Why Warner Bros. and Fandango are selling movie tickets inside Roblox

“Our aim is to connect with Gen Z, where creativity thrives,” said Warner Bros. evp of digital marketing Cameron Curtis. “Roblox isn’t just a game; it’s a dynamic community. By introducing ‘Beetlejuice’ in this innovative way, we’re captivating a new audience and driving excitement for the theater experience.”

The “Beetlejuice” experience is the third real-life commerce test to take place on Roblox since the company teased the function during last year’s Roblox Investor Day. For the first two tests, which were partnerships with Walmart and E.l.f. Beauty, Walmart’s infrastructure handled the actual order fulfillment. The introduction of movie ticket sales to Roblox makes Fandango the second seller to officially offer its wares on the platform. (Roblox has not shared the results of the platform’s early real-life commerce tests.)

“At Fandango, we are champions of the big screen and remain committed to reaching new fans through innovative, one-of-a-kind experiences that drive increased theater attendance,” said Fandango president Will McIntosh.

For now, tickets are available for purchase at standard Fandango pricing to all U.S. Roblox users aged 13 or older, and the experience will remain open until Sept. 16. Users who purchase tickets will also gain access to unique in-game items that come with special effects within the “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” experience.

“This pilot for us is focused on testing purchase intent and conversion in a different consumer category — entertainment,” said Roblox vp of global partnerships Stephanie Latham. “We are offering a novel way to purchase movie tickets while being immersed in the movie-inspired experience with trailers, characters and activities for fans to enjoy with friends.”

The partners declined to reveal the financial terms of the agreement, but a Roblox representative clarified that, given the company’s product test goals for this specific pilot, it is not involved in revenue sharing from ticket sales, similar to its earlier commerce tests with Walmart and E.l.f. Beauty.

“In general, we are leveraging these early tests to observe how Gen Z users over the age of 13 shop on the platform — given this behavior exists today,” Latham said. “Especially when they get timely offerings like tickets leading up to a premiere of a movie they’ve just experienced on Roblox.”

Adding value

Movie tickets are arguably a better fit for Roblox e-commerce than the physical items sold during the platform’s previous commerce tests with Walmart and E.l.f. Although movie tickets represent a physical experience, they are a digital purchase that can be easily fulfilled at the moment of checkout. Furthermore, there is a long tradition of film studios promoting their offerings via custom Roblox experiences. The potential for virtual box offices to sell actual movie tickets to Roblox users gives a big boost to the value of these promotional game worlds. 

“For any brand that’s selling something, ultimately, to get ROI on these activations, you want to move down the funnel — so it’s not all brand awareness, it’s actually conversions and driving sales,” said Nic Hill, head of interactive at the production company Sawhorse Interactive, which designed and built the virtual experience for Warner Bros. and Fandango. “So, for these theatrical promotional marketing experiences, making it easy for users to buy tickets just makes sense.”

As Roblox brings a new commerce partner into the fold — and with it a new category of commerce, in the form of movie tickets — today’s launch represents the tip of a potentially lucrative iceberg for both Roblox and the brands playing inside it. So far, Roblox has expanded its e-commerce opportunity to brands in the fields of consumer packaged goods and entertainment. Another sector that could see significant returns from selling on Roblox is food, if the stunning success of Chipotle’s 2021 Roblox activation was any indication. 

“I would assume fast food impulse purchases will be a thing in there,” said Matthew Warneford, CEO of the Roblox Partner Program member Dubit. “Getting a Starbucks delivered, or whatever it might be, just strikes me as a very obvious one, particularly based on the conversations we’ve had over the last couple of years with brands. They’ve all wanted to try and figure stuff like that out.”