Gold Hunters official trailer
The Problem
STEM careers power the future, but teenage interest is falling worldwide.
For the world to thrive, the next generation needs to embrace STEM. These are the disciplines that power progress, innovation, and human advancement.
But STEM studies and careers are facing increasing talent shortfalls.
The World Gold Council wanted to play a meaningful role, using our own expertise to spark curiosity in science, geology, and gold, and in doing so, inspire young people to consider STEM subjects that lead to careers within our industry.
But the challenge was steep.
Our social listening revealed that teenagers were 224x more likely to search for careers in accountancy than in gold! And that careers appeared in just 0.02% of their searches related to gold. To many young people, gold felt old-fashioned, disconnected from their digital lives, and irrelevant to their future.
224x
More likely to search for accountancy than gold careers
0.02%
Of teen gold searches that mention careers
The challenge was clear:
How do you make gold, and by extension STEM, feel fascinating to a generation living inside games?
The Insight
Our research uncovered something powerful.
If young people get beyond jewellery and mining stereotypes and learn surprising, modern truths about gold's cosmic origins, its vital role in advanced technology, robotics, AI, and clean energy - their attitudes towards it as a subject of study shifted fast.
Facts like:
- Gold being forged in supernovas and delivered to Earth by asteroids
- Gold powering satellites, smartphones, cancer treatments, and Formula 1 cars
- Modern gold mining using drones, 3D mapping, robot dogs, and fully electric vehicles
These stories dramatically increased interest in STEM subjects and in gold-related careers.
The problem was clearly not the subject matter. It was how it was being taught: in dry textbooks and classrooms.
The Idea: Gold Hunters
The largest hunt for Gold ever created on Roblox!
Instead of building a solitary branded Roblox world, we turned Roblox itself into the experience, hiding gold across 24 of the platform's most popular experiences and transforming play into discovery.
Players scanned for gold, collected ore, smelted it into bars, and upgraded their tools, creating a loop that mirrored real modern gold processes.
Along the way, players unlocked short, high-impact moments of learning, discovering the fascinating facts proven to increase interest in gold and STEM careers.
Gold wasn't explained to them. It was experienced.
The Execution
Gold Hunters was built as a fully native, cross-experience Roblox mechanic:
- A treasure hunt spanning 24 top Roblox titles
- Scanning stations and portals seamlessly integrated into partner experiences
- A central hub where players smelted gold, upgraded equipment, and redeemed rewards
- Interactive quizzes and a mine-cart ride that delivered learning through play
- Limited-edition gold-themed UGC items to reward progress and status
- Leaderboards and competitive mechanics to drive repeat play
The Gold Hunters hub - the central world where players smelted gold and redeemed rewards
Gold Hunters UGC sequence
The experience didn't interrupt gameplay. It enhanced it.
Gold became something you chased, mastered, flexed, and talked about, just like any great Roblox mechanic.
The Results
Gold Hunters didn't just reach young people. It changed how they think.
Reach & Engagement
7.93M
Total visits, far exceeding targets
4.8M
Unique players
273K+
Hours of playtime
3 min
Average session length
78.8%
Experience rating
70K+
UGC items redeemed
Learning & Perception
74%
Perfect score on gold quizzes (vs 55% control)
72%
Learned something new about gold
90%
Enjoyed the experience
80%+
More likely to talk about gold with others
Career Impact
75%
Likely to consider a career in gold (vs 54% control)
+21%
Uplift in likelihood to consider gold careers
Major perception shifts, with gold careers seen as more modern, safe, clean, exciting, and accessible
Ethan Gamer explores the full Gold Hunters experience
Why It Worked
Gold Hunters didn't bolt a brand onto Roblox. It wove gold into the fabric of play itself.
By turning the entire platform into a living treasure hunt, the World Gold Council met young audiences on their terms, inside their favourite worlds, using the mechanics they already loved.
It proved that brand integration doesn't have to feel like advertising. It can feel like discovery.
And in doing so, it didn't just build awareness. It helped secure the talent pipeline for STEM and our whole industry.
