A disturbing trend of Roblox players recreating historical mass shootings has been firmly denounced by developer Roblox Corporation. The game creation system, launched back in 2006, allows users to program their very own video games and play games created by others. Roblox has become an immense financial success for Roblox Corporation, with the game creation platform reportedly leading mobile gaming's $1.7 billion revenue in the first half of 2021.
The programming systems available in Roblox are quite accessible, allowing almost anyone to pick up the title and start creating their own unique game. Many of these player-built experiences are short experimental demos, focusing on basic mechanics such as platforming or traversing a level. However, Roblox's tools can also be used to make in-depth and detailed games when wielded by an experienced developer. Terry Cavanagh, the creator of indie platformer VVVVVV, even created his newest game within Roblox. The platforming title, Climb the Giant Man, demonstrates how a talented game designer can use the system to produce a full-fledged video game experience.
Unfortunately, The Verge reports that not all Roblox users are interested in creating an entertaining video game experience. Roblox Company has recently spoken out against users who use Roblox to recreate horrific real-world mass shootings. One particular tragedy, the 2019 mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, have made frequent appearances on the Roblox servers. The platform's developers explain that submissions recreating this event are particularly hard to moderate because of a reluctance to ban all creations involving the city of Christchurch. In response to the offensive recreations, a Roblox Corporation spokesperson told The Verge, "[w]e do not tolerate racism, discriminatory speech, or content related to tragic events. We have a stringent safety and monitoring system that is continuously active and that we rigorously and proactively enforce."
While Roblox Corporation continues to moderate new submissions, the creation platform has found itself amongst controversy in the past. Back in July 2020, Roblox was hacked by Donald Trump supporters who sought to raise awareness for the incumbent president's political campaign. To this end, the Trump supporters began hacking the Roblox accounts of underage children and calling upon the users' parents to vote for the incumbent. The hackers also used customization options to change their victims' playable characters, making them wear bald eagle t-shirts and red hats resembling the Trump campaign's "Make America Great Again" caps.
Roblox is a platform where users can bring their wildest imaginations to life using accessible programming tools. However, this creative freedom is bound to result in the creation of some wildly offensive material. For a platform that caters to both adults and kids, allowing a recreation of a mass shooting to pass through moderation and get published is inexcusable. In order to censor this sort of tone-deaf, offensive content, Roblox Corporation will need to crack down on the game's monitoring system.
Roblox is available on Xbox One, iOS, Android, and PC.
Source: The Verge