BLACKPINK in your (virtual) area! The K-pop group will be performing an in-game concert — called “The Virtual” — through PUBG Mobile later in July, the company announced on Sunday (July 31).
The event will take place starting July 22-23 and July 29-30 in North and South America, while Blinks in other parts of the world will have access to the concert July 23-24 and July 30-31. But the concert will not be the only thing fans have to look forward to — in addition to BLACKPINK’s concert, the four piece will also debut a special song and new music video in the game and via PUBG Mobile’s social media accounts later in the month.
“[We are] pleased to hold an in-game concert as the second collaboration between the world best group BLACKPINK and PUBG Mobile,” YG Entertainment, the K-pop group’s management company, said in a statement. “We also hope to increase the opportunity for artists and fans to interact closely beyond the borders and language barriers. … As it is a concert held in the virtual world, in addition to music and performances, various entertainments will provide fans with a special and interesting experience. We all can enjoy various aspects of BLACKPINK that would be different from the real world.”
This isn’t the first time that BLACKPINK has teamed up with PUBG Mobile. The group previously worked with the gaming company in 2020 to celebrate the launch of their 2020 release, THE ALBUM.
The virtual concert comes on the heels of YG Entertainment releasing a statement on July 5 that announced the quartet — which consists of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa — is in the “final stages of recording a new album.” The statement also said that BLACKPINK’s new music will arrive in August along with “a continuous large-scale project which will extend through the second half of the year.”
The virtual concert is also a primer for what’s to come of the girls’ tour plans this year and beyond, as YG promised an international tour by the conclusion of 2022, which they called “largest world tour in the history of a K-pop girl group.”
Fans can secure tickets to the virtual in-game concert starting July 15, and will be able to pre-load the Concert Resource Pack the next day, which is required to join the event. Players will also be able to obtain the outfits BLACKPINK will wear during the concert from July 23 to Aug. 31, but before then, fans can earn special promotional rewards daily leading up to the show.