Walmart’s big Roblox investment, how comms pros are talking about Hurricane Ian and more

A retail giant is making a major investment into the virtual world with new Roblox experiences.

Walmart is launching “Walmart Land” and “Universe of Play” which allows children to collect virtual merchandise, play games with toys and characters, earn toys from a blimp go to live concerts and win fashion contests.

“This is another step of reaching our customers in unexpected ways and in the places where they’re spending their time. We are excited to be one of the first major retailers to do this,” William White, chief marketing officer of Walmart U.S., said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/Walmart/status/1574430010412351489

Walmart has previously tried AI-powered virtual try-on technology, but this marks their first attempt at virtual worlds.

Designed for older kids, Walmart Land features an amusement park with a Walmart-themed Ferris wheel, slides and beaches. A monorail will take players on a tour of the virtual world and players can redeem tokens for virtual merchandise. There is a “House of Style” which features fashion content while “Electric Island” featured pop culture and trivia.