Amazon’s shopping tool shows a new direction for in-game marketing

Amazon Anywhere is launching within Peridot, an augmented reality adventure pet game. The newly launched game has been called a ‘high-tech version of a Tamagotchi’. Tamagotchi was a hugely popular virtual simulation pet game from the ‘90s.

The new Amazon offering, unveiled last week, enables shoppers to see relevant products – such as Peridot-branded merchandise, for example – within a selected game or app. 

Provided they have connected their Amazon account to the game or app, players can then access product details, images, prices, estimated delivery date and other information. They can also buy the item. All of this is done without ever leaving the game.

Extending the fun within interactive digital environments

In a press release, Amazon says it is “extending the fun within virtual worlds and interactive digital environments”.

The statement continues: “Amazon Anywhere helps bring the magic of Peridot from augmented reality to reality with an engaging in-game physical merchandise store. When playing Peridot, you can access physical products within the game as you care for one-of-a-kind creatures and explore the world together.

“We’re creating a new landscape for shoppable entertainment and digital experiences while continuing to meet our customers where they are, with the products they love. Most shopping in virtual worlds is currently limited to purchases of virtual currency and in-game digital items, with no easy path to purchase physical products. We want to change that.”

While Peridot is the first public use of Amazon Anywhere, the company’s statement indicates that the tool can be used more broadly for a variety of video games, mobile apps and virtual worlds.

For game developers and in-game marketers, the opportunity now is to curate a selection of goods for shoppers to buy within games and apps – while letting Amazon’s well-established infrastructure handle fulfilment and delivery.