The metaverse promises to be transformative for the digital marketing landscape—at least, as soon as tech platforms figure out how it will actually work. For now, video games and augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) are two precursors of the metaverse that offer marketers a chance to experiment. But as hardware developers like Meta, Snap, and Samsung release better and cheaper VR headsets, and games like Fortnite debut new virtual spaces that aren’t focused solely on gameplay, there will be even more ways for marketers to take advantage of the social and technological aspects of the metaverse.

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What are the opportunities?

Video games give marketers a chance to test the social aspects of the metaverse without worrying too much about tech requirements. Not all video games can be considered metaverses, but some do exhibit metaverse-ready qualities such as personalizable avatars, the ability to interact with the world around you, and a multiplayer mode. Roblox, Animal Crossing, and Fortnite are just a few that fit the bill: they let users design outfits, host other players on their custom-made islands or universes, and hang out without the expectation of traditional gameplay. That’s made them interesting experimenting grounds for brands, for both paid and organic activations.