• by Colin Kirkland , October 3, 2023

Barbie has taken 2023 by storm. Greta Gerwig's blockbuster film became the highest-grossing movie of the year and now for the first time, the famous doll is set to be the third-most-popular Halloween costume for adults, according to The National Retail Federation.

And the hype continues. On Tuesday, Mattel announced the launch of Barbie's own world on the popular metaverse gaming platform Roblox.

The “Barbie DreamHouse Tycoon” world plays into the popular “tycoon” genre on Roblox, where players can build their own dream houses up to four floors with a total of 30 rooms, including a yoga studio, office, recording studio, vlogger room, two walk-in closets, a movie theater, game room, bowling alley, kitchen spaces, a rooftop tennis court and helipad, Mattel said in the announcement.

Players will be able to customize their avatars by mixing and matching exclusive fashion items and accessories included in the game. There are nine different skin tones, various body types, 15 face and makeup configurations, various hairstyles, and the option to add hearing aids, with more configurations coming soon, the company said.

While constructing their own abodes, players have the option to check out each other’s dream houses, as well as hang out in the Malibu Town Square. They can also try out different careers in mini-games, like a chef, popstar, fashion designer and more. In town, players can visit a bakery and a veterinarian, fashion boutique, science center, town hall, sports fields by way of Barbie-themed vehicles.

Mattel said it expects a high volume of traffic to the Roblox world -- the first-ever Barbie Roblox game to date -- quoting three million unique visits in the beta test. There are currently around 66 million daily active users on the platform. The company added that it is looking forward to engaging a new fan base.

“This felt like the right time to give Barbie -- one of the world’s best-selling toys and a fashion icon for more than six decades -- the chance to find her feet on Roblox,” commented Mike DeLaet, global head of digital gaming at Mattel.

Barbie DreamHouse Tycoon was developed by leading metaverse game developer Gamefam, a company that has helped create unique Roblox worlds for brands like Warner Music Group and Cirque du Soleil, as well as popular franchises such as Spongebob, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more.

Barbie DreamHouse Tycoon will become available for Roblox users to explore on October 6.