Metaverse Platforms to Watch in 2026

In the e-commerce world, marketing channels evolve at breakneck speed. Just a few years ago, brands were focused on Instagram and TikTok; now, the next frontier is the metaverse. Imagine hosting a virtual pop-up shop where customers roam a 3D store as avatars, or teaming up with a gamer who streams your product launch in a virtual concert venue. These scenarios are no longer sci-fi – they’re happening on metaverse platforms. Metaverse platforms are immersive online worlds where people socialize, play games, shop, and create content in real time. And for Amazon sellers, DTC founders, and brands large or small, they present a fresh opportunity to engage consumers in more interactive ways than traditional social media. In this blog, we’ll break down what the metaverse is, highlight the top metaverse platforms in 2025, and show how micro influencers, content creators, and businesses are using these spaces to drive marketing results. By the end, you’ll understand why influencer marketing in the metaverse is poised to be a game-changer for forward-thinking e-commerce brands.

Why Metaverse Platforms Matter for Brands in 2025

What is the metaverse, really? In simple terms, it’s a network of virtual worlds you can enter as a digital avatar – think of it as the next evolution of the internet, where experiences are 3D and persistent. Today, over 600 million people actively use metaverse platforms worldwide, and that number is climbing fast. In fact, analysts predict that by 2026, one in four people will spend at least an hour each day in the metaverse. For brands, this means a growing audience that you can’t afford to ignore. Here are a few key reasons e-commerce companies are paying attention:

• • Reach Gen Z (and even Gen Alpha) where they play: Many metaverse users are young – roughly 51% are under age 13 according to one report. These platforms are the new social hangouts for the next generation of shoppers. Forward-looking brands are establishing a presence now to build early loyalty.

     

  • Immersive customer engagement: Unlike a static website or feed, metaverse environments let consumers experience your brand. They can walk through a virtual showroom, try on digital fashion accessories, or attend a branded event. This deep interactivity can foster stronger emotional connections. For example, apparel brands like Nike and Forever 21 have created virtual stores on Roblox and seen huge user engagement.

     

  • Influencer marketing 2.0: The creator economy is thriving in virtual worlds. Content creators and micro influencers design games, virtual clothing, music venues, you name it – all as part of the experience. Brands can collaborate with these creators to inject products naturally into the environment. The result feels more like fun UGC than an ad. (One famous case: Wendy’s created a gaming avatar on Fortnite to dramatize its “fresh, never frozen” beef promise, smashing virtual freezers in-game. This clever campaign drew hundreds of thousands of live viewers on Twitch and snagged major industry awards for its originality.)

     

  • New revenue streams: Metaverse platforms have their own economies. Users buy virtual goods – from avatar skins to NFT collectibles – often with real money. In fact, 79% of active metaverse users have already made a purchase in a virtual world. This opens the door for brands to sell digital versions of products (e.g. a luxury label selling a limited-edition NFT handbag) or to drive real-world sales through virtual try-ons and demos.

     

  • Future-proofing your business: Analysts estimate the metaverse could generate trillions in economic value within the decade. McKinsey, for instance, projects a $2–2.6 trillion impact on e-commerce by 2030. Companies embracing these technologies early stand to secure valuable virtual real estate and gain a competitive edge. Even if ROI is uncertain in the immediate term (only about 26% of brands expect a quick payoff from metaverse efforts), the long-term upside is immense.

In short, the metaverse is becoming too big to ignore. It’s not “just for gamers” anymore – it’s a convergence of social media, gaming, and retail into one immersive experience. Below, we’ll explore five of the leading metaverse platforms that brands should have on their radar in 2025, and examine how each can fit into a savvy marketing strategy.

Top 5 Metaverse Platforms to Watch in 2025

As more companies race to build the “next big” metaverse platform, a few frontrunners have emerged. Here are five of the most prominent platforms – spanning virtual game worlds, blockchain-based universes, and social avatar apps – that e-commerce brands and marketers should be watching in 2025:

1. Roblox

When it comes to mainstream metaverse platforms, Roblox leads the pack. Roblox is a user-generated gaming and social platform where over 111 million people log in daily to play and create experiences. (Yes, you read that right – that’s daily active users, not monthly!) It skews toward a younger audience (about 60% of Roblox players are under 16), making it a hotbed for reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers.

On Roblox, brands have a chance to embed themselves into the fun. The platform consists of millions of 3D “experiences” (games and virtual hangouts) made by independent creators. Brands can sponsor their own experiences or partner with popular Roblox developers to create something engaging. For example, Nike built Nikeland within Roblox – a virtual world featuring mini-games and digital showrooms where players can outfit their avatars in Nike gear. Over the past couple of years, Roblox has hosted branded events and worlds for Gucci, Vans, Ralph Lauren, Forever 21, and many others. These virtual activations drive massive buzz: Gucci’s limited-edition virtual bags in Roblox sold out and even resold for higher prices, mirroring real sneakerhead culture.

Why is Roblox so effective for marketing? User-generated content is the norm here, so if your activation is creative, players will spread it organically. Influencers on Roblox aren’t just streamers; they’re also the young developers and micro influencers who build popular games. Brands like Stack Influence have noted that collaborating with these creators can yield authentic integrations – essentially letting the community market for you through gameplay. Given Roblox’s sheer scale and vibrant economy (players spent ~$780 million on Roblox virtual goods in Q4 2024 alone), it’s a prime playground for innovative brand campaigns.

2. Fortnite

Fortnite started as a hit battle-royale video game, but it has evolved into a full-fledged metaverse platform known as the “Fortnite Creative” universe. Millions of players (Fortnite boasts over 70 million monthly active users) not only fight each other in-game, but also attend live events, build their own island maps, and socialize. Fortnite’s parent company Epic Games has a clear vision of the game as a social space – and brands have been quick to leverage it.

One of Fortnite’s biggest draws for marketers is its spectacle and cultural reach. The platform has hosted virtual concerts with global superstars like Travis Scott and Ariana Grande, drawing tens of millions of viewers. It has also collaborated with fashion and retail brands: for instance, Balenciaga released digital outfits (“skins”) in Fortnite that players’ avatars could wear, and Nike’s Jordan brand created virtual sneakers and an in-game sneaker hunt event. These collaborations blur the line between advertising and entertainment. Gamers feel like they’re part of something cool rather than watching an ad.

Fortnite’s cartoony art style and island locales also lend themselves to creative storytelling. A shining example was Wendy’s campaign (mentioned earlier), where instead of a typical commercial, the fast-food chain became a character in the Fortnite world – literally playing the game to promote a brand message. The genius move earned 250,000+ live views and proved that even a non-tech brand can go viral in the metaverse.

For e-commerce and DTC brands, Fortnite offers a chance to inject products into pop culture moments. You could sponsor a popular Fortnite streamer to use your branded avatar skin, or create a custom Fortnite Creative map that subtly features your products. Given Fortnite’s young, global audience and Epic’s push toward fashion and commerce integrations, expect even more opportunities to sell both virtual and physical goods via this platform in the coming year.

3. Decentraland

On the more decentralized side of the metaverse spectrum is Decentraland, one of the pioneers of blockchain-based virtual worlds. Decentraland is essentially a virtual real estate universe: it’s built on Ethereum blockchain and divided into 90,000+ land parcels that users and companies can buy, develop, and even rent out. If Roblox and Fortnite are like theme parks owned by a single company, Decentraland is more like a digital city where the users collectively own the land and govern the world’s rules via a DAO (decentralized autonomous organization).

For brands, Decentraland offers unprecedented creative freedom. You’re not constrained by a game developer’s vision – if you own or lease a plot of land, you can build anything from an art gallery to a conference center. Big names have already jumped in. Notably, Samsung opened a virtual replica of its flagship 837 store in Decentraland, and within months it had over 120,000 visitors exploring the digital Samsung products and events. Decentraland has also hosted Metaverse Fashion Week, where luxury houses like Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger showcased virtual collections on avatar models. Another example: Coca-Cola launched NFT collectibles via a rooftop Decentraland party, blending a product drop with an immersive experience.

The platform’s native currency (MANA) and NFT-based items make it easy to monetize engagement. A clothing brand can sell digital wearables for avatars; an e-commerce retailer can set up a virtual showroom that links to its real online store. Because Decentraland is open and persistent, these brand spaces can be permanent fixtures – not just one-off campaigns. Visitors might wander into your virtual store at any time as they explore. It’s akin to having a storefront in a busy city, except this city is global and open 24/7.

Keep in mind, Decentraland’s user base is smaller than the likes of Roblox, and it’s accessed via web or VR headset (no console or mobile app). The crowd tends to be crypto-savvy early adopters. But as metaverse adoption grows, Decentraland provides an invaluable sandbox for brands to experiment with virtual commerce and collect early learnings about customer behavior in a 3D shopping environment.

4. The Sandbox

The Sandbox is another leading metaverse platform that, like Decentraland, is built on blockchain and centers around virtual land ownership. Think of The Sandbox as a voxel-style (Minecraft-like) universe where brands, creators, and players can build interactive 3D worlds and games. It has its own cryptocurrency (SAND) and a bustling marketplace for user-made NFTs and game items.

What sets The Sandbox apart is its strong emphasis on empowering creators with tools. Companies can use The Sandbox’s Game Maker to design custom experiences without needing to code from scratch. This has attracted a who’s who of brand partners. For example, Adidas, Atari, Gucci, Warner Music Group, and even Snoop Dogg have all acquired land or collaborated within The Sandbox. One iconic collaboration was Snoop Dogg’s “Snoopverse”: the rapper built a digital mansion and released Snoop-avatar NFTs, and fans could attend virtual concerts there. For brands, these kinds of partnerships generate huge PR value and community buzz, as The Sandbox’s community is highly tuned into new drops.

From a marketing perspective, The Sandbox is great for gamified brand storytelling. Because it’s game-centric, you can create an experience where customers engage with your products in a playful way. A toy brand, for instance, could design a scavenger hunt game across its Sandbox land, rewarding players with exclusive NFT collectibles or discount codes for use in real life. User-generated content amplifies reach here too – players in The Sandbox often livestream or share TikToks of cool places they visit in-world, so a creative brand build can gain viral exposure.

It’s worth noting The Sandbox is still in an evolving stage (it’s been in alpha/beta phases), but its potential is reflected in its valuation and partnerships. For e-commerce and retail brands exploring NFTs, The Sandbox offers a two-for-one: you get a place to sell your digital assets and a built-in community event space to promote them. As this platform continues to grow, brand activations in The Sandbox could become as commonplace as social media campaigns are today – a new way to reach consumers, especially those interested in the intersection of gaming, crypto, and pop culture.

5. Zepeto

Rounding out our list is Zepeto, a metaverse platform particularly popular in Asian markets (though it’s expanding globally). Zepeto is a mobile-first app where users create 3D avatars (often anime-style) and explore virtual “rooms” and worlds. With over 20 million monthly active users – predominantly Gen Z females – Zepeto has caught the attention of fashion and beauty brands in a big way.

Zepeto’s core appeal is digital self-expression. Users customize their avatars with hairstyles, outfits, makeup, and accessories – much of which are created by other users or brands and sold for real money. For fashion labels, it’s a natural playground: you can drop virtual clothing lines that fans buy to dress their avatars. Luxury brands like Gucci, Dior, Ralph Lauren, and Nike have launched virtual items on Zepeto that often sell out within hours to style-hungry teens. It’s the direct metaverse equivalent of influencer-driven fashion on Instagram. In Zepeto, everyday users become micro influencers by curating stylish avatars and sharing photos of their looks, generating organic hype around the items.

Beyond individual fashion pieces, brands have also created immersive Zepeto environments. For instance, Samsung built a virtual playground inside Zepeto to coincide with a product launch, and Ralph Lauren designed a winter-themed world where users could play mini-games and shop the brand’s digital clothing. These spaces often integrate with real-world campaigns – a kind of phygital strategy. You might see a famous K-pop group’s avatars in Zepeto wearing brand-sponsored outfits, blending celebrity influencer marketing with metaverse engagement.

For brands in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle sectors, Zepeto is a must-watch platform. It’s a glimpse into how tomorrow’s consumers blend UGC and commerce: users are effectively your marketers, if they love your virtual products enough to show them off. Even if you’re not a luxury label, there’s opportunity here – indie and DTC brands can create virtual merch or sponsor popular Zepeto “influencers” (yes, avatar influencers are a thing now) to gain exposure. As an e-commerce business, you could also use Zepeto to test product concepts with a young audience. If a digital item blows up in popularity, it might inform your real-world product development. The barrier to entry is relatively low since Zepeto’s content creation tools are accessible and the platform is mobile-based (no fancy VR rig needed).

Honorable mentions: There are other metaverse-style platforms out there – such as Meta’s Horizon Worlds (focused on VR social meetups), Somnium Space (another crypto VR world), and new entrants emerging from tech giants (rumors suggest Apple’s spatial computing platform could become a metaverse hub). However, the five platforms above are currently the most relevant and proven for brand marketing opportunities as of 2025.

How Brands (and Amazon Sellers) Can Leverage Metaverse Marketing

By now, you might be thinking, “This sounds exciting, but how do we actually get started?” Here are some practical ways e-commerce brands and Amazon sellers can dip their toes into metaverse marketing:

1. 1. Partner with creators and micro influencers: Just as you might work with influencers on Instagram, find creators who are popular within a metaverse platform. This could be a Roblox game developer, a Fortnite Twitch streamer, or a fashion-savvy Zepeto user. Micro influencers often have niche, engaged followings in these worlds. Collaborate with them to design a branded experience or feature your product in their content. Their endorsement in-world can carry as much weight as a shoutout on YouTube, if not more, because it feels native to the space.

       

   2. Host virtual events or experiences: Plan a virtual event like you would a physical one. This could be a product launch, an interactive demo, or a themed game night. For example, a cosmetics brand could host a virtual makeup tutorial session in Horizon Worlds or on a custom island in Fortnite Creative. An Amazon seller of fitness gear might sponsor a virtual parkour challenge in Roblox. Promote the event on your usual channels (email, social media) to drive your existing customers to attend, and offer attendees exclusive promo codes or digital goodies as a reward. Virtual events not only generate buzz, but also yield tons of content (screenshots, videos, user reactions) that you can repurpose in marketing.

       

   3. Sell digital merchandise (and tie it to physical products): Consider creating NFTs or digital collectibles related to your brand. These could be wearables for avatars, virtual furniture, artwork, or music tracks – whatever makes sense for your audience. You can sell or give away these digital items on platforms like Decentraland or The Sandbox. To bridge back to real sales, use a phygital approach: for instance, if a customer buys your limited-edition NFT sneaker, they also get a discount on the real sneaker from your store. This not only drives NFT hype but also moves physical inventory. Big brands have started doing this (Nike’s RTFKT does digital sneakers that unlock real-world counterparts), but even smaller brands can experiment on a marketplace like OpenSea with relatively low cost.

       

   4. Build a presence, but keep it lean: You don’t need to spend millions on a full-scale virtual world right away. Start small – maybe set up a single “office” or gallery in one of these metaverses. For example, create a Stack Influence lounge in Decentraland where visitors can learn about your brand’s story or see a display of best-selling products with links to your site. Or rent a storefront in a popular Roblox game for a few months. Treat it as an MVP (minimum viable product) for your metaverse strategy. Gather data on how many people visit, what they do, and which areas draw attention. Then iterate. The beautiful thing about digital worlds is that they’re flexible – you can remodel your virtual space faster than you can sign a lease for a real one!

       

   5. Stay authentic and add value: Finally, a golden rule – don’t just advertise, engage. The metaverse is all about experiences. If you simply plaster logos everywhere, users will tune out. Instead, focus on how your brand can contribute to the community. Can you add a fun quest or a creative tool for users to play with? Perhaps launch a contest for the best user-generated content featuring your virtual product, with winners getting real-world prizes. By encouraging participation, you’ll tap into the metaverse’s word-of-mouth engine. Remember, user-generated content is king in these platforms. When you empower users to co-create with your brand, you essentially gain an army of ambassadors.

Conclusion to Metaverse Platforms to Watch in 2026

The key takeaway for e-commerce brands and Amazon sellers is that metaverse platforms aren’t just hype – they’re practical marketing channels that can drive brand awareness, community building, and even direct sales. Yes, the metaverse is still early in its evolution, and it’s normal to be unsure about investing in virtual real estate or digital swag. But consider how quickly social media became non-negotiable for businesses. We’re at a similar inflection point: those who experiment with metaverse marketing now will be poised to reap big rewards as mainstream adoption accelerates.

Whether it’s launching a creative micro-influencer campaign in Roblox or setting up a virtual storefront in Decentraland, you have a chance to stand out from competitors and connect with young, tech-savvy audiences on their home turf. The cost of entry can be modest, and the potential upside – in buzz, learning, and brand loyalty – is significant. In a world where customer engagement is moving beyond 2D screens into immersive 3D spaces, brands that adapt will drive ROI in new ways.

So, why not take the leap? Brainstorm an idea for a small metaverse test, assemble a team (or reach out to experts like Stack Influence for guidance), and give it a go. The experience might surprise you – and it will certainly position your brand as an innovator. In 2025 and beyond, metaverse platforms may well become as important to your marketing mix as Facebook or Google. By acting now, you’ll ensure you’re not playing catch-up later. The virtual doors are open – step inside and start building your brand’s future in the metaverse.

Ready to dive in? Remember, the most important step is the first one. Claim that avatar name, explore these platforms yourself, and envision what your brand’s presence could look like. The companies that embrace these new digital frontiers today will be the ones shaping commerce tomorrow.