In-game merch is becoming mainstream.
Are you a gamer? You will enjoy the new trend! Game merchandise is starting to become a trend not only for AAA titles but also for game studios and indies.
We see that AAA titles have announced merchandise for their VIP fans. You can spot physical product placements in the game. The next challenge is to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds so that the merch itself becomes a part of the game.
YEAH, there is a solution for in-game merch provided by us, at Monetizr. But let’s dive deeper on 3 solutions on the market announced by 2K, Activision and Snapchat.
Let’s review the latest three public announcements of physical gear placements in the game — 2k Sports with NBA 2K20, Activision with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Snapchat baseball game with Adidas in-game purchases.
If you know more solutions that enhance the player experience and leaves the player in the game, ping me.
1. NBA 2K20 partnership with Nike to give players a chance to get exclusive Nike sneakers right from the game.
Only 10 shoes will only be available to unlock and purchase by completing in-game challenges in NBA 2K20 and the new MyPLAYER Nation mode. Why it’s not available for the mainstream? Knowing the inside-outs, I can say because it’s hard. But the limited edition and exclusivity certainly drives the PR buzz.
We looked at the player experience and the unlocking process. It is certainly not an easy one.
- First, the player has to complete in-game challenges — create a player, get drafted, play season and real-life team with a community, etc. Along the way, players will earn double progression on all games played as well as other bonuses, like the chance to unlock the virtual Nike Gamer Exclusive sneakers to wear in-game and purchase real-life versions of the shoes.
- Only then, players can try to make a purchase through a complicated process… the players need to link their 2K account with a Nike account and download the Nike SNKRS App, as the shoes won’t be available for direct purchase from Nike without completing specific in-game challenges. Best of luck with that!
Regardless of the challenging purchase process, this innovation is a fantastic “lighthouse” solution for the market. It’s the first sports game to offer players a chance to buy exclusive shoes from their favorite athletes. This certainly created unique experiences for dedicated players.
2. Activision + Pusha T + Adidas
Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, is collaborating with Virginia rapper Pusha T and Adidas ahead of the new game’s release. Here is the full article by George Geddes from dotesports.com
“Gaming has been a part of the studio culture, the attention to detail in Modern Warfare is amazing,” Pusha T said. “Putting it on the Ozweego, which is one of my favorite silhouettes, I think it’s history in the making.”
Players had a chance to win a pair of the Adidas x Pusha T Kingslayer Ozweego shoes. If players reach Officer Rank (level 56) before a certain date and register with an Activision account, players could enter into the drawing.
Sounds simple right?
A great partnership, where integration details can be improved with next iterations. Also, a chance of luck was slim, as the article and Reddit users mentioned. This drives to the same question again — why it’s not available for more players?
3. ok. Next one… Snapchat Enables In-Game Purchases for First Time in New Campaign with Adidas
Through the game, players will also be able to purchase the latest Adidas cleats, the first time such capacity has been expanded to a game, and a significant step in Snap’s eCommerce efforts. Here’s the original article from Andrew Hutchinson.
This solution is a clear Snap’s appeal towards gaming and to drive the app retention. And underlines the trend of how brands and games can create engaging, immersive campaigns.
A year ago, Snapchat created a Dakstore to sell shoes on the app.
And the user experience looks smooth and gives a high-end feel as the checkout most likely is supported by the Nike eCommerce solution. Who recently published more Nike apps to the market.
Look at this. Beautiful!
I look forward to more in-game or in-app solutions like this as it drives more awareness to the gaming community and gives more monetization opportunities for game developers.
Ok. We did not brag about what we do. If any of these solutions are interesting for your game portfolio, we are happy to show Monetizr’s native in-game solution to reward high-value players and enhance their experiences.
Andris
sales@themonetizr.com
