Tens of millions of people cavort every day on Roblox – a building block for developing their own little games. The startup The Gang has discovered a niche and is creating worlds for large corporations that want to present themselves there – and attract customers.
Advertising in video games comes in different forms – sometimes overt, sometimes subliminal. There are also games designed purely for advertising purposes. What they have in common: They are intended to put brands in the right light for gamers. The online platform Roblox seems to be perfect for this, where users can implement their own ideas. While gamers in particular are responsible for many of the own creations, more and more smaller development studios are also discovering Roblox for themselves.
The Swedish startup The Gang is developing game worlds there for major brands and luxury companies such as Gucci and Givenchy. Since there are many younger people on Roblox, the companies there are trying to attract the customers of tomorrow.
“We came across Roblox by chance, got to know the platform early on and saw the potential – not just in the players,” says The Gang boss Marcus Holmström in an interview with ntv.de. “Here you have everything within one ecosystem. The platform gives you everything: the infrastructure, the servers and the ability to attract players.”
You have to imagine Roblox like a virtual Lego construction set with which you can put together worlds in which you can then implement your own game rules. Basically, Roblox depicts the huge world of video games in miniature and rudimentary graphics, but creates space for your own creative ideas.
Shooters, platformers, puzzle games – everything is possible
Games like “Adopt Me!”, in which users adopt and care for virtual pets, or “Welcome to Bloxburg,” a city simulation in which you can build, do jobs and merge into a lively virtual community, are popular. Shooters, platformers, puzzle games – everything is possible. The simple structure makes the platform particularly attractive to children and young people, but 30 percent of players are older than 17 years. More than 58 million users play Roblox every day. Advertising in games is prohibited unless purchased through Roblox.
Vans and skating – they belong together. But it’s not always that easy.
(Photo: Xbox)
The Gang has discovered these ad games as an interface for themselves – and creates the playable infomercial. The company achieved its breakthrough with just such an ad-financed game. VansWorld was created for the shoe manufacturer Vans. Players skate around the area close to the brand. That was 2019. 100 million players have now explored VansWorld and The Gang has developed dozens of ad games, as well as their own brand-independent games. Sportswear giant Nike, music streaming giant Spotify and the Chinese online mail order company Shein are among the customers. The Gang now has 250 employees and the company’s value is in the eight-figure range. Despite the ease of use on Roblox, it is always a big challenge to develop games for certain brands, emphasizes Holmström.
“Even sports brands often have no idea what the game should look like,” he says. “We create quite a few concepts and present the ones we believe will be the best fit not only for the customer but also for the players on the platform.” The Roblox community is very special. “The players are there to hang out, to socialize and be with friends. And that’s something you always have to keep in mind.” But it also depends on the customer’s intention. The Gang has therefore refused to collaborate with several major brands. “Especially when we felt that it wasn’t what the players were looking for. If the brand just wants to do a campaign, if that’s the only reason, then we say no,” said the Swede. Above all, The Gang wants to develop games that the Roblox community enjoys.
“You plant the seeds”
At the Givenchy Beauty House you become a make-up artist.
(Photo: Givenchy)
Ad games are particularly challenging for brands that cannot immediately establish a video game connection, such as luxury goods manufacturers. In Gucci Town you can create your own works of art, explore the vault full of expensive items or have your photo taken in fashionable Gucci style. The world is of course paved with logos and products from the luxury cosmos – some are virtual creations, others are images of real Gucci products. The ability to purchase items through Roblox as a real-world item is expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2024. But according to Holmström, companies “often don’t want to make money with the platform.” That is not the main goal. “It’s about making the brand known. And maybe winning the customers of tomorrow. You’re planting the seeds.”
This of course causes criticism. An example: Gucci Town and Givenchys Beauty House have no age restrictions. This could give children the wrong idea of value – namely that luxury is part of everyday life and is omnipresent. “The concerns are 100 percent justified,” admits Holmström. Roblox is working hard to better protect children. “The platform has grown very quickly and Roblox previously focused not on brands but on teaching kids how to code.” Roblox now has to figure out how to do this in a way “that is not harmful to people or the platform.”
At least when it comes to the plan for in-game purchases of real-world items, developers have the option to only display this to adults. But there are still a few weak points in Roblox. An account does not yet require extensive verification. You do have to provide a date of birth, but not necessarily truthfully. Only for content “17 and over”, a FSK class that Roblox introduced just a year ago, does a selfie and a picture of your ID card have to be presented.
However, Holmström remains optimistic that Roblox will continue to adapt. For him, the platform is also the “largest testing ground” for the Metaverse – the digital space of Facebook parent company Meta, in which virtual, augmented and physical reality mix. Roblox will continue to develop in different directions, as was the case with social media. “In what direction exactly and what will actually happen – it will be interesting to follow.”