Kids and teens all around the world have turned Roblox into a global powerhouse! Although it’s been around since 2006, its outbreak occurred in 2020 when COVID-19 hit and led to a worldwide quarantine. With malls closed and schools canceled, millions of bored tweens discovered what seemed to be the new hang out: Roblox. When thinking back to this time, many say it was actually the highlight of being cooped up in a house all day. Ella Michalopoulos explains: “Roblox perfectly encapsulates the adolescent experience during quarantine. Whether I spent hours meticulously designing homes in Bloxburg or channeling Karl Lagerfeld to win Fashion Famous, the platform offered something for everyone in Gen Z. The games’ impact on this writer’s life was powerful; it connected kids across the globe when the physical world felt closed off. Today, being able to bond with new people over those shared digital memories helps heal the sense of isolation COVID-19 forced upon us during our formative years.”

Its legacy is nowhere near done though. As time passes, those who were once tweens during the pandemic are now almost young adults and still pretty active on the game. Instead of outgrowing Roblox, people have simply traded in the “obby” stages for more technical, age-appropriate games. There truly is a game for everyone on this platform, regardless of age. This evolution is exactly what keeps the platform from becoming a “childhood phase” that people eventually leave behind. 

That’s the unique thing about Roblox. It has grown and matured alongside its audience. The same players that were once obsessed with Adopt Me are now diving into deep psychological experiences like the horror hit The Mimic. By constantly expanding its boundaries, Roblox has proven it isn’t just a phase everyone played when they were younger, but a digital world that continues to grow along with us.