How Roblox is unlocking next-gen commerce for MENA brands
Roblox is redefining e-commerce by integrating physical product sales within its immersive gaming environment.
This presents a significant opportunity for brands, especially in MENA, to tap into next-generation commerce and bridge digital and real-world shopping experiences.
A look at key numbers and evaluating market potential
97.8 million daily active users globally engage with Roblox, creating a massive audience for brand exposure.
50 per cent of Gen Z respondents are likely to consider a brand in the real world after experiencing it virtually.
90 per cent of total orders for Twin Atlas came from in-game commerce, proving strong demand for physical products linked to digital experiences
What's in it for brands in the MENA region?
Massive reach : The integration of commerce into gaming allows brands to access younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who engage socially and transact digitally.
: The integration of commerce into gaming allows brands to access younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who engage socially and transact digitally. New revenue streams : Brands can create virtual storefronts where users not only explore and engage but buy physical products linked to exclusive digital rewards.
: Brands can create virtual storefronts where users not only explore and engage but buy physical products linked to exclusive digital rewards. Stronger brand engagement: Retailers and manufacturers can leverage gamification to drive repeat purchases and deepen customer loyalty.
SWOT Analysis – Should MENA brands move quickly?
Strengths
High digital penetration and mobile-first economy in MENA.
Rising interest in gamified shopping experiences among youth.
Established brands like Fenty and The Weeknd already leveraging Roblox commerce.
Weaknesses
Limited adoption of in-game retail in MENA.
Need for regional localisation in language and payment methods.
Opportunities
First-mover advantage for brands entering metaverse-driven commerce.
Ability to integrate regional cultural elements to enhance local engagement.
E-commerce meets entertainment, offering immersive brand storytelling.
First-mover advantage for brands entering metaverse-driven commerce. Ability to integrate regional cultural elements to enhance local engagement. E-commerce meets entertainment, offering immersive brand storytelling. Threats
Brands lagging behind in digital transformation risk missing engagement with Gen Z & Gen Alpha audiences.
Regulatory concerns may require careful adaptation of commerce mechanics.
What are the next steps for MENA brands?
Explore commerce integration on Roblox experiences targeting local users. Partner with gaming studios to create branded activations linked to physical products. Leverage accelerated mobile pages (AMP) to ensure product authenticity and consumer trust. Use AI and personalisation to tailor shopping experiences for regional preferences. Move fast — the space is evolving quickly, and early adopters will reap the benefits.
By Ravi Dutt, Managing Partner, AtomX Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Streaming trends 2025: Are weekly episodes replacing the binge?
For years, streaming taught us to binge. Entire seasons dropped in one go, the 'Next Episode' button eliminated cliffhanger suspense, and weekend marathons became the norm. But now, something surprising is happening — especially among Gen Z: the weekly drop is back, and it's not just working — it's winning. Take The Last of Us Season 2 on OSN+, a gritty, emotionally devastating post-apocalyptic series that concluded after a seven-week run on May 26 in the UAE, becoming a Monday ritual across the Middle East. The show didn't just dominate timelines — it's dominated time. One episode a week. No skipping ahead. No spoilers unless you dare. What changed? This is the generation long believed to crave instant gratification — the same cohort known for skipping intros, doubling playback speed, and abandoning a series two minutes in. Yet they're showing up week after week for slow-burn television, emotionally raw narratives, and serialised suspense. Why? Because binge culture may have offered control, but the weekly drop delivers community. According to OSN+, Gen Z viewers in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) are choosing weekly drops over binge dumps; 47 of the top 50 most in-demand shows in early 2023 in MENA followed a weekly or staggered release model. TikTok and the rise of episodic attention Ironically, the same Gen Z that's glued to TikTok's short-form content is helping drive this shift. TikTok, once known for its 15-second dopamine hits, has evolved into a platform of mini-episodic storytelling. Viral multi-part sagas like the 'Who Did I Marry?' series or real-life 'Storytime' confessions span five, ten, sometimes twenty clips — and viewers stick around. These aren't just passive watches; they're participatory. Viewers stitch reactions, drop theories, and stay hooked until the final reveal. Sound familiar? It's the same energy fueling weekly appointment TV. In Gen Z's own vernacular, 'it's giving… community.' Weekly drops vs. the binge: What platforms are doing Streaming services have started to take notice and vary their release strategies accordingly: Netflix remains synonymous with binge culture (Bridgerton, Baby Reindeer, Selling Sunset) — often dropping entire seasons at once. But it has flirted with the weekly format for reality shows like The Circle and Love Is Blind, using cliffhangers and staggered episodes to fuel online buzz. It also drops seasons in parts; for instance, makers of Stranger Things released seven episodes of their hit show's fourth season on May 27, 2022, and the remaining two episodes on July 1, 2022. Disney+ almost exclusively releases episodes weekly for major titles like The Mandalorian, Loki, and The Acolyte, leaning into fandom discussion and long-tail engagement. Amazon Prime Video often uses a hybrid model. Shows like The Boys and Invincible premiere with two or three episodes, then shift to weekly drops. HBO/Max (and by extension OSN+ in the Middle East) is a purist in this space, famously championing weekly releases for shows like House of the Dragon, and now The Last of Us. The result? A groundswell of online chatter, theories, and emotional build-up that just doesn't happen with full-season dumps. Each model serves a purpose, but there's a growing appetite for the slow-burn — especially when the story deserves space to breathe. When The Last of Us S2 premiered on OSN+, fans weren't just watching — they were posting, reacting, and predicting. Major character arcs — like the divisive arrival of Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever), or the emotionally loaded moments with Joel (Pedro Pascal) — became weekly conversation starters. TikTok exploded with edits and think pieces; Reddit threads broke down symbolism, flashbacks, even line delivery. This isn't just consumption — it's participation. Each episode becomes a cultural event, a shared pause in the chaos of content overload. And in a world where everything moves fast, the wait becomes a feature, not a flaw. The return of the weekly drop isn't just a throwback — it's a digital coping mechanism. It builds anticipation. It invites reflection. It lets stories sink in. For a generation bombarded with stimuli, the wait might just be the magic. Binge culture trained us to race. Weekly TV is teaching us to feel. What do you prefer? Binge watching or weekly episode drops.
Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Campaign ME
How Roblox is unlocking next-gen commerce for MENA brands
Roblox is redefining e-commerce by integrating physical product sales within its immersive gaming environment. This presents a significant opportunity for brands, especially in MENA, to tap into next-generation commerce and bridge digital and real-world shopping experiences. A look at key numbers and evaluating market potential 97.8 million daily active users globally engage with Roblox, creating a massive audience for brand exposure. 50 per cent of Gen Z respondents are likely to consider a brand in the real world after experiencing it virtually. 90 per cent of total orders for Twin Atlas came from in-game commerce, proving strong demand for physical products linked to digital experiences What's in it for brands in the MENA region? Massive reach : The integration of commerce into gaming allows brands to access younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who engage socially and transact digitally. : The integration of commerce into gaming allows brands to access younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who engage socially and transact digitally. New revenue streams : Brands can create virtual storefronts where users not only explore and engage but buy physical products linked to exclusive digital rewards. : Brands can create virtual storefronts where users not only explore and engage but buy physical products linked to exclusive digital rewards. Stronger brand engagement: Retailers and manufacturers can leverage gamification to drive repeat purchases and deepen customer loyalty. SWOT Analysis – Should MENA brands move quickly? Strengths High digital penetration and mobile-first economy in MENA. Rising interest in gamified shopping experiences among youth. Established brands like Fenty and The Weeknd already leveraging Roblox commerce. Weaknesses Limited adoption of in-game retail in MENA. Need for regional localisation in language and payment methods. Opportunities First-mover advantage for brands entering metaverse-driven commerce. Ability to integrate regional cultural elements to enhance local engagement. E-commerce meets entertainment, offering immersive brand storytelling. First-mover advantage for brands entering metaverse-driven commerce. Ability to integrate regional cultural elements to enhance local engagement. E-commerce meets entertainment, offering immersive brand storytelling. Threats Brands lagging behind in digital transformation risk missing engagement with Gen Z & Gen Alpha audiences. Regulatory concerns may require careful adaptation of commerce mechanics. What are the next steps for MENA brands? Explore commerce integration on Roblox experiences targeting local users. Partner with gaming studios to create branded activations linked to physical products. Leverage accelerated mobile pages (AMP) to ensure product authenticity and consumer trust. Use AI and personalisation to tailor shopping experiences for regional preferences. Move fast — the space is evolving quickly, and early adopters will reap the benefits. By Ravi Dutt, Managing Partner, AtomX Media
Web Release
3 days ago
- Web Release
Consumer Expert Kate Hardcastle MBE Launches First Book ‘The Science of Shopping' on 3rd June 2025
From weekly shop to billion-pound strategy, 'The Science of Shopping' is the no-nonsense guide to how and why we buy now, available globally from 24th June. Written by international consumer expert and broadcaster Kate Hardcastle MBE, known globally as The Customer Whisperer, this book dives into 25+ years of insight from shop floors to boardrooms. 'The Science of Shopping' reveals how retailers, brands, and consumers are navigating the most seismic shift in spending behaviour in modern history. Backed by global data and real-world stories from brands including Erewhon, Selfridges, Aldi and Primark, The Science of Shopping explores the emotional, technological, and psychological dynamics driving what we buy – and why. At the heart of the book is a challenge to businesses: if you don't understand who your customer is and why they shop, you're not just missing sales – you're irrelevant. Top takeaways from the book include: 80% of shopping decisions will soon be influenced by AI The global retail market is now worth $29 trillion One in three shoppers buys emotionally, to feel better, not just to spend 67% of consumers don't trust advertising to guide their decisions Gen Z wants 'real-life' retail – not just algorithms A viral product can succeed or fail in under 12 hours The way we buy things now matters more than what we buy Trust, transparency, and timing will define the next era of retail The future isn't just digital, it's deeply human Kate's original model, The Buyerarchy of Needs, maps the core reasons we purchase: comfort, connection, confidence, control, and community On the launch of her book, Hardcastle said: 'Making a great product is only half the story. The rest is emotion, strategy, and trust. The Science of Shopping gives every brand, from global powerhouse to garage start-up, the tools to connect, inspire, and truly sell.' 'The Science of Shopping' is available globally (exc. USA) from 3rd of June 2025 at Amazon, Waterstones & all good bookshops. It goes on sale in the USA on the 24th June 2025 at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target & all good bookshops. Published by Kogan Page, the book retails for £29.99. For more information visit:
