Gaming
PACSUN OPENS VIRTUAL MALL ON ROBLOX
Retailer Expands Roblox Presence with PACWORLD
In June 2021, Pacsun transitioned into the online entertainment space with a dedicated experience on Roblox (NYSE: RBLX), a global online platform for shared experiences connecting millions of people every day in its metaverse.
As part of the collaboration, the youth retailer officially announced today, a fantasy interactive mall experience on the Roblox platform, created through a partnership with premier game development studio MELON. This is a natural extension of Pacsun’s existing catalogs on Roblox, with the best sold catalog items being “fantasy” focused items including gold wings.
PACWORLD allows players to create a unique hub, intersecting fashion technology and community. Within the social environment, customers find community in this space, leaning on the metaverse’s strong network effects. Players are the owner and operators of a new mall, and it is their objective to make the mall as profitable and popular as possible. Players will be able to create and remove shops, upgrade the shops that do well, decorate the mall to try and attract more customers, and even invite their friends to visit their mall.
“Innovation and creativity are at the heart of Pacsun’s brand voice, and we view our audience as the cultural pioneers of the future. As we are catering to a fully digital generation, we recognize that Gen Z values community and accessibility more than any other generation, and we joined Roblox to further build that connectivity with our consumers,” said Brie Olson, President at Pacsun. “Considering that they leverage Roblox as a point of socialization, we knew that in order to further our strong emotional resonance as a brand, we needed to continue to build alongside them in the gaming world.”
With Digital being Pacsun’s top priority, the retailer has seen exponential growth in the space year over year, through perceptive partnerships with brands and talent, social media activations, and strategic campaigns. Over the past year, Pacsun started to embark on a strategy with paid media and upper funnel initiatives, with NFTs and Virtual Reality becoming a huge focus for collaborative initiatives and in-store efforts.
Pacsun stepped into the NFT space with the introduction of the Pacsun Wave NFT in November 2021, followed by the Pac Mall Rats series in January 2022 and most recently PS Sunset in collaboration with Pakistani artist Sara Shakeel. The second drop of Pac Mall Rats also debuted today, representing 14 different Pacsun locations, as well as Reebok, Pacsun’s first Pac Mall Rat based off of a brand partner. Locations in this wave of Pac Mall Rats include Glendale and Downey, CA, Orland Park, IL, St. George, UT, Raleigh, NC, New York City, NY, and more. Pac Mall Rats are available for auction now on Open Sea for one week, starting at $250.
Pacsun also debuted its first-ever video game, “Pacsun the Game,” timed to its Spring/Summer 2022 campaign via the relaunched Pacsun App in the App store. The campaign once again featured Gen Z and style icon, Emma Chamberlain, who starred in Pacsun’s Virtual Reality experience video as her own personal avatar, the first time Emma starred as her digital self.
“Though it is important for us to follow our customers through digital touchpoints, we do understand that in store shopping is still relevant. Through PACWORLD, we give players and consumers the reins to create their space and build it from the ground up. It combines fantasy with the traditional in-store feel, through a digital lens in a highly interactive way,” added Alfred Chang, Co-CEO of Pacsun.
In PACWORLD, players will be able to customize their malls with flair and aesthetics that can be purchased with their virtual income they earn in-experience. The starting point is a sunny beach island reminiscent of Pacsun’s Southern California homebase, where players can choose a plot for their personalized mall that they can build their stores onto. Shops are the primary aspect of the game and each shop will generate its own virtual income to add to the player’s overall virtual income earned in-experience. As a mall’s popularity increases and is visited by more shoppers, modeled after their Roblox friends list, the players can continue to upgrade their mall by adding new fun shops and restaurants, along with decorations such as plants, furniture and murals.
To amplify the social element, Roblox players can visit each other to socialize and compare malls. PACWORLD allows up to six players to build malls next to each other, while Roblox’s platform allows players to go to any server to visit their friends and check out their malls.
PACWORLD is available now on Roblox. Be sure to check back in later this month when we reveal PACWORLD virtual goods.
Bridging the gap between functional hardware and considered design, Phantum debuts its first line of high-performance mousepads. The collection is built for users who demand precision but won’t compromise on aesthetics. Developed in Paris by founders Amine G. and Victor B., the mousepads combine minimalist design with carefully selected materials and collectible elements, positioning the product as a functional tool and a design object.
Created for gamers and digital creatives, Phantum’s mousepads emphasize tactile performance while remaining visually restrained. The surfaces are crafted using Japanese Poron and advanced fabrics chosen for their durability, responsiveness, and sensory qualities. Each product is designed to enhance, not distract from, the overall composition of a desk setup.
The company’s visual language draws on space, transparency, and disappearance themes, an intentional move to create objects that integrate flawlessly into a work or play environment. “Every detail reflects our DNA: clean, sharp, and futuristic,” said co-founder Amine G., whose tech-focused YouTube channel, MRG TECH, has built a following of over 200,000 subscribers. “We create tools that disappear under the hand but leave a lasting impression through design, feel, and finish.”
Phantum’s founders launched the brand after finding few products that met their standards for both performance and design integrity. The debut line is only the beginning: the team is developing glass mousepads and matching performance sleeves, with plans to expand into a broader ecosystem of desk essentials. Each new release will continue to feature collectible packaging designed to add narrative value rather than act as decoration.
Though recently launched, Phantum is already drawing attention beyond France, particularly in Latin America, where design-conscious gamers have begun to integrate the mousepads into their setups. The first collection is now available on phantum.co, with new formats and accessories to follow.
The post Phantum Introduces High-End Mousepads with Collectible Packaging and Parisian Design Roots appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
CyberPowerPC India launches ‘Play Guarantee’ campaign for a transparent and gamer-first experience
In a market where gamers often make high-investment purchases without knowing exactly how their machine will perform until they bring it home and install a game, CyberPowerPC India is changing the game. With the Play Guarantee, CyberPowerPC India reinforces its confidence in the performance and reliability of its systems, offering buyers added assurance that what they receive will meet or exceed expectations. This is a first-of-its-kind offer in India’s custom PC market.
Every system sold under the Play Guarantee will be built using 100% brand-new parts sourced from authorized manufacturers. Each PC will come pre-installed with a genuine and activated version of Microsoft Windows at the BIOS level, ensuring users avoid post-purchase license issues or hidden software costs.
Additionally, customers will receive one year of on-site support, with certified technicians dispatched to their location for repairs or replacements, eliminating the need for long shipping delays or third-party service centers. Before dispatch, all the PCs undergo rigorous stress testing using global industry benchmarks to ensure performance integrity across GPU, CPU, thermals, and memory.
Vishal Parekh, Chief Operating Officer, CyberPowerPC India commented,“As more Indian gamers upgrade to high-performance PCs, trust becomes a critical factor. Gamers shouldn’t have to take a leap of faith when buying a PC. They should know what they’re getting and know it works right out of the box. We at CyberPowerPC India always believed in transparency, may it be sharing FPS benchmarks before purchase or building with only brand-new components. The ‘Play Guarantee’ campaign aligns perfectly with our commitment to building a credible, consumer-first ecosystem in Indian PC gaming, especially as the community becomes more competitive and discerning.”
According to a NeoGrowth study, 54% of Indian consumers prefer offline shopping due to the assurance of authenticity and product quality, underscoring a strong demand for transparency in purchase decisions. CyberPowerPC India’s ‘Play Ready’ campaign aims to replicate this confidence in the online custom PC market.
This campaign follows the company’s recent efforts to strengthen grassroots esports infrastructure, including its partnership with Indian esports organization Orangutan to power ApeCity, a dedicated esports arena in Navi Mumbai, with high-performance systems.
As part of its ongoing investment in the growth of India’s PC gaming market, CyberPowerPC India is also working to make high-performance gaming setups more accessible to a wider range of gamers. With the launch of its ‘Play Ready’ campaign, the company aims to foster a gaming culture built on transparency, trust, and a seamless user experience.
The post CyberPowerPC India launches ‘Play Guarantee’ campaign for a transparent and gamer-first experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
In the latest round of Prototype Funding, Gamecity Hamburg, part of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, supports six promising digital games with up to 80,000 euros each as a non-repayable grant. This funding enables start-ups in Hamburg and supports companies in developing marketable prototypes. In addition, start-ups and developers can apply for Gamecity Hamburg’s Games Lift Incubator until June 10: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/de/inkubator/
The awarding committee selected projects with the greatest market potential from the many applications. Including this seventh round of funding, the development of 37 prototypes has been supported as part of Prototype Funding since 2020. The application phase for the next Prototype Funding round will start in spring 2026.
“The high quality of the projects submitted to this funding round led to an intensive decision process within the awarding committee. The funded projects show a wide variety of genres, ideas, and teams. With the Prototype Funding, we are supporting established companies and up-and-coming start-ups in Hamburg as a games location,” commented Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg and member of the awarding committee.
The 2025 funding recipients were selected by the awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg industry experts Nina Müller (VP Publishing & Development Services, Goodgame Studios), Jonas Hüsges (Publishing Director, Daedalic Entertainment), Valentina Birke (Director Indie Arena Booth / Super Crowd Entertainment), Michael Schade (CEO & Co-Founder ROCKFISH Games) and Dennis Schoubye (Head of Gamecity Hamburg).
The Funded Projects 2025
- NeverLight by Nightless Games – € 80,000
- Pet Universe by Tivola Games – € 80,000
- Space Station Manager by gameXcite – € 80,000
- Unbreachable by Buckfish – € 72,000
- Deep Fog Signals by Symmetry Break Studio – € 32,000
- Cosmic Run by Zinktank Labs – € 30,000
NeverLight by Nightless Games
NeverLight is a dark, cooperative role-playing game with fantasy and extraction elements, in which up to three players act as hunters in an endless night in search of terrifying monsters and collect valuable loot. The game combines monster hunting with the excitement of having to bring each reward to safety with the team to receive it.
Pet Universe by Tivola Games
In the 3D animal shelter simulation “Pet Universe”, players build their animal shelter from the ground up, organize animal care, collect donations, and design the shelter grounds according to their own ideas. The aim is to care for the animals with their individual needs and to find them a loving home.
Space Station Manager by gameXcite
In this strategy building game with real-time space battles, players manage a space station that serves as a base for spaceships, battles, recruitment, and a strategy hub for missions. In addition to organizing the base, players manage their limited resources and various upgrades, improve crew morals, and explore the galaxy with their individual fleets.
Unbreachable by Buckfish
In the multiplayer strategy game “Unbreachable”, players build a fortress in each run that competes with ten castles of rival players. Players strategically construct the different fortress buildings to increase attack power or minimize weaknesses to climb the leaderboard in competition with other players.
Deep Fog Signals by Symmetry Break Studio
In this sci-fi horror game with puzzle mechanics, players are trapped in the communication room of a remote research station during a toxic storm. To escape, they must coordinate the various crew members, decipher cryptic transmissions, and complete the research as the threatening situation escalates over several days.
Cosmic Run by Zinktank Labs
In this humorous and fast-paced roguelite, players fight their way through space with their ship in order to escape from a capitalist alien dictatorship. Weapons, shields, upgrades for the engine, and customization of the ship determine the narrative of the game. Depending on the character chosen, the course of the game and the story told vary in several runs.
All detailed information on the teams and games can be found at: https://gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/#Funded_Projects_2025
Developers, start-ups, and companies from Hamburg were able to apply for Gamecity Hamburg’s prototype funding from March 3 to April 7. In 2024, Gamecity Hamburg introduced a diversity checklist when applying for prototype funding, the answers to which can optionally be used by the awarding committee in the evaluation process.
The next application phase for prototype funding will start in spring 2026.
Further funding opportunities through Gamecity Hamburg
Each year, the Games Lift Incubator supports five teams, developers, and start-ups in the development of digital games. In addition to € 15,000 in start-up funding, the recipients receive a comprehensive coaching and mentoring program with international experts as well as workshops and follow-up individual support. Since 2024, the program has also included a visit to an international industry event.
Teams and developers can currently apply for the Games Lift Incubator until June 10.
All information can be found at: https://gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/apply-now/
The post Gamecity Hamburg Supports six new Digital Games with Prototype Funding appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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