avatar to their style, and fans who read further into a series will unlock collectibles, extra backstory through chat and exclusive lore.
Webtoon president Yongsoo Kim stressed that creators opt in and that the experiences should stay true to the original work. Genies CEO Akash Nigam said the tools are meant to keep each series' look intact, whether it is dark or playful. The companies pitch the scheme as a base for future revenue that can scale across Webtoon's whole catalogue of creator-owned series.
Genies has struck similar deals with MLB Players, the NBA players' union, King Records and Sanrio. Avatars are due to reach fans in the summer, with features and timing still being worked out.
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