8 May 2026
Media and entertainment is now the largest brand category in virtual worlds. GEEIQ has tracked 789 activations from 217+ film, TV, streaming, music and publishing brands since 2020, a 79-fold expansion that makes M&E the fastest-growing vertical in the space. This report is a data-led read on how the category got here, which brands are leading, where activity is concentrated, and how the format mix has shifted from owned worlds to integrations as the category has matured.
79x Growth in activations since 2020
789 Activations tracked across 217+ brands
78% Share of activity on Roblox and Fortnite
65% Share of brands from film, TV and streaming
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From the report
What the data shows
Media and entertainment is the largest brand category in virtual worlds, and the way it shows up is becoming clearer each year. Here is a read on how the category activates, where the activity sits, and how the format mix is shifting. The full report is free to download above.
Four ways M&E brands use virtual worlds
Theatrical release
SpongeBob SquarePants
Promoted theatrical releases with exclusive character skins and immersive Bikini Bottom experiences.
Cinema ticket sales
Wicked
Drove cinema ticket sales through interactive integrations where fans unlocked movie-themed rewards.
Nostalgia and legacy IP
Cartoon Network
Reactivated legacy IP by building nostalgic, interactive worlds for modern gaming audiences.
Between-season engagement
Squid Game
Kept its community engaged between Netflix seasons by recreating the show’s challenges in sandbox platforms.
Where the activity sits
Almost four in five M&E activations happen on two platforms.
54.5%
Roblox
23.9%
Fortnite
8.9%
The Sandbox
5.7%
Minecraft: Java
1.2%
ZEPETO
1.2%
Rec Room
1.1%
Horizon Worlds
3.5%
Other (8 platforms)
Roblox and Fortnite together carry 78.4%.
Who is in the category
Film, TV and Streaming anchor the category, with music a distant second.
64.8%
Film, TV and Streaming
14.7%
Music and Audio
9.0%
Creators
8.2%
Publishing
3.3%
Gaming
The format shift
Brand-owned worlds carried the category from 2020 to 2024. From 2025, integrations into existing worlds began matching and overtaking owned builds, reaching 58% of the owned-versus-integrated mix in 2025.
Category data from GEEIQ platform data, 2020 to 2026.