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Game launches SA’s first local UGC merchandise on Roblox

Retail 3 August 2023

After becoming the country’s first retailer to tap into the Roblox space in 2022, Game launches Season 2 of ‘The Game game’ on the platform on 4 August 2023, bringing with it a new first for South Africa – locally-inspired and designed user-generated content (UGC).

By engaging with local designers to better understand what young South Africans are looking for from what is arguably the future of fashion and retail – virtual goods – the brand hopes to build on last year’s success when the game was launched as part of its Black Friday campaign.

Game’s Senior Manager for Communications, Michelle Kemp, explains that the brand did this through a collaborative partnership with Blackboard in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where talented students were engaged to assist with the creation of these local accessories that speak to South African life and culture.

“The growth of virtual goods is incredible on a global scale, but we don’t see many local brands playing within this space. Roblox users use UGC to personalise their in-game avatars in a way they feel represents them and who they aspire to be – and we wanted to bring a local flavour to that through our game.”

Upon launch, the Game game amassed over 14 000 plays and a positivity rating of 88% on the platform, as it gave the players the opportunity to play within a city block that accurately reflects South African life and culture in a gaming environment – including Hadeda’s and potholes! “The feedback from our audience was incredibly positive, as they saw the intricacies of South African life in a way they don’t usually see on their screens through internationally developed games,” explains Kemp.

For season 2, players will once again be competing in a Johannesburg-inspired city block, with more depth, more interactivity, and increased levels of challenge in gameplay – and will even be able to enter the Game store. Completing the game will unlock three new, exciting accessories for players to claim and apply to their avatars.

“When the Game brand was created in 1970, our founders set out to make the act of shopping more fun and create a game of retail. We’re now taking that to the next level in this alternate reality we are creating for South Africans to enjoy,” explains Kemp.

“Based on the success of our original Game game launch, we took the decision to continue with our strategy to bring more local elements to the Roblox platform. We hope these local UGC items will help players feel more accurately represented on the international platform,” said Kemp.

Look out for updates to the Game game throughout the second half of the year.