"Elf" comes to Roblox — What's Next is Everything

Warner Bros and New Line Cinema are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the beloved holiday movie (and seeking to reach a younger audience) by launching a new experience in Roblox.

For the 20th anniversary of iconic holiday film “Elf,” Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are debuting a branded experience in Roblox, showcasing Hollywood's first major investment in the metaverse gaming platform, where a younger demographic may seek new ways to explore the beloved film.
Created by virtual experience builders Fairview Portals and Supersocial, “Elf North Pole Workshop” takes users on a journey through Santa’s Workshop, where they will don elf hats and work together to fill the “Clausometer” with virtual kindness to earn presents and digital wearables.
Users will also be able to meet "Elf"-centric characters, like Mr. Narwhal and Leon the Snowman, and explore familiar locations like the Candy Cane Forest.
With the launch, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group is open about trying to engage new audiences through metaverse experiences. And Roblox is probably the best place to do so. According to a recent report, virtual gamified experiences are not only immensely popular with younger consumers, but are shaping up to be leading branding opportunities.
“With 70 million daily active users, Roblox is now the largest 3D social platform on the Internet and Hollywood needs to pay attention not only to the scale of Roblox, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to the paradigm shift in the way young people connect, communicate and express themselves online,” Supersocial founder and CEO Yonatan Raz-Fridman told MediaPost.
According to the report, in 2023, Gen Z users spent 43% more time on Roblox and Fortnite than YouTube and TikTok combined.
Roblox alone saw a 20% year-over-year increase in daily active users and 50% increase in brand activations –– from 80 branded events and worlds in 2022 to 120 in 2023, with 1.8 billion visits.