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Saudi Arabia’s NHC, NAVER Agree to Operate Smart City Solutions for Digital Twin Platform 'Baladi'

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s NHC, NAVER Agree to Operate Smart City Solutions for Digital Twin Platform 'Baladi'

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)

In a pioneering move towards digital transformation, Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company (NHC) signed on Sunday a contract with the Republic of Korea's NAVER Cloud Platform to implement smart city solutions on the digital twin platform "Baladi."

The collaboration aims to adopt global best practices in the municipal and housing sectors by utilizing innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced cloud services.

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail.

The integration will facilitate the development of advanced digital solutions in major cities across Saudi Arabia, including 3D maps, simulation models for urban planning and flood management, and monitoring and control centers.

The partnership aligns with NHC's commitment as the leading developer of residential communities to boost digital capabilities in the municipal and housing sectors and achieve a sustainable future that supports the aspirations of citizens and the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

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Japan's Nintendo Fans Test Switch 2 ahead of Launch amid Tariff Worries

An attendee plays Mario Kart World by Nintendo Switch 2 during the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience at the ExCeL London international exhibition and convention center in London, Britain, April 11, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
An attendee plays Mario Kart World by Nintendo Switch 2 during the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience at the ExCeL London international exhibition and convention center in London, Britain, April 11, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
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Japan's Nintendo Fans Test Switch 2 ahead of Launch amid Tariff Worries

An attendee plays Mario Kart World by Nintendo Switch 2 during the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience at the ExCeL London international exhibition and convention center in London, Britain, April 11, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
An attendee plays Mario Kart World by Nintendo Switch 2 during the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience at the ExCeL London international exhibition and convention center in London, Britain, April 11, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

Nintendo fans were given a chance to try out the company's new Switch 2 gaming device at an event near Tokyo on Saturday, ahead of a release that some worry could be overshadowed by tariffs driving up prices.
"Since Mr. Trump became president tariffs have gone up so I am concerned about a price hike not just for the game console but for accessories too," said Hidenori Tanaka, 55, a real estate company employee, who attended the event.
Consumers around the world could face higher prices for electronic devices as tariffs imposed by the US President Donald Trump's administration on trading partners including China raise costs for companies operating global supply chains. While Trump has rolled back some tariffs, the threat of a damaging trade war still looms, Reuters said.
Gamers at the pre-launch event began lining up outside the Makuhari Messe convention center near Tokyo from mid-morning to play Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bonanza, and other titles on the Switch 2.
Despite the possibility of higher prices, there are early indicators of robust consumer demand for the successor to the Switch, which has sold more than 150 million units since 2017 and transformed Nintendo's fortunes.
The Kyoto-based gaming company said on Wednesday it had received 2.2 million applications in the lottery for Switch 2 in Japan and could not fulfil all the demand.
"Honestly, I didn't think I had a shot. Everyone on social media was saying they missed out, so I figured I would too," said Hyuma Hashiguchi, 28, who won the lottery to be among the first to buy the Switch 2.
Nintendo is holding hands-on events around the world including in New York, Berlin and Hong Kong.
The Switch 2 will sell for 49,980 yen ($350) for a Japanese-language-only version. In the United States, Nintendo initially paused pre-orders due to tariff concerns but later said it would maintain pricing at $449.99.