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As the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigates Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft recently revealed in its filings with the CMA that it plans to create a new “Xbox Mobile Platform” that will include mobile games by Activision and King.

“The transaction will improve Microsoft’s ability to create a next-generation game store that operates across a range of devices, including mobile, as a result of the addition of Activision Blizzard’s content. Building on Activision Blizzard’s existing communities of gamers, Xbox will seek to scale the Xbox Store to mobile, attracting gamers to a new Xbox Mobile Platform,” the company wrote in its filings.

Mobile games are some of the most popular downloads on app stores, so it’s no surprise that Microsoft wants to get in on the action. A graph on Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition site showed that the mobile gaming market was worth $85 billion in 2020.

Microsoft added in its filings with the CMA, “Mobile gaming revenues from the King division and titles such as ‘Call of Duty: Mobile,’ as well as ancillary revenue, represented more than half of Activision Blizzard’s revenues and in the first half of 2022.”

The deal with Activision Blizzard seems to be Microsoft’s answer for building out its mobile gaming presence and competing with rivals Google and Apple.

However, it’s not going to be easy to compete against the tech giants. A gaming study by data.ai and IDC found that, in the first quarter of 2022, consumers spent more than $1.6 billion per week on mobile games on both the App Store and Google Play store.

“Shifting consumers away from the Google Play Store and App Store on mobile devices will, however, require a major shift in consumer behavior. Microsoft hopes that by offering well-known and popular content, gamers will be more inclined to try something new,” Microsoft added.

In August, Sony’s PlayStation announced the acquisition of Savage Game Studios. Xbox’s competitor said that the mobile game developer would join its new PlayStation Studios Mobile Division to help with its mobile gaming efforts.

Another — admittedly smaller — competitor in the mobile gaming space is streaming giant Netflix. The company recently announced two new game studios in California and Finland. However, it’s struggling to attract gamers. A recent report showed that fewer than 1% of its subscribers play Netflix mobile games.

Microsoft looks to build an Xbox mobile gaming store with Activision and King content by Lauren Forristal originally published on TechCrunch

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For over a year, Activision Blizzard employees have protested against the company’s poor handling of ongoing sexual harassment allegations. Now, an anonymous Jane Doe has filed yet another lawsuit against the gaming giant for sexual harassment, gender discrimination and sexual battery, among other complaints.

“For years, Activision Blizzard’s open ‘frat boy’ environment fostered rampant sexism, harassment and discrimination with 700 reported incidents occurring under CEO Robert Kotick’s watch,” the lawsuit explains. “The sexual misconduct was often committed by executives and in the presence of HR.” A report from the Wall Street Journal last year found that the CEO knew for years about rampant sexual harassment at the company, but failed to act.

In this case, the plaintiff alleges that a former product manager Miguel Vega sexually harassed her in the workplace for years; she says that he non-consensually groped and tried to kiss her at work, verbally abused her and insinuated that if she gave in to his sexual advances, she would get a raise.

Doe first met Vega at a game night in 2009 or 2010. “They soon formed a virtual friendship and she regrettably sent him compromising photos of herself,” the lawsuit says. By 2011, Doe met her future husband and her relationship with Vega ceased, but she reconnected with him upon seeking work at Activision Blizzard in 2016.

The plaintiff told a manager about Vega’s behavior in 2017, but he didn’t face consequences. Later, he began threatening to leak the intimate photos that she sent him over a decade earlier. By August 2021 — a month after California regulators sued the company for gender-based harassment and discrimination — the plaintiff brought her concerns to HR once again.

“On August 23, 2021, despite Mr. Vega’s threat of revenge pornography, Ms. Doe mustered the courage to report Mr. Vega’s sexual harassment to manager Christopher Bruens. Mr. Bruens relayed her report to HR. Very shortly after, Mr. Vega left a voicemail for Ms. Doe in a poor attempt to mitigate the harm he caused her. On September 1, 2021, Activision Blizzard terminated Mr. Vega,” the lawsuit says.

Now, Doe is attempting to hold Activision Blizzard accountable for cultivating a hostile work environment and failing to protect her from sexual harassment. She is requesting a jury trial, seeking compensation for damages, medical expenses, legal fees and lost earnings.

Lisa Bloom, the lawyer defending the plaintiff, tweeted that her firm represents eight women who claim that they experienced sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard.

Activision Blizzard has not responded to TechCrunch’s request for comment. In a statement to Kotaku, spokesperson Rich George said, “We take all employee concerns seriously. When the plaintiff reported her concerns, we immediately opened an investigation, and Mr. Vega was terminated within 10 days. We have no tolerance for this kind of misconduct.”

Microsoft plans to purchase the gaming giant for $68.7 billion, pending regulatory approval. If the deal goes through, Kotick is expected to step down as CEO.

Activision Blizzard is once again being sued for sexual harassment by Amanda Silberling originally published on TechCrunch

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Tired: Playing Candy Crush on your phone while you wait in your car to pick up the kids.

Wired: Using your smartphone as a controller to play video games on your BMW’s display screen.

That’s right. BMW is partnering with gaming platform AirConsole to bring a collection of single and multiplayer games to new vehicles, starting with the BMW 7 series next year.

AirConsole was a part of BMW’s Startup Garage, the company’s incubator for new tech that can be used in its future vehicles.

The automaker said AirConsole’s platform fits perfectly with BMW’s curved display and demonstrates the company’s ability to rapidly integrate third-party applications into the vehicle. Games will run directly inside the vehicle’s entertainment system and can be delivered to vehicles over the air.

AirConsole’s games can only be accessed if the car is parked and is therefore impossible to play if the vehicle is in motion “for the passengers’ own safety,” a BMW spokesperson told TechCrunch.

Players will need a smartphone to play, which will serve as the controller, and a connection between the phone and the car will be established by scanning a QR code in the vehicle, the company said.

BMW’s 7 series sedan, which the company launched in April, will also entertain riders with its 31.3-inch 8K Theater Screen with built-in Amazon Fire TV. The series will be built with a hardware update of the head unit that can accommodate the computing capabilities necessary for gaming, according to a BMW spokesperson. Future models will be built with such capabilities and will be able to receive the gaming feature over the air, the company said.

BMW partners with AirConsole to bring in-car gaming in 2023 by Rebecca Bellan originally published on TechCrunch

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It’s been barely a few weeks since Google announced that it is shutting down its cloud gaming service Stadia next year. And now, the company has a new cloud gaming announcement: It is launching Chromebooks tuned for cloud gaming made by different manufacturers.

The search giant has also partnered with cloud gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now, Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming and Amazon Luna to bring marquee titles to users. What’s more, the company has teamed up with accessory makers such as Acer, Corsair, HyperX, Lenovo and SteelSeries to make “Works with Chromebook” certified peripherals for these devices.

Hardware

This first set of Chromebooks for cloud gaming made by Acer, Asus and Lenovo have many gaming-related features. These include high-resolution displays with refresh rates of 120Hz and above, Wi-Fi 6 or 6E compatibility, high-quality audio and RGB keyboards with anti-ghosting (a feature that registers all the key presses accurately even when you press multiple keys at once).

To make these gaming Chromebooks appeal to a wider audience the first set of devices is priced between $399 and $799. Depending on the pricing, these laptops use Intel’s processor, from Core i3 to Core i7. Here’s a quick rundown of the specifications of the three launch models.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook

• Display: 16-inch WQXGA screen (2560 x 1500) with 120Hz refresh rate
• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i3/i5
• RAM: 8GB RAM
• Storage: 256GB/512GB SSD; 128GB eMMC
• Audio: 4 x 2W speakers with Waves Audio
• Connectivity: 2×2 Intel Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 gen 2 type C; 1 x USB 3.2 gen 1 type A; 1 x HDMI 2.0; 1x audio combo jack; 1 x microSD card reader
• Battery: 71 Wh

Image Credits: Lenovo

Acer Chromebook 516 GE

• Display: 16-inch WQXGA screen (2560 x 1500) with 120Hz refresh rate
• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core /i5
• RAM: 8GB RAM
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Audio: DTS audio; quad force vibration cancellation stereo
• Connectivity: 2×2 Intel Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.2
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 gen 2type C; 1 x USB 3.2 gen 2 type A; 1 x HDMI 2.1; 1x audio combo jack; 1 x Ethernet RJ-45 port
• Battery: 65 Wh

Image Credits: Acer

Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip 

• Display: 15.6-inch FullHD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen with 144Hz refresh rate
• Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7
• RAM: 8GB/16GB RAM
• Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB SSD
• Audio: 2x Harman/Kardon certified speakers
• Connectivity: 2×2 Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 gen 2 type C; 1 x USB 3.2 gen 1 type A; 1 x HDMI 2.0; 1x audio combo jack; 1 x microSD card reader
• Battery: 57 Wh

Image Credits: Asus

At the moment, Google doesn’t have a set of requirements or certification for Chromebooks for cloud gaming. So we don’t know if future devices have to meet certain specifications to be included in this program, but Google will push on future devices having high refresh rate screens and good Wi-Fi connectivity at a minimum.

However, the company said all three launch devices have been independently tested by GameBench to ensure they have a consistent and smooth gaming experience at 120 frames per second with a latency of less than 85ms. All these devices will go on sale sometime in October.

The supported accessories made by Acer, Corsair, HyperX, Lenovo and SteelSeries include headsets, mice and controllers.

Image Credits: Google

Gaming and software

To bring cloud games to these three launch devices, Google has partnered with Microsoft, Nvidia and Amazon to support their cloud gaming services Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now and Luna at the highest quality. During the briefing, the company mentioned that they would have loved to have Stadia on the list (sad reacts only).

On these gaming Chromebooks, you can run GeForce Now’s highest performance tier RTX 3080, which supports resolutions up to 1600p, frame rates up to 120 frames per second and features like ray tracing for a rich visual experience. The GeForce Now will be preinstalled on the launch devices and buyers will get a three-month RTX 3080 subscription for free.

This subscription allows access to games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Control with free-to-play games like Fortnite, Genshin Impact and League of Legends.

Xbox Cloud Gaming will work on these devices through an installable web app. This brings titles like Forza Horizon 5, Deathloop, Flight Simulator and Gears 5 — accessible via the Xbox Game Pass subscription.

U.S.-based buyers will also get a three-month subscription to Amazon’s Luna gaming service, which includes titles like Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 2 and 3 and Sonic Mania.

The Chrome OS team is also introducing a new feature for these new Chromebooks that will let users find GeForce Now and Google Play titles directly from the search bar that’s accessible via the everything button on the bottom-left corner. The company aims to add more services to the search feature in the future. These laptops also have a feature that lets you quickly jump to Slack to answer an important message and pin a cloud gaming service to the taskbar for quick access.

Image Credits: Google

It also specified that, at the moment, this game search feature is limited to gaming Chromebooks but isn’t ruling out bringing them to non-gaming Chromebooks. So we’ll have to just wait and watch.

The road ahead

In its briefing, executives from Google and its partner organizations for the program often harped about the fact that these machines can be handy for causal gamers — people who might not invest time and money into buying a console or building a gaming rig. The company said these machines are for people who can spare a few minutes to a few hours a day for gaming while also being useful as daily work machines.

Google also acknowledges the fact that Chromebooks have been largely known as affordable machines for work and education — and not really built for gaming. It has tried to bring some kind of gaming experience to all Chromebooks with support for platforms like Steam and testing keyboard controls for Android games. But it’s nowhere close to a console or a gaming rig experience.

“As we launch the first Chromebooks designed for cloud gaming, we understand that today, Chromebooks are not necessarily known for being gaming laptops. A lot of people know our devices best for productivity (work, school, documents, presentations and spreadsheets) or online streaming (movies, television and music videos),” John Maletis, VP of Chrome OS Product, Engineering and UX said in a statement.

Given this launch was announced days after the Stadia shutdown, many people will rightly question the program’s potential cognitively. It’s apparent that Google loves being a platform for others to build on. In this program, Google just has the role of being a distributor of Chrome OS. Laptop manufacturers are building the hardware, third-party cloud services are bringing the games and accessory makers are making the peripherals.

The idea of a work-and-play hybrid machine is appealing. For laptop makers, it’s reaching a casual gamer audience with comparatively cheaper machines from gaming laptops; for gaming services, it’s about reaching more screens; and for Google, it’s providing a platform for gaming to foster. There’s a growing interest in making cloud gaming-focused hardware. Microsoft promised to make something last year and Logitech released a cloud gaming handheld last month. So Google wants to make its presence felt in some way.

But the whole ecosystem of manufacturers, cloud gaming providers and Chrome OS features need to have a consistent experience to attract customers. Given that it’s driven by Google, it’s hard to be very confident about the program’s shelf life.

Google introduces Chromebooks geared for cloud gaming by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch

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Entertainment platform Fandom announced today its acquisition of seven entertainment and gaming brands from media company Red Ventures, including online publications Comic Vine, Cord Cutters News, GameFAQs, GameSpot, Giant Bomb, Metacritic and TV Guide.

Sources close to Fandom told TechCrunch that the deal cost somewhere in the mid-fifties — so around $55 million.

Founded in 2004 by Wikipedia’s co-founder Jimmy Wales and entrepreneur Angela Beesley, Fandom today offers a wiki hosting service and fan platform providing 40 million pages of content and 250,000 wiki communities to inform and entertain fans about their favorite video games, movies and TV series.

Today’s announcement is notable as it greatly expands Fandom’s offerings to now include reviews, ratings and news.

“We’re thrilled to add these powerful, authoritative brands into the Fandom platform, which will expand our business capabilities and provide immersive content for our partners, advertisers and fans. The trusted insights, ratings and content they provide will make us a one-stop shop for fans across their entertainment and gaming journey,” said Perkins Miller, CEO of Fandom, in a statement. Miller had become CEO in February 2019, as the company rebranded from its former name, Wikia, and began to update its core platform technology.

Acquiring the seven brands will also help to expand Fandom’s gamer audience, which is one of its largest with 115 million video game fans, 17 million pages of content and 100,000 gaming communities, per Fandom’s 2022 State of Gaming report.

Also, the ownership of these digital assets will help Fandom increase its monthly user base to 350 million, making it the 14^th ad-supported site in the U.S. The addition of monthly users keeps the company on track to reach its goal of becoming the No. 1 fan platform in the world.

With a recent slowdown in advertising, the acquisition couldn’t have come at a better time. The company noted in its announcement that the deal allows Fandom to “super-serve” its advertising partners as well as help power its data platform and gaming e-commerce business.

“In addition to creating exceptional fan experiences, these platforms will add to our FanDNA data offering, giving us sentiment and intent signals that will help improve the consumer experience as well as make our commerce and advertising businesses more impactful,” Miller added.

Fandom’s deal with Red Ventures joins various other purchases recently made by the company, such as the 2021 acquisition of Focus Multimedia Ltd., the parent company of Fanatical, an e-commerce retailer that sells video games, e-books and software.

In 2019, the company bought Curse Media, a network of gaming sites, from Twitch.

Online movie magazine ScreenJunkies was purchased by Fandom in 2018.

Fandom acquires Metacritic, GameSpot, TV Guide and other entertainment brands in deal worth around $55M by Lauren Forristal originally published on TechCrunch

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Netflix announced today it’s introducing a new feature to its games service that will allow its members to create game handles when they’re playing its exclusive titles. TechCrunch had previously reported the feature was in development and had been quietly tested on select titles, including Into The Breach, Bowling Ballers, Mahjong Solitaire and Heads Up. Now, the option is rolling out more broadly to members across both iOS and Android devices, the company says.

The game handles allow Netflix subscribers to create a unique username that can be used across Netflix’s games, including multiplayer titles like Rival Pirates, where the handles could help identify players, or in other games which include leaderboards like Dominoes Café and Lucky Luna, for example.

Netflix also notes game handles will help players discover other gamers, make friends and play with each other.

Image Credits: Netflix

These social features were also spotted in development recently, as references in the mobile app’s code suggested the company was working on ways users could invite one another to play games, show when they’re online with a status and more. At the time, however, Netflix didn’t comment on the developments, saying only that it was “exploring different features to enrich the Netflix mobile games experience.”

To use the new game handles feature, Netflix users will first need to download the mobile games onto their device and then sign in with their Netflix credentials. On iOS, the games Rival Pirates and Lucky Luna will allow you to select your in-game handle upon launch. On Android, the experience is easier as you can simply navigate to the Games tab within the Netflix app and tap on the banner that says “Create your Netflix game handle.”

By using game handles, Netflix members can play games and find friends without having to reveal their personal information, like their Netflix account name or real name. But it also sets the stage for more robust gaming experiences in the future, where game handles could be essential to gameplay or could allow for other ways of interacting with fellow gamers.

Netflix suggests that there’s still more in store on this front, today saying in its announcement that “this feature is only the beginning in building a tailored game experience for our members around the world.”

The company confirmed the lineup of games that support game handles as of today’s launch include Into The Breach, Bowling Ballers, Mahjong Solitaire, Heads Up! Netflix Edition and Wild Things: Animal Adventures. However, only Rival Pirates, Lucky Luna and Dominoes Cafe allow players to use their game handles within the game for the time being.

Netflix launches game handles for users of its iOS and Android mobile games by Sarah Perez originally published on TechCrunch

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Netflix announced today that it’s adding a new title to its gaming roster that is based on its popular show “Nailed It!” The game, which is called Nailed It! Baking Bash, will launch on October 4, a day before Season 7 of the bake-off competition show debuts on October 5.

The game was developed by Netherlands-based Paladin Studios and sees players go through sequences of rapid-fire mini-games to bake, paint and garnish themed cakes. There’s also a multiplayer mode that lets players compete with friends to recreate desserts in a certain amount of time. The game also features a single-player backstage baking mode that lets you perfect your baking skills at your own pace. Later this year, Netflix will update the game to allow players to use distractions to make their competitors’ bakes even more challenging.

This isn’t the first time that Netflix has released a new game to promote an upcoming series or season, as the company also launched a game version of the popular card game Exploding Kittens ahead of its TV show of the same name that’s launching on its service next year. In addition, the streaming service announced in May that it will debut a handful of upcoming games that are tied to some of its popular shows, including “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Shadow and Bone,” “La Casa De Papel” and “Too Hot To Handle.”

The company says it will have more than 50 games on its platform by the end of the year. Netflix launched its gaming service in November 2021 and has been adding new games to its catalog every month. The titles are currently free to play and don’t include any in-app purchases.

Today’s announcement comes as Netflix is developing features that allow members to play its mobile games with one another and competitively rank themselves on gaming leaderboards. The company, starting last month, quietly launched the ability for users to create unique “game handles” in a subset of its mobile games. References uncovered in the Netflix app also point to expanded gaming ambitions, including the ability to invite other users to play games with you and a feature that would let you see where you rank on leaderboards, among other things.

It’s not surprising that Netflix is looking to beef up its games offerings, especially given that a recent report revealed that less than 1% of Netflix’s subscribers want to play its mobile games.

Netflix is releasing a new mobile game based on its popular bake-off show ‘Nailed It!’ by Aisha Malik originally published on TechCrunch

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Twitch plans to standardize its revenue sharing agreement with streamers, reshaping the earnings landscape for top creators who have historically been able to pocket a bigger portion of the money they generate through paid subscriptions on the platform.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Twitch president Dan Clancy explained that while the “vast majority” of streamers have a revenue split of 50/50 for paid subscriptions, in the past a subset of creators were offered premium subscription terms that cut them a better 70/30 deal. Twitch subscriptions start at $4.99 per month, offering viewers a way to support their favorite streamers while receiving special access and perks in return.

“This isn’t something we’ve talked about publicly, but such deals are common knowledge within the streamer community,” Clancy said. Apparently Twitch didn’t really have hard and fast criteria outlining who got the better revenue split. The company stopped bringing new streamers into the sweetheart deal more than a year ago, according to Clancy, but anyone with better terms got to keep them for the time being.

In April, Bloomberg reported that Twitch was exploring ways to boost profits by making changes to the revenue sharing agreements with its top-tier streamers. Twitch noted that more than 22,000 streamers on its feedback forum have asked the platform to move all creators to the 70/30 subscription split, but instead the opposite will happen.

“As we reflected on how we handled these premium deals, we realized a few problems,” Clancy wrote. “First, we had not been transparent about the existence of such deals. Second, we were not consistent in qualification criteria, and they generally went to larger streamers. Finally, we don’t believe it’s right for those on standard contracts to have varied revenue shares based on the size of the streamer.”

Clancy says that ideally “all streamers would be on the same set of terms regardless of size,” but switching the terms outright would disproportionately hit some core Twitch streamers who helped build the platform into what it is now.

The solution Twitch has landed on for now is to let streamers with the premium deal keep 70% of their first $100,000. After that, they’ll be defaulted back to the non-premium 50/50 revenue split. The changes will be implemented after June 2023, but only when a given streamer’s contract comes up for renewal.

“For those who are affected, we wanted to make sure the impact was minimal — not just by giving them ample time before the deal goes into effect — but also by offering an alternative way to earn revenue,” Clancy said.

That alternative is Twitch’s ad revenue program. In June, the company announced that it would shift from a fixed payment model per 1,000 ad impressions to a “percentage-based revenue share model” that gives streamers 55% of revenue for every ad they run. Twitch argued that the change to ad payouts would ultimately pay most streamers 50% to 150% more for the advertising they feature on stream. The company announced at the time that the change doesn’t just affect Twitch Partners — streamers in Twitch’s lower tier Affiliate program will also be offered the 55%.

In August, Twitch dropped its exclusivity requirements for Twitch Partners — the creator tier that unlocks the full suite of monetization tools on the platform. The change allows top creators to also make money on rival services like YouTube, though it still prevents them from simulcasting full streams to most social apps. The change could help Twitch keep its top talent on the platform, particularly with changes to its revenue system on the way, though YouTube’s own 70/30 subscription revenue split is about to look more attractive given the changes.

If that all sounds aboveboard, it might not be quite so simple. In spite of the push for uniformity and transparency, Twitch still carved out some wiggle room to negotiate with top streamers who aren’t likely to be pleased with eventually seeing their subscription revenue dip by 20%, even with the changes to ad revenue.

“It’s a reality of our business that we will, in rare cases, continue to negotiate custom agreements on a case by case basis,” Clancy wrote. “However, we have been reducing how often we offer these deals and the total value of these deals.”

Twitch plans to cut subscription revenue for some top streamers in push toward ads by Taylor Hatmaker originally published on TechCrunch

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It’s been four months since Spotify debuted its virtual Spotify Island on Roblox, which made it the first music streaming service to have an official presence within the gaming platform. Today, Spotify launched a new space-themed digital destination on Roblox called Planet Hip-Hop, which will soon feature up-and-coming female rapper Doechii.

Spotify Island’s new Planet Hip-Hop is live now in Roblox, and the virtual experience aims to give a younger generation of hip-hop fans new ways to connect with their favorite music artists.

When Roblox players explore Planet Hip-Hop, they can collect exclusive virtual merch, customize vehicles in the “Speed Shop,” dance on a floating dance floor, create hip-hop beats powered by Soundtrap and more.

The new futuristic-looking destination features a lit-up cityscape sitting on an upside-down silver pyramid, surrounded by red planet rings that resemble a record, as well as floating meteors and other planetary matter.

Image Credits: Spotify

“We wanted to create a space inspired by the newest era of hip hop, exploring how the current generation of artists and fans are redefining what the genre looks like and sounds like,” Steven Conaway, senior art director at Spotify, said to press during a demo.

The look of Spotify’s new destination is inspired by the younger generation of hip-hop artists, many of whom are known to have an “internet tech sound,” Conaway added. He referred to young artists like Doechii, Yeat and Trippie Redd, who are all in their early 20s.

Image Credits: Spotify

Spotify chose the hip-hop genre as the second Spotify Island destination based on listener demand, the company wrote in its release. The music streaming platform boasted that hip-hop music generates 44 billion average monthly streams on Spotify globally.

Compared to Spotify Island’s K-pop-themed world, K-Park, there are a lot of new elements and Easter eggs in Planet Hip-Hop that players can discover. This includes being able to walk on buildings and float around — an added touch to the experience that makes it seem like Roblox avatars have been transported to a low-gravity environment.

Players can also drive a customized car around the planet’s rings, which act as drivable pathways, Edward Yeung, associate creative director at Spotify, explained during the demo.

In the near future, Spotify is turning the pathways on the planetary rings into an obstacle course, Yeung revealed.

New merch that’s exclusive to Planet Hip-Hop includes clothing items, emotes and parkour effects. In a couple of weeks, players will be able to purchase a patchwork bubble jacket and moon shoes for their avatar. Roblox players can collect hearts to purchase the merch.

Similar to K-Park, players must enter an underground portal to visit a music artist’s fan experience. This Thursday, September 22, Spotify will introduce the first artist on Planet Hip-Hop — Doechii.

When Roblox players enter Doechii’s underground portal in Planet Hip-Hop, they’ll see a swamp kingdom commemorating the rapper’s hometown, Tampa, Florida, and her nickname, “Swamp Princess.”

Image Credits: Spotify

At launch, players can swim with alligators, dive underwater and hop on lily pads. While fans can’t interact and ride on the alligators/crocodiles yet, this is a feature Spotify is adding later.

However, there are a lot of features that will be unavailable when Doechii’s swamp launches tomorrow.

In the following days, Spotify will launch more features for Doechii fans, such as a quiz where players must “persuade” Doechii to let them enter her “Swamp Coven.” This is a nod to her song “Persuasive,” which recently got a new music video and remix with famous R&B singer SZA. Once players answer the questions correctly, they will be invited into the coven and even grow an alligator tail, the company explains in today’s announcement.

Spotify will roll out exclusive Doechii gear over the next few days as well. Players will soon be able to purchase alligator pants and shoes, an alligator necklace, a Cyan blue-colored mullet inspired by her original “Persuasive” music video, a star crown and more. There will soon be a feature where Doechii will virtually sign your merch.

Also, in a few weeks, fans will participate in quests, like a scavenger hunt where players collect alligator tokens and trade them for prizes. When Roblox players finish all Doechii’s quests within the first 72 hours, they’ll unlock exclusive space glasses.

Image Credits: Spotify

Spotify will continue adding to Planet Hip-Hop, including collaborations with different hip-hop artists that have yet to be announced.

Down the road, the company will also launch more vehicle customization options in the “Speed Shop,” plus new themed vehicles representing the future music artists joining the virtual world. For instance, Doechii fans will soon be able to ride in an alligator car.

Spotify Island on Roblox launches a new virtual destination for hip-hop listeners by Lauren Forristal originally published on TechCrunch

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