Walmart is shutting down their Universe of Play metaverse experience on Roblox after just six months. YPulse research shows that half of Millennial parents say their children play virtual world games, and 47% of those players have become interested in a brand because they’ve seen it in a game. The big box store’s Universe of Play had games that featured items from Walmart’s top toy list during the holidays, including Razor scooters and Paw Patrol and Jurassic World characters. But, concerns surrounding the metaverse’s longevity—and children’s privacy in virtual spaces—are on the rise. Roblox even recently adjusted its ad policies related to messages targeted at kids under 13-years-old. Walmart says their decision to drop the Universe of Play was the plan from the beginning, but some are calling out that it’s happening after “a push by TINA.org and other watchdogs to assess Universe of Play for potential ‘manipulative stealth marketing’ to kids.” (Retail Dive)
Reports and Webinars are limited to the Region terms of your Pro and Prime subscription, as shown in “Purchased Regions”.
- To filter all content types to individual Region(s) you have purchased, apply your Region(s) under “Purchased Regions.”
Articles, Video Updates, and News across all Regions are open to all Pro and Prime subscribers.
- To see this content for any Region, use the “Content Filter”.
