#39: Netflix Ramping Up Mobile Gaming with New Franchise Features

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In This Article

Around the Block…

• Blockchain / NFT: Red Bull

• AR / VR / Visuals: Disney, Nike

• Gaming / Metaverse: Netflix, McDonald’s

• Roblox: IKEA, U.S. Soccer, Givenchy, NHL / ESPN 

Chain Reactions!

• Holograms Gaining Momentum

• McDonald’s Continues to Experiment in Global Markets

Around the Block…

Blockchain / NFT

• Red Bull: Announces Latest NFT Drop Featuring Generative Art

  • Red Bull Racing has announced its latest NFT drop, part of its ‘Velocity Series 2.0,’ featuring artwork from generative artist Kjetil Golid. The collection will go live on June 11th with early access for select Red Bull NFT owners and a public sale priced at 0.1 ETH (~$384).

  • Sources: Discord (Oracle Red Bull Racing)

AR / VR / Visuals

• Disney: Creates AR Lens for Star Wars Disney+ Series Premiere

  • Disney partnered with Atomic Digital Design to create a Snapchat lens to support the launch of its new Star Wars series ‘The Acolyte’ which premiered on June 4th. The AR lens features Snap’s hand-tracking technology, enabling participants to wield a lightsaber while wearing a Jedi robe.

  • Sources: Snapchat / LinkedIn (Atomic Digital Design)

• Nike: Uses Holograms to Showcase New Air Max Shoes in Paris

  • As part of Nike’s Air Max Week 2024, the brand showcased their new Air Max Dn shoes via 3D hologram in partnership with HYPERVSN at their Paris Innovation Lab.

  • Sources: LinkedIn (HYPERVSN - Immersive Retail Revolution) / YouTube (HYPERVSN)

Gaming / Metaverse

• Netflix: Leans into Mobile Games Teasing Franchise Releases

  • The streaming provider continues to grow its mobile gaming offering, which launched in 2021. Netflix announced it would launch 14 new video games, many featuring popular shows—among them Emily in Paris, Selling Sunset, and Perfect Match. Once available, the games will be accessible through the Netflix app, where players will download dedicated apps to play each game.

  • Sources: Netflix Games / Variety / Variety (2)

• McDonald’s: Launches Metaverse App Experience in Singapore

  • McDonald’s Singapore is rolling out a multi-player metaverse experience called ‘My Happy Place’, accessible through its mobile app from June 6th to July 7th. The environment empowers players to create their own restaurants, earn wearable items, and have the chance to earn free McDonald’s for a year. The platform is backed by blockchain technology to authenticate identity and provide tokenized rewards and experiences.

  • Sources: X (@BandwagonLabs) / CoinTelegraph

Roblox

• IKEA: Hiring Paid Virtual Employees for Future Roblox Experience

  • IKEA announced it will launch ‘The Co-Worker Game’ in Roblox on June 24th as part of its ‘Careers Done Different’ initiative. The furniture brand will hire 10 paid employees to work its virtual experience. Applicants must live in the UK and will be paid £13-15 hourly rate. The application period is open until June 16th, and virtual interviews will be held. The public can also ‘work’ at IKEA through unpaid gameplay when the experience launches. The experience was created with a fellow Swedish company, The Gang, specializing in game development.

  • Sources: IKEA / IKEA - The Co-Worker Application

• FIFA: Upgrades ‘FIFA World’ with US & German Tycoon Adventures

  • FIFA, which originally launched its Roblox experience in the lead-up to the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar, has upgraded its world with new content in partnership with U.S. Soccer and the German Football Association. Each national team area is accessible by a portal from FIFA World and features a tycoon game centered around the organization. The experience was created by game development company, The Gang.

  • Sources: Roblox (FIFA World) / U.S. Soccer

• Givenchy: Celebrates Pride with Pop-Up Experience in Roblox

  • Givenchy refreshed its Roblox experience ‘Givenchy Beauty House’ to celebrate Pride month. The update includes Pride decorations, free UGC digital wearable items, and the ability to get a Pride-themed makeover and walk the runway. Givenchy’s Roblox experience has garnered over 12M visits to date.

  • Sources: Roblox (Givenchy Beauty House)

• NHL: Updates Roblox ‘Blast’ Experience with ‘ESPN Chaos Run’

  • NHL has introduced ESPN content into its ‘NHL Blast’ Roblox experience, earning over 20M visits since launching in Spring 2023. The ESPN integration, timed for the start of the Stanley Cup finals, includes a multi-level obstacle course game where players skate and shoot hockey pucks to earn a free hockey puck UGC digital wearable.

  • Sources: Roblox (NHL Blast) / LinkedIn (The Gang)

Chain Reactions!

• Holograms Gaining Momentum

  • Holograms are no longer a fantasy; they are becoming a reality with a growing marketing presence (Nike - above, Hugo Boss). Given its early novelty, the technology's newness can break through, providing the opportunity for impactful customer moments. As the technology becomes more accessible and affordable, we can expect to see even more innovative uses of holograms in marketing strategies

• McDonald’s Continues to Experiment in Global Markets

  • McDonald’s has trialed various innovative technologies in global markets over the past few years. This regional trend continues with their metaverse launch in Singapore this week.

    • Singapore: 2024 My Happy Place Metaverse App Experience, 2023 Grimace NFTs

    • Hong Kong: 2023 The Sandbox Metaverse Experience Celebrating McNuggets’ Anniversary

    • USA: 2023 Spatial Metaverse Lunar New Year Celebration

    • Italy: 2022 NFT Contest

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