‘Advergames’: how games platform Roblox became a corporate marketing playground

Advertising to children is strictly regulated – but household brands are flooding the gaming platform Roblox with interactive marketing. Is this a danger to young users?

In the blocky world of Chipotle Burrito Builder, players don the uniform of the Tex-Mex restaurant chain to make burritos for virtual customers. The available toppings are taken from Chipotle’s real-world menu. Your shirt and cap are emblazoned with the Chipotle logo. And when the game launched two years ago, the first 100,000 players could earn “Burrito Bucks” to exchange for a prize on Chipotle’s website.

Then there’s Hyundai Mobility Adventure that lets you test-drive models of the Korean manufacturer’s cars. Samsung Galaxy Station gives you a mock-up of the company’s latest smartphone to take around extraterrestrial worlds. Telefónica Town challenges you to climb an assault course built of products from the telecommunication giant’s catalogue. Vans World simply hands you a skateboard with which to bust a few kickflips across a park plastered with the shoe manufacturer’s logo.