The convergence of TV, film and gaming isn't a novel concept. From Angelina Jolie's iconic portrayal of Lara Croft to HBO's more recent triumph with The Last of Us, sharing IP between TV, film and gaming has long benefited both sides. But this relationship is evolving.
In its January 2019 letter to shareholders, Netflix wrote that 'we compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO'. The line sits under the 'Competition' heading of Netflix's January 2019 shareholder letter, an SEC filing. This was at a time when the opportunity in virtual gaming platforms for brands across most industries was not widely recognised.
Today, the opportunity for TV and film is to build IP into the worlds themselves, with playable skins as only one entry point.
So how are TV and film brands using these platforms, and which activations have worked?
Virtual worlds provide TV and film a unique channel in which to captivate audiences beyond the passive act of viewing. By activating in virtual worlds like Roblox, brands can ensure audience engagement extends far beyond a single episode or movie.
This approach not only prolongs the life cycle of a show, but it can also aid in viewer retention and the expansion into new demographics, particularly on Roblox, which averaged 123 million daily active users in Q2 2026. Of users who completed Roblox's age check, 35% were under 13, 38% were 13–17 and 27% were 18 or over, according to Roblox's Q2 2026 shareholder letter.
Take the Stranger Things Immersive Watch Party in Roblox, which took place in November 2022. Players were not only able to watch featured episodes, but they could interact with elements of the show to earn points.
This also saw Netflix collaborate with Vans for a collection of limited Stranger Things items, as well as the Vans World Roblox experience featuring an 'Upside-Down' themed area.
Like Walmart using music in Roblox, Vans proved that there are monetisable opportunities for brands in every vertical to play host to TV and film IP.
But these types of immersive experiences aren't restricted to content that caters to younger audiences. AMC's The Walking Dead, which is rated 15+, ventured into The Sandbox, a blockchain-based platform, in 2021.
Likewise, Western TV and film IP isn't restricted by Western gaming environments. South Korean platform ZEPETO has been utilised by Disney to create immersive experiences around some of its most famous IP, including a Toy Story 4 world.
In November 2023, Livetopia, a Roblox experience that has had over 4 billion total visits since launching in 2021, teamed up with DreamWorks Animation for the release of the movie, Trolls Band Together. The integration (which is an increasingly popular tactic for brands activating in these spaces) showcased a successful convergence of film, music and gaming.
Visitors could take part in an exclusive listening party with *NSYNC's first original recording in over two decades, as well as watch a virtual concert by fictional boy band, 'BroZone', composed of artists of varying genres and demographics, including Troye Sivan, Kid Cudi and Justin Timberlake.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) franchise tapped both Roblox and Fortnite in promotion of its 2023 release. In Roblox, TMNT IP appeared in two separate experiences.
The first aired an immersive trailer for the movie which allowed users to earn a free user-generated content (UGC) backpack, while the second was a Battle Tycoon game.
And when it came to the first 30 days of TMNT Battle Tycoon!, the experience outperformed comparable Media & Entertainment experiences across key metrics of Total Visits, Average Daily Visits and Approval Rating.
Studios are building their own hubs
The Stranger Things watch party was a single event with a fixed run. By 2024, Netflix had moved from one-off activations like it to a persistent hub that could hold several franchises at once.
Netflix Tudum reported that Netflix launched Nextworld on Roblox in early access on May 9, 2024. Netflix pitched it as a digital theme park built around its shows.
The launch covered five Netflix titles. Stranger Things, One Piece and Rebel Moon each had a full experience, and Is It Cake? and Cobra Kai had mini-games.
A space called the Streamship hosted premieres and viewing parties. Its first exclusive premiere was Jurassic World: Chaos Theory on May 17, 2024.
For a studio, the change is in how each release starts. A one-off activation has to build its audience from zero every time. A hub let each new title launch into a space built for the previous one, with premieres and games under one roof.
The Tudum post was a launch announcement, so it gives no usage figures. Anyone planning a similar hub should judge the model on their own benchmarks, not on Netflix's.
Fortnite opens IP to creators
Fortnite runs on a licensing model. The rights holder supplies an official toolkit of characters and assets, and independent creators use Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) to build their own islands.
Disney's commitment dates to February 7, 2024, when Disney announced a $1.5 billion stake in Epic alongside a multiyear Fortnite project.
The Star Wars toolkit followed in May 2026. Disney reported that nearly 8 million players visited community-built Star Wars islands within the first 72 hours. Disney also reported that Galactic Siege recorded 6.53 million plays in its first six days, and Escape Vader 3.37 million over the same period. Disney said Droid Tycoon was the second most-played experience in Fortnite that week.
Plays and players are different units, so Disney's figures cannot be added together. They are also Disney-reported and not independently audited.
Disney said the Simpsons season of Fortnite in fall 2025 drew more than 80 million players. On June 17, 2026, Disney announced The Simpsons joining Fortnite's IP programme, with an official toolkit due 'later this year'. Disney's announcement is also the source of the Star Wars figures above, and it gives no firm toolkit date.
For a studio, the model trades control for reach. Creators make the design decisions, while the studio sets the rules for its official assets. Tracking which islands carry the IP, and how each one performs, becomes part of the job.
Roblox has added a paid route instead, through ad formats inside existing experiences.
Roblox launched video ads in Q2 2024, a format it now calls Video Billboards. In April 2025 it added opt-in Rewarded Video ads of up to 30 seconds and made its inventory available programmatically through Google, according to the Roblox newsroom post on Rewarded Video ads through Google. For studios, that means a trailer can run inside an experience and be bought like any other video placement.
These activations also open revenue lines. Virtual worlds support in-game purchases and paid virtual merchandise, as well as premium access to live events such as watch parties and premieres.
Key takeaways
TV and film brands now have more ways into virtual worlds than the one-off event. The examples above point to four:
One-off activations, such as the Stranger Things watch party and the TMNT experiences, still drive short bursts of attention around a release.
Hubs on the platforms, such as Nextworld on Roblox, give a studio one home for several franchises and its premieres.
IP partner programmes on Fortnite hand official assets to creators, who then build the islands.
Roblox's ad formats make a trailer buyable like any other video placement.
Each model reports success in its own units, such as plays or players. The next step is to measure every activation against comparable ones, using the same rigour you apply to the rest of your media plan.
For category context, start with GEEIQ's Media & Entertainment in Virtual Worlds report. To see where your franchise already appears across virtual worlds, including fan-made content, request a free Brand Gaming Footprint Check.
Book a demo with
one of our experts
See how GEEIQ helps brands measure and grow virtual world impact
