This month: Virtual dating, NFT passports and the evolution of the chief metaverse officer.

5. Roblox eyes virtual dating … maybe

Roblox turned heads last week when CEO David Baszucki, teasing an interest in courting older consumers, cited activities such as virtual dating as possible experiences to appear on the platform.

“Our goal is one platform, where age-appropriate experiences for every life stage can be found,” Baszucki wrote in a blog post. “This could include experiences you may have seen on Roblox like concerts, digital fashion, immersive games, and education. But, in the future, Roblox could include different types of experiences, like virtual dating, indie movie screenings and new forms of content such as news and hot topics.” 

The excitement was short-lived however: Just after Ad Age published a story on the post, Roblox updated Baszucki’s language in a way that suggested a weakened commitment to providing the kinds of experiences he laid out. “[In] the future” was changed to “[In] the distant future” and “Roblox could include different types of experiences” was changed to “Roblox could envision different types of experiences.”

A Roblox spokesperson told Ad Age that activities like virtual dating are not currently on the company’s “product roadmap,” calling them “an illustrative example of what older audiences do in real life.” Still, one has to wonder why Baszucki would tease the experience without some inkling of genuine interest in bringing it to the platform.

4. Travelzoo brings NFT passports to the metaverse

Travel planning website Travelzoo launched a metaverse experience to allow users the ability to explore the globe—virtually. Guests can visit re-creations of elusive destinations such as Mount Everest, as well as historic sites including ancient Rome. The experience will be for members only, although anyone can buy a membership, which costs $20.

Perhaps the most interesting detail of Travelzoo’s activation is the use of NFTs as passports, which users can take with them through the various destinations. The tokens are called “travel companions” and comprise 1 million unique passports. It is unclear what opportunities the NFTs will enable, but their foundation is reminiscent of a soulbound token (SBT), which has been proposed as a digital asset that can house all kinds of verifiable information. 

3. NHL becomes the latest sports league to go virtual

The National Hockey League (NHL) debuted a fan experience on Roblox, becoming the latest professional sports league to enter the virtual realm. The “NHL Blast” experience will allow players to participate in “fantastical” hockey games. Players can also look the part by dressing their avatars with real NHL jerseys, in which they can take selfies posing in traditional hockey trading card stances.

“NHL Blast” will also sync its features with real NHL events, beginning with re-creations of goals that will appear in the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals. Real-time NHL game scores will be broadcast on a virtual jumbotron inside the space. The NHL follows the NBA, NFL and MLB in using metaverse-related spaces to deepen engagement with younger consumers.

2. The Hundreds opens social metaverse store

Streetwear brand The Hundreds announced the opening of its flagship metaverse store, which will live in the virtual platform some.place. A re-creation of The Hundreds real store in Los Angeles, the metaverse space will be a destination for fans to shop and socialize, as opposed to participating in the kinds of gamified experiences offered by most virtual activations. The news was first reported by Decrypt.

Owing to its social atmosphere, the store looks much more realistic than experiences on platforms like The Sandbox, Decentraland and Roblox. It was designed using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 technology. The space will also offer unique apparel drops and rewards that can be combined with those that are acquired through engagement with its real-world store.

The Hundreds has been at the forefront of branded efforts in Web3. Last summer, it staged a fake anti-NFT protest that went viral on social media, bringing more attention to the then-hot technology. The brand has also been an outspoken critic of the erosion of creator royalties, which has taken place on NFT marketplaces offering lower prices to attract more buyers in a dried-up market. 

1. Chief metaverse officers don’t hold quite the same cachet

While not a specific metaverse moment, the evolution of the role of chief metaverse officer tops our list for this month. The position was popularized last year by brands from Procter & Gamble to Crate & Barrel, but Ad Age has found that the role’s viability has since been thrown into doubt.

Some brands have quietly removed the term “metaverse” from job titles altogether. American Eagle’s Nathan Poekert, for example, was appointed as director of social media, culture and metaverse marketing in February 2021, but last month that role changed to director of social media, branded content and digital innovation. Even Cathy Hackl, widely known for evangelizing the metaverse and the chief metaverse officer position, said she has expanded her role beyond the virtual realm.

The evolution of the metaverse role is in part a consequence of economic headwinds, but a mere reorganization of a metaverse role does not imply a surrender on the level of Disney, which recently shuttered its metaverse division.

Read more: How brands are rethinking the chief metaverse officer role