Cartoon Network is celebrating Discovery Channel's Shark Week on its popular Roblox experience for kids, Cartoon Network Game On!, with shark-themed quizzes and activities. For the first time ever, fans can immerse themselves in Cartoon Network's fully experiential world and interact with sharks. The new in-game shark-themed features will help drive awareness by allowing kids to learn facts about sharks and the importance of their conservation and protection in a fun and engaging way.
An immersive experience that transports kids to a realm outside the bounds of reality, Cartoon Network Game On! allows players to experience the virtual world of hit Cartoon Network series - and now, for Shark Week, kids can play games to level up and unlock awesome shark-themed avatar skins and accessories. Like never before, Roblox players can also engage in a shark-specific quiz and answer fun questions in an attempt to unlock shark-specific goodies.
Additionally, players can adopt "pet" sharks by taking a personality test and getting matched with a shark based on their quiz answers. With multiple selfie spots around Cartoon Network Game On! kids can capture images of their avatar in scenes with characters and take a photo with sharks against an underwater backdrop. Players can also immerse themselves in the ultimate shark experience with shark-themed park rides on the main island.
The experience also incorporates Cartoon Network's award-winning initiative, Cartoon Network Climate Champions, allowing users to interact with characters and help complete challenges on Roblox –to help the Cartoon Network Game On! environment. Specific shark-related Climate Champions challenges will be available in the game to help reinforce the importance of sharks and shark conservation and teach kids shark-related facts.
Monika Oomen, VP, Brand, Communications and Digital Content Strategy, Kids EMEA, said:
"We are constantly working to develop new and exciting experiences for kids with real added value on a platform they love. Shark Week is such an important annual event for us, as it gives us the opportunity to showcase these fascinating creatures. We are thrilled to now introduce Shark Week to the young audience on Roblox as well in a uniquely Cartoon Network and kid-relevant way."
Cartoon Network Game On! was launched in December 2022, bringing the network's beloved shows to a broader kids' audience on a popular kid-centred gaming platform. With rip-roaring rides and manic minigames, the fully experiential world is THE place for all things Cartoon Network on Roblox! Accurately reflecting the locations and worlds iconic to five fan favourite shows, Cartoon Network Game On! brings children a whole new way to experience the worlds of Craig of the Creek, Teen Titans Go!, We Bare Bears, Ben 10, and The Amazing World of Gumball. Featuring zip wires, slides, fun rides, and much more, Cartoon Network Game On! gives kids a chance to bond with their favourite Cartoon Network characters, play games, and explore five awe-inspiring islands. It allows players to explore the Creek, hang out in Titans Tower, take a trip to Elmore Junior High School with Gumball, and adventure to fantastical worlds with the Baby Bears or transform into Ben 10's aliens. The experience receives over 2 million monthly visits and a total of 16.2 million visits since launch. Award-winning Cartoon Network Game On! won the 2023 Broadcast Digital Award for Best Digital Support for a Strand, Channel or Genre.
Cartoon Network has demonstrated time after time its ability to know its audience while growing its reach in the metaverse through hit games on Roblox. The network first launched Ben 10 Super Hero Time in 2020, which still ranks as one of Roblox's top branded experiences. The game has averaged an impressive 8 million visits per month and reached over 320 million visits on Roblox. Steering new audiences to the best in kids' animation, Ben 10 Super Hero Time has also inspired kids to discover the colourful, wild, and unexpected world of Cartoon Network.
Recently, Disney announced it was closing down its Movie Club program in Canada following a shift in consumer patterns to watching films on digital and Disney+. And now, according to Digital Bits, multiple industry, distributor, and retailer sources, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will be pulling out of distributing physical discs in Australia.
Over the past few years, many retailers in Australia and other countries, have slowly been withdrawing physical media, including video games, movies and music from sale, as audiences shift to digital platforms. Disney has previously stopped releasing movies on physical media in Latin America and across most of Asia. And it is likely other countries and regions will follow, as the sales of physical discs continue to fall.
For context, in the United States, in 2006, “Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest” sold 14,476,924 million discs. In 2012, the highest-selling disc was “Hunger Games”, with 7,434,058 discs sold and in 2022, “Top Gun: Maverick” was the highest-selling DVD with 829,831 sold. However, in 2023, currently, “Black Adam” is the highest-selling DVD of the year, with just 74,353 discs sold in the US.
Many movie fans are unhappy with this news, especially with a growing trend of streaming services like Disney+ making changes or removing content without notice. Disney has been releasing fewer of its films and shows on physical media over the past few years. Australian film collectors will still be able to import films from global retailers, but this will result in much higher costs due to international shipping etc.
“Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol 3” is set to be the last physical release in Australia, which arrives in stores in August. Previously released titles will continue to be on sale, but as stock is reduced, these may become unavailable over time.
Ultimately, as audiences have moved to watching films on streaming services such as Disney+ and buying/renting films on digital platforms, it now looks like it’s no longer sustainable to distribute physical discs in Australia.
