Roblox Expands Digital Gift Card Offerings With Blackhawk Network

Branded payments provider Blackhawk Network is expanding its digital gift card offerings via partnership with Roblox.

The partnership will offer digital gift cards on digital gaming platform Roblox’s gift card site in the local currencies of Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and Brazil, the companies announced Wednesday (Feb. 14).

“In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to share the gift of choice transcends borders much like the creativity and connection that Roblox is known for across the globe,” Brett Narlinger, head of global commerce at Blackhawk Network (BHN), said in a news release.

The release notes that the expansion follows BHN’s move last year to offer consumers in Japan the ability to buy Roblox digital gift cards.

According to the companies, Roblox digital gift cards let users purchase Robux, the platform’s virtual currency, used to acquire digital items and accessories, as well as to pay for the Roblox’s monthly subscription service, Roblox Premium.

The partnership is happening as Roblox, as noted here last week, has just finished its first quarter with more than $1 billion in bookings, and finds itself at the nexus of three of the 21st century’s biggest trends: the metaverse, creator economy and artificial intelligence (AI).

On that last front, the AI opportunity at Roblox is “manifest everywhere,” CEO David Baszucki told investors last week, emphasizing that “we’ve been working behind the scenes on this for many, many years.”

“Our own AI model is powering real-time chat translation allowing people around the world to communicate with people who are chatting in a different language … we’re also seeing more penetration on voice chat,” he added.

“We continue to roll out more AI on real-time image, voice, and chat moderation, making our whole safety platform much more efficient,” said Baszucki.

And last month, PYMNTS explored the reasoning behind brands using Roblox to reach a wider audience, as the platform has 70.2 million daily active users and more than 216 million monthly active users.

“Leveraging the power of gamification, a method that enhances learning experiences, Roblox offers brands the chance to integrate this approach into their educational content,” that report said. “Traditional lessons can be transformed into engaging challenges and adventures, fostering a sense of competition and accomplishment that promotes active participation and enhances information retention.”