Spotify says it’s the first music-streaming brand to have a presence on Roblox with the introduction of “Spotify Island,” described as “a paradise of sound” where fans and artists around the world can hang out together, explore music, go on adventures and access exclusive merchandise. Virtual beat-maker stations powered by Spotify’s Soundtrap service will enable users to “enjoy an immersive audio experience by creating music and exploring sounds.” “Spotify Island” will feature “musical Easter eggs at every turn” and allow users to “climb to the top of ‘The Charts’ by collecting points,” the company says.

“Spotify Island” is a destination from which gamers can “portal out to the themed islands that will come to life throughout the year,” filled with exclusive content, artist interactions, and themed mini-quests designed to engage “both superfans and curious explorers.” The first themed experience from “Spotify Island” is K-Park, an homage to all things K-Pop, the company explains in an announcement.

The music on “Spotify Island” and its environs “can be played or paused, or players can skip tracks,” TechCrunch writes, explaining that the “in-game merch store, meanwhile, will feature a variety of exclusive Spotify merchandise that can be taken into other parts of Roblox, as well as special artist merchandise which will serve as an additional revenue stream for creators.”

In addition to the Soundtrap virtual beat-maker stations, players can create sounds “by moving around a ‘stage area’ where they can interact with items like a confetti cannon and bubbles, effectively becoming performers themselves,” TechCrunch reports.

“The stage isn’t the typical artist broadcast to fan experience,” said Spotify director of business development Abby Stewart. “We’re flipping the script and empowering players to be the creators and truly feel like they’re the artist performing.”

TechCrunch hints that Spotify may plan to eventually introduce concerts, much like Epic Games’ “Fortnite” and Meta’s “Horizon Worlds” — and “given it’s built a stage with a big screen behind it,” but says Spotify declined to comment.

Spotify has added a new playlist called “Spotify Island on Roblox.” Spotify “already hosts over 2.2 million gaming-related playlists,” reports TechCrunch, which says the music streaming company saw potential “to reach a younger generation of music fans” in the Roblox arrangement. Last summer, Roblox teamed with Sony Music Entertainment.

The Verge concedes “Spotify’s Roblox entry is a first for any music streaming service” and says it’s “part of a larger bid for companies to establish a presence in what it considers the ‘metaverse,’ a concept that hasn’t really been defined beyond consisting of a series of virtual online spaces.”