Virtua, Gamefam Team Up to Bring Shelby Muscle Cars to Roblox

Gamefam has brought Shelby American, makers of legendary cars like the Mustang GT350 and Daytona Coupe, to Roblox for the first time. Ahead of the 60th anniversary of the GT350 later this year – Gamefam has unleashed an immersive Shelby-themed experience within its “Car Dealership Tycoon” game on Roblox, allowing players to take these rare high-performance machines racing virtually. 

Whether dominating racetracks globally or playing key roles in movies like “Gone in 60 Seconds” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” Shelby’s cars have maintained their stature as pop culture icons for over 60 years. Now, it’s time for the Nevada-based auto brand’s most renowned models to make their newest appearance for a new generation. The Roblox-based game allows players to operate their own dealership, collect, customize and drive their dream cars.  

The activation is just the beginning of Shelby’s larger metaverse initiative, known as the Shelbyverse. The Shelbyverse is powered by Virtua, the gaming division of Vanar and will feature a marketplace, licensed physical merchandise, unique avatars and additional gaming experiences.  

Players can access the Shelbyverse via a link shared in the “Car Dealership Tycoon” Discord server. Once players sign up for the Shelbyverse, they will be granted a Shelby car reward in “Car Dealership Tycoon.” 

Related:Automotive Special Report: How Global Automotive Businesses are Taking Their Brands Off-Road

Through the Shelby-themed “Car Dealership Tycoon” activation, players can tackle a dedicated quest, including a scavenger hunt, races on a Le Mans-inspired Shelby Historic Circuit. They ultimately can earn and/or purchase the keys to several of the most legendary cars from Shelby’s past and present lineup, including: 

“Since the 1960s, Shelby has defined car culture as a name synonymous with speed and performance,” says Ricardo Briceno, chief business officer, Gamefam. “Gamefam is honored to partner with them to introduce some of their most iconic cars to a new generation of Gen Z and Alpha car fanatics on Roblox for the first time. ‘Car Dealership Tycoon,’ the number one driving game on Roblox with more than two billion gameplay sessions to date, is the perfect place for the next generation of car enthusiasts to become lifelong fans of Shelby.” 

“For over 60 years, Shelby cars have won the most important races, appeared on the largest screens, and adorned bedrooms of future enthusiasts around the world – and we are very proud of our brand’s legacy of power, creativity and fearlessness,” says Neil Cummings, co-chief executive officer, Carroll Shelby International, chief executive officer, Carroll Shelby Licensing. “Innovation is at the core of our company’s mission and that is reflected in we reach new audiences. We’re looking forward to working with our partners at Virtua and Gamefam to introduce our most iconic models to Roblox’s enormous user base and forging an entire new generation of future Team Shelby members.” Through Jan. 21, the Shelby integration will be available for free in Car Dealership Tycoon on Robloxona's most platforms and devices, including consoles, PCs, mobile devices and tablets.