The State of Immersive Commerce

Hi, it’s Marc. ✌️

“There is no correlation between budget and success. The most successful brands are the ones that understand the community they’re entering and add value rather than just push ads. Spending millions doesn’t guarantee engagement—listening and iterating does.”

We sat down with Charles Hambro, Co-founder and CEO at GEEIQ, to break down how brands can use Roblox, Fortnite, and other virtual worlds to drive engagement and stay ahead.

GEEIQ is an analytics platform that helps brands track and optimize activations in virtual spaces. Since 2018, it has analyzed hundreds of brand campaigns, proving that gaming isn’t just for experiments—it’s a core marketing channel.

Why it matters: Traditional social media is losing ground. Younger audiences are spending more time inside games than scrolling feeds. For brands, this isn’t just an opportunity—it’s the next battleground for attention.

On why brands are moving into virtual worlds, Charles said:

“Virtual worlds are not just games anymore—they’re social hubs. People aren’t just playing, they’re hanging out. That’s where brands need to be.”

By the data: The last 5 years have seen a shift from social media to user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and Zepeto.

* In Q4 alone, 110 brands launched activations in Roblox, more than Fortnite (75) and Sandbox (31) combined.

* Roblox has seen 847 brand activations since 2018, nearly double Fortnite (477).

Here’s what we’ve covered:

* Why brands are shifting from social media to virtual worlds—and why Roblox dominates brand activations.

* How virtual commerce is evolving—and what Walmart, Gucci, and Hugo Boss are testing.

* The biggest mistakes brands make in gaming activations—and how to avoid them.

* Why traditional social media and gaming platforms will merge—and how brands should prepare.

And much more.

Virtual commerce is still in the early stages. Brands should experiment with digital-to-physical strategies, but don’t expect instant ROI—yet. The real winners will be the brands that experiment early, listen to the data, and focus on engagement over impressions.

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Key Take-Aways for Brand Leaders

* Roblox is not the only game in town: Roblox leads in brand activations, but it’s not the only platform that matters. Fortnite, Zepeto, and others offer different opportunities based on budget, audience, and engagement style. The right choice depends on your strategy—not hype. Breaking it down:

* Fortnite → High-quality brand activations, but bigger budgets required.

* Zepeto → Strong Gen Z, female audience—ideal for fashion & lifestyle brands.

* Decentraland & Sandbox → Web3 & NFT focus, but smaller user bases.

* PRO TIP: If reach and engagement are the goal, Roblox is still the best bet. But don’t assume success—test, analyze, and refine before scaling.

* From social media to virtual worlds: Brands no longer need approval from platforms like Roblox or Fortnite to launch activations. Just like users can create and publish content, brands can build their own experiences, virtual stores, or branded items without needing direct partnerships with the platform. Virtual worlds function like social platforms where brands can build their own spaces (similar to how they used to create Instagram profiles).

* PRO TIP: Don’t treat virtual worlds like traditional gaming—approach them like social media platforms where users expect engagement, not ads.

* Brand success isn’t about big budgets: Spending more doesn’t guarantee success—brands that listen to the community and add value perform better. Engagement, not impressions, drives ROI—time spent with a brand in virtual worlds outperforms traditional social media.

* PRO TIP: Before launching, use data to study user behavior and adjust your activation accordingly.

* E-Commerce in virtual worlds is just beginning: Walmart’s test in Roblox (powered by GEEIQ’s data) showed potential but had limits—only three real-world items were available for purchase. Meanwhile, Roblox partnered with Shopify to let creators sell physical goods directly in-game using Shopify’s checkout, with a full launch set for 2025. Gen Z and Gen Alpha already shop on social platforms and buy virtual items on platforms like Roblox. As virtual worlds evolve, in-game purchases could outpace traditional e-commerce.

* PRO TIP: Brands should experiment with digital-to-physical commerce (e.g., selling digital skins that unlock real-world products) to prepare for this shift.

* Virtual worlds will become more social: Meta’s Horizon Worlds could be the sleeping giant, with Meta’s 3B+ monthly users and deep platform integration. Expect mergers and acquisitions between virtual platforms and traditional social media. More social features (news feeds, TikTok-like experiences) will be integrated into virtual worlds.

* PRO TIP: If you’re planning for long-term brand positioning, start testing activations in virtual spaces now—before competition floods in.

* Blockchain and Web3 games aren’t dead: Blockchain and Web3 gaming aren’t a lost cause—they just need a fresh approach. Platforms like Decentraland and Sandbox didn’t resonate because NFTs weren’t the real draw. Users care more about immersive social and gaming experiences than the underlying tech. For blockchain to truly make an impact in gaming, it’s about traditional giants like Roblox or Fortnite seamlessly integrating on-chain assets.

* PRO TIP: Brands should focus less on chasing the NFT hype and more on gamifying experiences that enhance engagement. The future of Web3 in gaming lies in creating multiple touchpoints, building lasting loyalty, and delivering real utility—like cross-platform asset ownership.

Virtual worlds aren’t just an extension of gaming—they’re the future of brand engagement.

Tune in to dive deeper into Charles’ brand strategy.

That’s all for now.

Thanks,

Marc & Team

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