Burberry x Minecraft Review: is the metaverse a luxury good?

Burberry has teamed up with Minecraft for the brand’s first virtual video game experience.

Luxury brands are flocking into the metaverse at an unprecedented rate. Burberry has finally launched its brand into the metaverse with its Burberry x Minecraft collaboration. Their collaboration was designed to operate inside the video game space as a digital NFT collection of Burberry-branded Minecraft assets for players to use and enjoy during their gaming experience.

This partnership has brought all of the enchanting features so core to Minecraft’s aesthetic and infused it with the heritage trench coats and signature check Burberry pattern to the digital world of the Minecraft game.

Minecraft is a staple in the video gaming world. This is an opportunity for the platform to reach an all-new audience with its collaboration with the British luxury brand Burberry. The brands teamed up to create a brand-new in-game experience dubbed the “Burberry x Minecraft” capsule collection.”

What is the Burberry x Minecraft collaboration?

The collaboration between Burberry and Minecraft was very anticipated because it was a moment where two titans of their industries. Burberry is a household name in the luxury fashion industry, while Minecraft is installed on the computers of millions of gamers worldwide.

The iconic brands partnered up to create an in-game adventure, “Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond,” which combined a capsule clothing collection and game console attached to the Burberry brand. It was the merger of the gaming world with the luxury fashion industry as both entered the metaverse.

The Burberry designated part of the open-world virtual platform Minecraft runs on was an aesthetic experience and a complete virtual experience with a game plotline for gamers to enjoy. In this corner of the metaverse, players would be transported to a digital doppelganger of modern London under the control of the evil overlord Nexus.

The game will also include a character that aligns with fans of both Burberry and Minecraft and would enjoy like an Equestrian Knight. The map has a proud Thomas Burberry Monogram Maze visible from a bird’s eye view. This and many other features were included in the game to entice new and old gamers.

This collaboration between Burberry and Minecraft indicates the fashion industry’s interest in emerging technology. This is made even more apparent by the Burberry capsule collection being available as an NFT collection. This is a step in the right direction for luxury fashion and other legacy brands. It is a way to pay ode to long-standing brands while also allowing them to grow and evolve alongside the brands of the new world into the age of the metaverse.

Why did Burberry team up with Minecraft?

Burberry launched their collaboration with Minecraft called “Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond.” It has breathed new life into Markus Persson’s global gaming phenomenon, Minecraft!

The project merges the gaming and luxury fashion world by incorporating high-end fashion into the world of Minecraft through digital Burberry assets for players to enjoy and use while playing Minecraft. Players can indulge in a physical Burberry x Minecraft capsule collection along with digital assets.

This collaboration has genuinely embraced their diverse strengths as two modern powerhouses as independent brands to create a mutually representative immersive experience with a new storyline and virtual landscape.

The Director of Channel Innovation at Burberry, Phillip Hennche, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Minecraft to bring the Burberry brand story to life in an immersive way… With a shared belief in adventure, community, and the power of creativity to open spaces, the natural synergy between both of our brands has allowed us to connect our respective worlds in a way that is unexpected and yet entirely natural.”

These are four other brands entering the NFT space:

1.      Gucci: Gucci x Roblox

Gucci made a historical step for their brand as they unveiled their first-ever digital project on Roblox on 17 May. Roblox is a popular metaverse gaming platform with an independent community. This made Roblox the perfect platform for Gucci to partner with to launch their brand-themed digital campaign and themed room project.

2.      Nike: Nike x RTFKT

Nike is known for their strategic collaboration and for being on the cutting edge of societal advancement. This is why Nike collaborated with RTFKT and acquired the brand to launch their virtual fashion collation. The infamous sports brand has patterned the phrase “Just do it” by partnering up with a prominent name in the metaverse to launch their fashion NFT collection. This choice has cemented the brand’s commitment to “doing” things that matter.

3.      Balenciaga: Fortnite x Balenciaga

This collaboration was a colliding of two iconic brands of the 21^st century. This project marries the digital and the physical into an immersive experience that has resulted in a highly enjoyable gaming experience for over 120 million people worldwide. What sets this collaboration apart is that it was a unique experience for Balenciaga, which has no experience in the virtual world, but also for Fortnite, as it was their first-ever partnership with a luxury brand.

4.      Louis Vuitton: Louis the Game

Louis Vuitton was started by a young man when he was 14! The legacy brand is thoroughly infused with the sense of being a trailblazer and pioneer in the fashion industry. With those values embedded in the blood of the brand, it’s no wonder Louis Vuitton has become the first luxury clothing brand to launch its own mobile video game. This revolutionary project is called “Louis the Game.”

What is the future of luxury brands in the metaverse?

The metaverse is primed to change the world of consumption, both of media and physical goods, in a way we haven’t even considered yet. This is why there is not a single person on the planet with complete knowledge of how web3 and the metaverse shape and lead our society. That being said, this is a highly possible future for luxury brands in the metaverse.

The metaverse has its roots in the virtual realm of video games, and a sense of competitiveness and creativity rules its community. This set of values intuitively aligned with the luxury fashion world even if they didn’t see it from the get-go.

The fusion of business and virtual reality is not a unique concept, but it has never been seen to this degree before. It can combine the physical realms of luxury fashion and the digital gold mine of the metaverse. The most unexpected outcome of the mass adoption of metaverse platforms and virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) has wildly opened up the world, especially that of African, South American, and the Asian market, to international brands at an unprecedented rate.  This means that the virtual marketplace has expanded the potential buying pool for most brands, including luxury brands. This potential is ongoing to improve as time goes on.

How can I make money on this?

1. Invest in high-end digital brands: just like traditional luxury goods, buying them at floor price might be your golden ticket if their appreciation translates into the digital realm.
2. Buy digital plots and rent: When these brands enter the metaverse with their digital shops, they will need virtual shops. Rent out your digital land for big brands like Burberry and Nike to use for their shops.
3. Plat-to-earn (P2E): The Burberry x Minecraft collaboration aims to flourish in the video game space. This means you can use your time to earn these valuable luxury NFTs and then sell them later.