Gaming is culture: Walmart Unlimited journey reaches its finale with launch of episode three

Walmart Unlimited, a gamified mini-series, has returned with a third and final chapter.

This made its debut earlier in the year, brought to you by Walmart, Unity and Spatial in collaboration with animators and producers Martian Blueberry and game development studio PIGIAMA KASAMA.

The first episode introduced characters inspired by Walmart’s real-life suppliers, including A Dozen Cousins founder Ibraheem Basir.

It’s the US retail giant’s latest attempt to tap immersive commerce - a form of online shopping that combines VR with 3D visualisations and gamification - to connect with the next generation of consumers.

"With more than one million plays and an average play time of 35+ minutes, this immersive, gamified series has not only exceeded expectations, it’s set a bold new standard for the future of gaming driven commerce," says Justin Breton, Head of Brand Marketing Innovation at Walmart.

In the third episode, players join Jabari, an aspiring artist guided by the Young Kings founder, as he journeys through a sci-fi dreamscape to find elixirs and unlock his crown. Along the way, they’ll face new challenges as well as discover shoppable beauty and self-care products woven into the adventure.

Breton comments: "So why does this all matter? Because gaming is culture. More than 3.3 billion people play games globally annually; Gen Z spends more time gaming than watching TV; 74% of gamers made in-game purchases last year; Gen Z and Millennials discover products while gaming."

He concludes: "Walmart Unlimited is more than just a game. It’s a glimpse into the future of brand-consumer connection. Through an immersive ecosystem of storytelling, product discovery, and native commerce, it redefines how brands show up in culture. Not as interruptions, but as integrated, interactive experiences."

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Immersive experiences will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.