A shot of WMG’s Rhythm City “persistent music experience,” which is expected to debut in Roblox on February 4th. Photo Credit: Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group (NASDAQ: WMG) has unveiled the rollout of “Rhythm City,” which higher-ups are billing as their company’s “first persistent music experience on Roblox.”
The Big Three record label, which invested in Roblox (NYSE: RBLX) back in early 2021, announced Rhythm City’s debut via a formal release this morning. Described by WMG as “a first-of-its-kind music-themed social roleplay experience,” the just-revealed digital world was developed by Los Angeles-headquartered Gamefam.
(Gamefam arrived on the scene in 2019, touts itself as “the leading game publisher and developer on Roblox,” and partnered with Sony Music Entertainment to create a Roblox-hosted 24kGoldn concert experience last year. Meanwhile, March of 2022 saw the studio announce a $25 million Series A.)
In Rhythm City, players will choose “from a variety of roles including music producer, DJ, dancer, and many more,” WMG explained. And besides having access to virtual concerts and an array of digital-merch purchase options, users will be able “to explore, dance, and bond with friends while enjoying the world’s hidden gems and competing in mini-music challenges,” the major label communicated.
Roblox regulars – the platform relayed that it boasted a staggering 58.8 million daily active users during Q3 2022, when total “hours engaged” are said to have cracked 13.4 billion – can begin pouring into Rhythm City this coming Saturday, February 4th, Warner Music indicated. The music-centered offering is expected to be available to Roblox players on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and Xbox One alike.
Addressing this latest effort to capitalize upon the metaverse’s perceived revenue and promotional potential, Warner Music Group chief digital officer and EVP of business development Oana Ruxandra said in part: “WMG is focused on facilitating the foundations of these new experiences by building and experimenting across evolving ecosystems. This partnership with Gamefam sees WMG creating a place for artists and audiences to come together to define and contextualize their communities within living spaces.”
Warner Music also took the opportunity to reiterate the many Roblox concerts and events that its artists – Twenty One Pilots, Ava Max, and David Guetta among them – have participated in. Similarly, both Universal Music and Sony Music (the parent company of which owns a sizable piece of Fortnite developer Epic Games) are looking to cash in on the seemingly vast income possibilities associated with the metaverse.
But Warner Music has leaned comparatively hard into emerging platforms – from “digital fashion retailer” DRESSX to LGND Music and many in between – during CEO Stephen Cooper’s tenure. With former YouTube exec Robert Kyncl preparing to step in as the sole CEO this Wednesday, it’ll be worth following WMG’s overarching digital strategy moving forward.