About Roblox And Where Its Banned!!
What is Roblox?
Roblox is an app that allows users to play a wide variety of games, create games, and chat with others online. It combines gaming, social media, and social commerce. Billing itself as the “ultimate virtual universe,” Roblox experiences are places where users can socialize, build their own spaces, and even earn and spend virtual money.
Games on Roblox are officially called “experiences” which fall into a variety of genres. Users can dabble in games tagged as roleplay, adventure, fighting, obby (obstacle courses), tycoon, simulator, and more.
Many of the most popular games on the app, including Adopt Me! And Brookhaven RP, fall into the roleplay category. These are fewer games and more virtual hangouts. Millennials, think of them like Gen Z’s version of Club Penguin. Other categories focus more on agility, strategy, or skill.
Though the platform itself is free, users can make purchases within each experience. A portion of the sales (about 28 cents per dollar spent) goes back to the game’s creator. That means brands and makers of all ages can earn money if the games they build become popular. It really takes user-generated content to a whole new level.
Need proof? Jailbreak, one of the platform’s most popular games, was built by teenager Alex Balfanz, who paid for his college degree entirely with his Roblox earnings. Serial game developer Alex Hicks earned over $1 million per year creating games for the platform, all before his 25th birthday.
Still not sure what Roblox actually does? If you don’t have a preteen around to guide you, we’d recommend giving it a try yourself. To get started, first, create an account and then download the app on your phone or computer. Once you’re in, you’ll have access to millions of user-generated games.
If you want to make your own games, you’ll have to download Roblox Studio, the “immersive creative engine” that allows users to create their own games.
Still have questions? We know, it’s a lot to learn!
When was Roblox Made?
Roblox officially launched in September of 2006. It may come as a surprise to many that Roblox is older than Snapchat, Discord, and even Instagram! That’s because the platform took much longer to gain steam.
While Roblox co-founders David Baszucki and Erik Cassel officially debuted the platform over 15 years ago, it didn’t start to gain traction until about a decade in. And it really exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, when its daily active user count surged by 40 percent.
How many people play Roblox?
The company reports that over 52 million people play Roblox online each day, up by 21% compared to last year.
Who uses Roblox?
Historically, Roblox catered mostly to teens and preteens, with its largest and most engaged demographic being 9- to 12-year-old males.
However, the company recently reported that its users are “aging up.” In a letter to shareholders, Roblox reported that its fastest-growing demographic is 17- to 24-year-olds.
Source: Roblox
Roblox is popular around the world. While players from the U.S. and Canada historically made up the largest share of its user base, the number of European players eclipsed U.S. and Canadian players last year. Today, there are about as many users in Asia as there are in the U.S. and Canada.
Is Roblox free?
Yes, Roblox is free to download and most games on the platform are free to play. However, users can make purchases within games to buy upgrades, boosts, clothing, accessories, skins, and more.
In-game purchases are made with the platform’s virtual currency, Robux. These can be purchased with real money, won, or earned during gameplay. Users can also trade and sell items to other users in some games.
Who is the creator of Roblox?
Roblox was created by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, two engineers who began working on the prototype for the platform in 2004. Cassel served as administrator and vice president of engineering until he died from cancer in 2013. Baszucki is now the CEO.
What is the most popular game in Roblox?
With over 40 million games and counting, how do you even know which Roblox experiences are worth your time? Starting with the most popular games in Roblox can help you get a feel for how millions of users interact with the app.
Right now, the most popular game in Roblox is Adopt Me! With over 29.4 billion visits and 24.7 million favorites. The roleplaying game allows users to adopt and raise pets and animals, decorate their virtual homes, and interact with friends.
Other popular games on Roblox include Brookhaven RP with 21.4 billion visits and 14.6 million favorites; Tower of Hell with 18.7 billion visits and 10.1 million favorites; and Blox Fruits with 7.1 billion visits and 4.3 million favorites.
Source: Roblox
Is Roblox a social network?
Yes, Roblox is a social gaming network within the metaverse that allows users to make connections with strangers within the global community as well as people they know in real life.
According to the company, Roblox users send approximately 2.5 billion chat messages daily. The app allows users to send friend requests, exchange messages, and trade with other users within games.
Last year, Roblox rolled out Spatial Voice Chat, which allows users to talk with other players who are near them within games. Age-verified users who are 13 or older can opt into the voice chat function.
In addition to communicating with others, users can leverage the power of voting within the platform. Games can be upvoted, downvoted, followed, or favorited, which helps signal their quality and popularity to other users.
How to make a Roblox game
Interested in designing your own video game and potentially becoming Roblox famous? To do that, you first need to download Roblox Studio on your computer.
Next, you need to learn the basics of Roblox’s scripting language. The app uses a coding language called Lua that’s relatively easy to learn, making it a great way for young coders to understand the basics of video game development.
Roblox Studio offers a variety of templates that make it easy to start building your online game. Explore the templates, add your own components, and learn all about how video games are made.
How brands are using Roblox
If you’re a savvy marketer looking for ways to reach a younger demographic, you might want to consider developing your own game on Roblox.
Branded games on the platform have the potential to go viral and earn brands big bucks. Just take it from Gucci, who made waves when a virtual version of one of its bags sold for over $4,000 on the app.
Brands including Clarks, Spotify, Chipotle, NARS, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, and Vans have built virtual experiences on Roblox, and the investment is proving worthwhile. Gucci’s Gucci Town has racked up nearly 33 million visits, while Chipotle’s Burrito Builder has over 17 million.
For inspiration on branded Roblox games, look to Spotify Island. The streaming service takes users on a virtual scavenger hunt where they can meet their favorite artists, play with sound, and collect special merch.
Nikeland is another noteworthy branded experience where nearly 20 million users go for sporty quests and to collect Nike gear for their avatars.
Source: Roblox
Is Roblox safe for kids?
If you’re a parent, you might be wondering whether Roblox is a safe space for your child. As with any social media platform, the app comes with the risk of scams and bullying. In fact, critics have called out Roblox for failing to adequately protect kids on the app from harassment and abuse.
Roblox claims to automatically filter out inappropriate content from chat, but parents should exercise caution and teach their kids about online safety before letting them sign up for a Roblox account.
As a parent, you can restrict in-game chat, in-app purchasing, and access to certain games. You may also set a monthly spending allowance and turn on notifications that let you know anytime your child spends money in the app.
To see a list of parental controls, log into your Roblox account and navigate to settings. In the parental controls section, you’ll see an option to add a Parent PIN. When the Parent PIN is enabled, users can’t make changes to settings without entering a PIN.
Roblox: the TL;DR
Short on time? Here’s the gist: Roblox is a platform that hosts more than 40 million user-generated experiences and lets users build their own from scratch. Within these experiences, users can play games, socialize with others, and earn and spend a virtual currency called Robux.
Countries That Banned Roblox And Why?
Yes, Roblox is illegal in certain countries. However, it is not illegal in most Western Countries. Here is the list of the 6 countries Roblox is currently banned:
- North Korea
- China
- Jordon
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Guatemala
- Oman
Is Roblox Illegal?
If we’re to examine the current accessibility of Roblox in different countries then we realize that for most countries Roblox is not illegal and has not been banned. This is obvious for anyone living in the United States of America or someone from Europe because you can easily access the game and website there.
Roblox is illegal and banned in certain countries such as North Korea, China, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Guatemala, and Oman. But as we mentioned earlier most nations of the world have not explicitly passed legal rulings on the availability of Roblox within their countries.
This is because most of these countries have laws and rules in place that do not restrict access to Roblox and do not believe that there is any potential harm that might come from Roblox as a whole. After all, Roblox is seen as a children’s game, that is usually moderated and has strict rules regarding explicit content.
Why Have Countries Made Roblox Illegal?
Even with all these rules and regulations, there is an obvious amount of bad language, swearing, bullying, and explicit content that can be made available through Roblox. Many states, especially those with high levels of moral policing, see this as problematic for such a young audience.
It is because of this concern that many of these countries have for the formative years of children that they have decided to ban Roblox in their respective countries. This does not mean that all countries that have banned Roblox have done so because of such noble intentions.
Rather other countries see Roblox as a means to let Western influence trickle into the minds of their youth. Some countries on our list especially are worried about anti-communist propaganda, or general Western cultural influence infusing into their societies.
Why Is Roblox Banned In These Countries
1. Oman
Oman is the most recent country to publicly ban Roblox. They cite that the website contains explicit content that is inappropriate for children. Moreover, they believe that the website contains scammers and hackers that can potentially do much harm to the young audience of Roblox
2. China
China, similar to North Korea, has had a strict ban on social media sites that originate from the USA. They too have banned platforms like Google and Facebook, and they similarly treat Roblox. Moreover, they believe Roblox contains anti-communist propaganda in the game.
Due to the country being heavily influenced and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party they do not wish to expose their youth to potentially anti-communist narratives or rhetoric. And have thus banned Roblox to safeguard their vested interests.
3. Jordon
Jordon is a Southwest Asian state that has expressed time and time again that children are not safe on the Roblox platform. They believe there is a potential for them to be exposed to foul language, scammers, and hackers. Which can be detrimental to them in their formative years.
4. United Arab Emirates
The UAE similar to Jordon believes that there are several issues with the security protocols on the gaming platform. Specifically, due to its target demographic being kids, they are fearful that they might be influenced or exposed to explicit content.
5. Guatemala
In Guatemala, Roblox is banned because the website and the gaming platform violate their laws and regulations regarding the safety and protection of children and adolescents.
6. .North Korea
North Korea is widely regarded as a dictatorial state and has closed its borders for trade and the free flow of information. It is because of this reason that many social media sites such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter are also banned within North Korea.
Roblox is seen as another social platform that can potentially breach North Korea’s self-imposed isolation. This is because the game has various chat features and functions that can allow players to talk to others from all over the world. This is against North Korean directives and why they have banned the game.
Ultimately, yes, Roblox is illegal in certain countries. Like those that we mentioned above. However, it is not illegal or deemed harmful in most nations of the world. And you should have a fairly easy time accessing Roblox if you live anywhere else than the places we mentioned.
Note: I can't tell you how to access them so I won't get in trouble.
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