Roblox expands immersive ad tools for brands

Roblox is seeking to boost revenue by launching an immersive advertising system early next year.

The new offering will let Roblox users connect with interactive billboards, posters, and other ads inside games.

Adding immersive ads has been a “dream” for Roblox for 15 years, Chief Executive Officer Dave Baszucki said at the company’s developers’ conference this month.

Roblox already runs commercial partnerships with major brands including Ralph Lauren and Chipotle to offer users branded games, virtual concerts and items.

The new plan is to go even further, for players to be able to interact with advertisements inside of games, including ones that function as portals, taking gamers to branded zones such as a shoe store or a coffee shop.

Roblox has positioned the offering as a way to help advertisers foster deeper connections with its community of 58.5 million daily active users.

The company is also scaling up a Marketplace that lets creators sell items for an in-game currency called Robux, with plans to introduce a mechanic that gives users control over the scarcity of their goods.

The move comes as Roblox’s growth slows following a surge in interest earlier in the pandemic.