Multinational retail giant Walmart has launched two new experiences on its Metaverse platform, Roblox, targeting a younger audience. In Roblox, there are now two new spaces, Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play, both of which offer unique interactive content and entertainment. The activation makes Walmart the largest retail brand on Roblox, which has become popular as a place for brands to reach younger audiences at a time when the pandemic has changed consumers’ online habits.
William White, Chief Marketing Officer of Walmart said“We’re showing off big – creating community, content, entertainment and games through the launch of Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play. Roblox is the fastest growing and largest platform in the Metaverse, and we know our customers are spending a lot of time there. “
“So, we’re focused on creating new and innovative experiences that excite them, something we’re already doing in the communities they live in and now in the virtual worlds they play in,” added White.
The first experience, Walmart Land, aims to embrace all things fashion and style related. According to Walmart, it will feature a variety of immersive experiences including Electric Island, House of Style and Electric Fest. They will bring the best in fashion, style, beauty and entertainment. For example, with Electric Island, you can play Netflix Trivia hosted by Noah Schnapp, attend live concerts with popular artists, compete in Dance Off Challenges, and even make beats in the DJ Booth Remix Game. With House of Style, you can win fashion competitions.
Meanwhile, Walmart’s Universe of Play includes immersive games, rewards, and virtual adventures. Essentially, Universe of Play is the ultimate virtual gaming destination in Roblox. There users can explore different toy worlds to earn coins for various virtual items or complete epic challenges to create personalized trophy cases, unlock secret codes and more.
Walmart’s new presence on the platform is for experimental purposes at this point. While the lands will include a virtual merchandise store that aligns with Walmart’s real-life inventory, the store will only accept tokens earned through various games.
The company plans to host its first virtual concert on the platform next month with Electric Fest, a stop-motion performance featuring popular artists like Madison Beer, Ken Brown and Yungblood. Walmart has collaborated with media properties and brands such as Jurassic World, Paw Patrol, Magic Mix and Razor Scooters to stock characters and items from its games.
Walmart filed an application for a Metaverse-related trademark in January this year. Some trademarks have indicated an interest in making or selling virtual goods and offering users virtual currency, as well as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, indicating that the company is “connecting the dots between the virtual and physical worlds.”
While it’s unclear how Walmart will monetize its immersive experiences, for now, gamers can earn tokens and other rewards for virtual trading on Roblox.
