Roblox developer Wonder Works Studio builds intergalactic club venue to bring dance culture to the metaverse.
Roblox (NYSE: RBLX), a global platform bringing millions of people together through shared experiences, is kicking off the new year with the first DJ set performed by an avatar of international star David Guetta. Created in partnership with Roblox developer Wonder Works Studio and Warner Music Group (WMG), the DJ set will premiere this Friday, February 4 at 4:00pm PT and continue throughout the weekend in an interactive universe powered by the latest Roblox technology and visual enhancements. The pre-show experience opens today.
Fresh off recent wins including DJ Mag’s Top DJ of 2021 and Best Electronic Artist at the MTV Europe Music Awards, as well as a Grammy and three Brit award nominations, David Guetta will perform as his avatar self in an intergalactic themed set, where attendees can navigate the show through an asteroid-traversing obstacle course. Decked out with crystals, neon lights, lazers, holograms, and thumping speakers, the ethereal virtual universe brings fans together through DJ and dance battles, a secret puzzle used to unlock special abilities and archives, virtual merchandise (“verch”) for purchase and as prizes, Q&As with the star, and a 45-minute music set for the Roblox community.
“Working on this concert has allowed me to bring an amazing new creation to life with design and production to suit the virtual world,” commented Guetta. “We’ve built something that will play host to one of the most unique shows I’ve ever done and I can’t wait for everyone to experience it with me.”
“David’s music is enjoyed by billions of people globally,” adds Bart Cools, EVP Global A&R and Marketing, Dance Music for Warner Music. “Our partnership with Roblox will enable him to connect with new fans from all around the world and take them on a journey with him in a way that’s never before been possible.”
“We’re thrilled to work with our friends at Warner to host another major virtual concert with one of the biggest stars to ever perform on Roblox. David has been engaging and inspiring music fans all over the world for over 20 years with his unique DJ performances, and now he can play, as his avatar, to millions of fans in one weekend in this fun, interactive, intergalactic DJ Party world on Roblox,” said Roblox Vice President and Global Head of Music Jon Vlassopulos. “It’s going to expose a new generation of fans to dance music and take clubbing to a whole new level!”.
Warner Music Group identified the value of this new way to connect artists with their audience and, over the past year, have brought stars including Ava Max, Why Don’t We, Royal Blood and Twenty One Pilots to Roblox, engaging millions of fans from over 180 countries across the globe via weekend-long virtual events. Through virtual concerts with avatars likened to the artists, the entertainment powerhouse WMG is a testament to monetizing music through immersive experiences and bringing people together through music and technology.
“The combination of David Guetta, Roblox and the community is going to be an incredibly powerful experience,” said Oana Ruxandra, Chief Digital Officer & EVP, Business Development, Warner Music Group. “Immersive and interactive spaces like Roblox enable artists and fans to inhabit the emotional landscapes of their favorite music together. This is what the future will look like – artists and fans building experiences together – and we are proud to help bring it to life.”
Performances begin this Friday, February 4th at Los Angeles, 4:00 pm PT / London, 12:00 am GMT / Paris, 1:00 am CET / Tokyo, 9:00 am JST and repeat every hour on the hour throughout the weekend. To start exploring, collecting verch, and dance-battling friends, fans can jump into the experience today.
For a sneak peek of the show, check out the trailer here: https://roblox.com/davidguetta
As technology matures, making it easier to socialize and hang out with friends online, Roblox is playing host to unique, exclusive, immersive virtual events, which will continue to evolve and scale with new Roblox technologies like Spatial Voice and Layered Clothing. And that represents an opportunity for music labels and artists who will be able to reach and engage with fans in unprecedented ways on a truly global scale. The draw is massive — millions of people are already coming together on Roblox every day to share experiences, socialize and consume entertainment, play and explore new worlds, and learn.