If the metaverse pans out, marketers will be well-prepared for the changing technology.

Running campaigns within video games will let marketers gather data on how their brand performs with gaming audiences, while using existing VR tech lets marketers preemptively build relationships with virtual reality developers, for example. That will put them ahead of the curve when looking to launch campaigns in the metaverse.

But even if it doesn't, the marketing potential of AR/VR and video games is still worth exploring.

Brands have pulled in millions of engagements on AR filters and visitors in their Roblox worlds. Regardless of the eventual possibility of the metaverse, those are hard numbers to ignore. Plus, early adopters get the added benefit of the PR buzz generated when a company announces it's entering the metaverse.

Investing in the metaverse is a play for the future generations of consumers

More than two-thirds of Roblox's users are under 16, while Fortnite players are more concentrated within the 18 to 24 age group. These platforms are primarily used for gaming, entertainment, and socialising, and their users are not necessarily looking to go shopping in the metaverse. However, they are willing to engage with brands and spend money to acquire virtual goods while there, as long as the experiences offered are capable of authentic engagement that meet the needs and expectations of specific audiences.