Khaberni -In a phenomenon that blends digital entertainment and music concerts, the famous gaming platform «Roblox» has recently turned into a virtual stage for Arab, Gulf, and Saudi concerts witnessed by millions around the world, heralding a new stage in the future of virtual entertainment.
The beginning.. Angham's concert
Advertisements suddenly spread on social media a few days ago inviting attendance at a concert by the Egyptian artist Angham, which was interacted with by hundreds of thousands of users of the famous gaming platform. This was followed by announcements of other concerts for artists Mohamed Abdu, Abadi al-Johar, Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Ayyad, and others.
These are concerts with a scheduled time for attendance and last about an hour of interaction between platform users and the artist's personality with his most popular songs. This interaction reached the artists, as the Saudi artist Ayyad announced his desire to attend "virtually" if a concert was held for him on the platform, which was also announced.
Artists' rights.. A new platform?
This phenomenon, which quickly formed and caught the attention of artists for the possibility of live participation with their audiences, opened the door to questions about the possibility of specialized companies entering to organize such concerts and whether it could be developed to become actual live concerts on a virtual platform, leading to users entering through paid tickets. This began to appear by charging financial fees in some spaces that include artistic concerts to enter certain areas in the theater that is designed virtually, these fees are paid through the platform and benefit the organizer of the virtual concert, which could open the door to artistic and intellectual rights wide open between the artists and the platform.
Lil Nas X concert that changed the game rules
The idea started in November 2020 when «Roblox» launched its first major virtual concert for the American artist Lil Nas X. The concert was not just a live broadcast, but a wholly interactive experience within a specially designed three-dimensional environment. The virtual concert was attended by more than 36 million viewers, marking a qualitative leap in how music content is utilized via gaming platforms.
Virtual reality and the metaverse.. Where to?
Technology experts believe that «Roblox» concerts are not just a passing trend, but part of the shift towards a «metaverse», where social, commercial, and entertainment experiences overlap in a shared digital space. It is expected that music production companies will invest more in such experiences, due to the wide interaction and high commercial returns they achieve, whether through advertisements or digital purchases within the concert.
Here, Bassam Al-Saif, a tech researcher, in a conversation with «Alarabiya.net», notes that the presence of «Roblox» concerts represents a significant shift in the digital entertainment world, as they combine technology, interactive experience, and creative content all at once.
He mentioned that «Roblox» concerts attract millions of accounts from various countries around the world, achieving substantial financial returns from advertisements, purchases inside the platform, and digital tickets, making this business model very attractive to production companies.
A gaming platform.. Or a global stage?
«Roblox», originally known as a platform for creating and sharing games among users, quickly transformed into a fertile environment for innovation in the field of live performances. It was followed by concerts for international artists such as Tai Verdes, Zara Larsson, and David Guetta, all achieving massive attendance rates that reached more than 20 million users during the event.
Audience interaction.. A concert that doesn't require a ticket
Roblox concerts are characterized by their interactive nature, allowing the audience to design their characters, explore the venue, dance, and even interact with the content through side tasks within the concert. This new style of concerts has been admired by a broad category of teenagers and youth, who represent the vast majority of the platform's users. Some have considered that these concerts have opened new horizons for artists to reach non-traditional audiences, without the constraints of time and place.
Returning to the words of tech researcher Bassam Al-Saif, he confirms that a single concert on «Roblox» attracts millions of accounts from different countries around the world, achieving substantial financial returns from advertisements, purchases inside the platform, and digital tickets, making this business model very attractive to production companies.
And he confirmed that major companies such as Warner and Sony have already started entering strategic partnerships with platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, in a clear move to reduce reliance on physical concerts only and expand towards virtual experiences that ensure broader outreach, lower operating costs, and direct interaction with the targeted audience.
Regarding the future of these experiences and the extent of music production companies' interest in them, Al-Saif noted that the pace of investment in this area is experiencing a noticeable acceleration, explaining that the digital world is no longer just a promotional channel, but has become a fully-fledged market in itself.
And Saif concluded his statement by saying: "Virtual concerts will quickly become a fundamental element in artistic distribution and promotion strategies, especially with the development of supporting technologies and increasing user engagement from around the world.
