After a seventeen-year hiatus that left fans yearning for its return, the iconic Gorillaz Interactive Kong Studios Experience has officially relaunched on September 10, 2025, at 4 PM BST/GMT. The revival begins with access to the lobby area, with additional rooms scheduled for release in the coming weeks. This digital resurrection coincides strategically with the band’s 25th anniversary celebrations, offering fans a modernized version of the original platform that operated from 1998 to 2008.
The long-awaited rebirth of Gorillaz’s digital playground signals a new era for the virtual band’s quarter-century milestone.
Kong Studios serves as both a nostalgic touchpoint and an innovative fan engagement tool, allowing visitors to navigate through virtual environments themed around the band’s animated members: 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel. The web-based platform requires no specialized hardware, ensuring global accessibility while functioning as a central hub for exclusive Gorillaz content and updates. Fans can easily access the experience via kongstudios.gorillaz.com without any special requirements. The experience leverages social media integration to help artists connect directly with their audience, similar to how streaming platforms facilitate fan engagement. Teaser videos released on YouTube have fueled anticipation among the fanbase, particularly those who experienced the original version during its decade-long run.
The digital experience arrives on the heels of the physical House of Kong exhibition, which ran from August 8 to September 3 at London’s Copper Box Arena. This complementary offering recreated the studio environment where Gorillaz was conceptualized, featuring mixed reality installations and multimedia showcases that contextualized the band’s creative journey. Exhibition attendees received exclusive presale access to upcoming Gorillaz performances, creating a multilayered engagement strategy across digital and physical spaces. The exhibition was part of the band’s massive 25th anniversary celebrations that featured four mega shows at the venue.
The original Kong Studios website pioneered the integration of music, animation, and interactive web experiences in the late 1990s, establishing a blueprint for virtual artist engagement that was years ahead of its time. This relaunch leverages that groundbreaking history while implementing contemporary technological capabilities. The immersive platform demonstrates how artists can build brand storytelling to create deeper connections with fans beyond traditional music promotion methods.
As fans begin to explore the newly opened lobby area, the question emerges whether Kong Studios represents not just a revival but a glimpse into the future of artist-fan relationships in increasingly virtual entertainment landscapes.
