Walmart and Spatial Launch Gamified Miniseries Featuring Immersive Commerce

Gaming platform Spatial has launched a gamified miniseries called Walmart Unlimited that was developed by Walmart, Spatial and 40 artists.

The miniseries brings together “interactive storytelling, immersive commerce and innovative gameplay,” Spatial said in a Wednesday (Feb. 26) post on LinkedIn.

It allows players to join characters in the game that embark on a journey while guided by mentors inspired by real-life Walmart suppliers, according to the post.

Along the way, players “face challenges, overcome obstacles and shop seamlessly — all within the experience,” the post said.

Walmart Unlimited allows players to purchase real-world products without leaving the game and meet playable characters inspired by Walmart suppliers, per the post.

Spatial said in the post that the miniseries is “built for the future of adaptive retail.”

“Walmart is pioneering the next evolution of shopping, blending virtual and physical lifestyles seamlessly,” it said.

The next two parts of the miniseries will be released in April and May on the Spatial website.

The shopping within the game is powered by Walmart’s Unity software development kit, per the post.

Walmart announced in January 2024 that it launched an “immersive commerce” partnership with Unity, a 3D technology company, that lets Unity developers integrate Walmart’s commerce application programming interfaces (APIs) directly into their games and apps.

This capability lets creators sell physical items in real-time 3D (RT3D) across more than 20 platforms.

“We have an opportunity to connect the physical and digital realms in a way that only Walmart can, meeting our customers and members with authentic experiences where they already are,” Tom Kang, who was then general manager for metaverse commerce at Walmart, said at the time in a press release.

In an another, separate project, Walmart Chief Marketing Officer William White announced in May that the retailer launched Walmart Realm, a gamified marketplace of immersive virtual shops created in partnership with influencers and targeted at social media trends.

“It’s fantastical, it’s inspirational and simply put: it’s a lot of fun,” White wrote in a May 22 LinkedIn post. “At Walmart, we’re embracing innovation with eCommerce experiences designed with the virtual world at the heart.”