Dive Brief:

• Walmart has introduced a new Roblox experience dubbed Roblox: Walmart Discovered, the retailer announced Tuesday. The virtual space will be available to players ages 13 and older.
• Within the space, players can access virtual departments across the beauty, sports and pets categories. The space also features trending, racing, “town and city” and entertainment sections, with plans to add more departments later this year. Players can save virtual items or experiences they’ve found to buy or view later using Walmart’s My Department and My Cart features.
• Users can discover games, indie experiences and virtual items as voted on by the community. Through a nomination system, Walmart Discovered will spotlight over 300 community creators over the next four months. 

Dive Insight:

Walmart's new experience marks the retail giant’s deeper dive into the Roblox universe. Earlier this year, the retailer closed down its Universe of Play space on Roblox after six months of running it, a move that the company said it had previously planned. However, a month ago the retailer debuted its Supercampus game on Roblox, which has a back-to-school theme. 

With its new experience, Walmart is also allowing creators to profit from their creations. The retailer said creators and developers of all sizes can monetize their virtual item sales through the Roblox digital currency, Robux. 

“Millions of customers are exploring virtual platforms, interacting with each other and brands, as well as building online communities,” William White, chief marketing officer of Walmart U.S., wrote in an announcement. “That number continues to grow every day, so we’re spending more time there, testing, learning and creating innovative experiences that not only inspire customers but also foster those communities and connections.”

Meanwhile, more brands and retailers have ventured into the Roblox world to reach consumers on the platform. In March, The Home Depot introduced its Virtual Kids Workshop, where players can collect materials and build projects. Forever 21 launched its F21 Metaverse Collection last year with hoodies and T-shirts designed with features from the retailer’s virtual product assortment. 

In addition to Walmart, Threadless is also enabling creators to monetize their Roblox merchandise. Earlier this month, the e-commerce company teamed up with Spaceport, an intellectual property licensing company, to allow Roblox players to buy digital clothing for their online avatars. Threadless artists will earn royalties from those sales in U.S. dollars.