Toymaker Hasbro Partners With Online Gamer Roblox For Digital Nerf Merch

Hasbro, the world’s biggest toymaker, is teaming up with the gaming platform Roblox to launch new Nerf and Monopoly experiences and merchandise.

Adam Kleinman, vice president of Nerf Global Marketing, said in a press release on Tuesday (April 13) that the collaboration will offer “an incredible line of blasters” that people are “clamoring to get their hands on.”

“Our design teams have done a phenomenal job capturing the creativity and essence of Roblox creators and their most immersive, innovative Roblox games in Nerf blaster form, and we can’t wait to deliver these new items to Roblox fans around the world,” Kleinman said.

Headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, since 1977, Hasbro’s tie-up with the Monopoly board game includes the forthcoming Roblox 2022 Edition game that gives players the chance to collect and trade Roblox experiences. Each game includes a code to enable players to explore a number of virtual experiences.

Craig Donato, chief business officer of Roblox, said that the company “values the incredible contributions of its community of creators.” As such, its teaming with Nerf and Monopoly is an accelerated inroad to help people “bring their inspiring creations on the platform to life” for the many fans of the combined platform “to enjoy in the metaverse as well as in real life.”

On tap later in 2021, Nerf will use the Roblox platform to introduce a “Nerf-branded experience on Roblox.” The details are expected to roll out in the spring of this year.

Hasbro’s eCommerce sales in its gaming and entertainment units in February were fueled in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said that its eCommerce sales surpassed $1 billion and now account for roughly 25 percent of its total revenue.

Roblox went public and saw its first day of trading on March 10, which also saw a market capitalization of $38 billion.