As Gen Z’s spending power is slated to eclipse that of any generation that came before it, gaming is beginning to influence online shopping, with 3D, immersive spaces increasingly sharing online real estate with traditional e-commerce grids. Advances in artificial intelligence are accelerating this process, making it both easier for brands to build virtual stores and possible for virtual spaces to be personalised to each individual shopper — giving another leg-up to this emerging gamer-friendly format.

Metaverse platform Roblox just announced that by early 2025, creators and brands will be able to sell physical merchandise directly from their virtual experiences. To make it easier for brands to create these virtual spaces, Roblox is turning to AI; it’s building a 3D foundational model that will enable users to create 3D objects and scenes based on text, image, video and 3D inputs. The ability to purchase physical goods within Roblox environments is a major update that builds on established patterns in Roblox, where 80 million average daily active users regularly spend money on digital goods, according to the company’s developer’s conference. Making the leap to physical items offers a potential major unlock for brands, with virtual spaces expanding from marketing vehicles to storefronts.