A bit more Roblox, and the Royal & Ancient game goes virtual

Week four, and admittedly it has been a touch tricky to find time for any deep work during the holidays! But, we go again…

I wanted to share a summary and some reflections on an article from Dean Takahashi about new developers on Roblox who are building this growing economy. I think this article gives great context about the space, and highlights some of the talented people and studios that are creating the types of playable media expereinces we like dicussing here.

Here’s what you need to know about this week:

• A bit more on the fuss about Roblox

• Who is Dean Takahashi?

• Golf5 launch Royal Troon in VR

A bit of background on why we keep talking about Roblox

Roblox is growing in cultural influence, is in becomes a platform for innovative and successful game development. Roblox reported 70.2 million daily active users and 16 billion hours of gameplay, indicating its growing popularity and engagement. As you will have almost certainly gather by now, the platform hosts a variety of creative endeavors, from game development to digital fashion, with collaborations spanning various cultural relevant industries.

Recently, Dean Takahashi, published an article highlighting the young entrepreneurs and developers who are both fuelling the growth of the plaform and finding great successes. Takahashi focuses on young developers like Anne Shoemaker, who have grown up playing Roblox and now run successful gaming studios. Shoemaker's Fullflower Studio, for instance, has created popular games like 'Mermaid Life'.

Developers are leveraging Roblox to create a wide range of games, pushing the boundaries in terms of graphics and gameplay. Examples include Clarence Maximillian's 'Frontlines' and Shawn Edouard's 'Emergency Response: Liberty County'. 

Roblox CEO David Baszucki predicts significant growth, foreseeing a Roblox developer reaching a $1 billion valuation within five years. (He also predicted that thousands of verified 17+ people will be meeting in Roblox dating experiences)! While the platform offers vast opportunities, it also presents unique challenges, such as understanding user preferences and the technical complexities of game development - which are not to be under estimated.

Why should you, and other non-gamers, care? 

Roblox represents a burgeoning economic sector, providing lucrative career opportunities, especially for young entrepreneurs and developers. It's a vivid example of how digital platforms can create new markets, and new value for already popular IP.

Roblox's impact on youth culture and its role as a social platform make it a significant cultural phenomenon. Understanding its dynamics can offer insights into current and future trends in digital engagement and entertainment.

For investors and business professionals, Roblox's growth and the success of its developers highlight emerging markets and investment opportunities in the gaming industry and digital entertainment sector.

Golf5 add Royal Troon to the Open Zone

One of the oldest sports in the world - golf - is embracing a new medium - VR.

Through a partnership with the R&A, Royal Troon, site of the 2024 Open Championship, is now available in the virtual reality format in Golf5. The game replicates a lifelike golfing experience, capturing every swing, chip, and putt with realistic precision. Aimed at both experienced golfers and beginners, the VR experience offers an authentic golfing adventure, bringing the beauty of Royal Troon to a virtual setting is part of a long-term strategy in embracing new technology that the R&A are on.

Royal Troon’s Old Course is now part of the Open Zone, inside of the Golf5 VR game. Within the VR Open Zone, Royal Troon now sits alongside Royal Liverpool, which hosted the 2023 Open Championship. This means that players of Golf5 will be able to playing the The VR Open, alongside the Open Championship, again in 2024.

Why should you, and other non-gamers, care?

Even golf, a historically ancient game, is embracing playable media. These platforms now are not only for the "innovative" or “forward-thinking”; they are being embraced by all major intellectual property owners to achieve multiple objectives.

In speaking about the partnership ahead of last year’s Open, Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at The R&A, said: “We have created The VR Open so that fans can engage with the Championship like never before using technology and the Metaverse. This is an important development as we aim to attract new audiences to the sport and the advancement of technology enables us to offer ground-breaking experiences that are unique in golf. We look forward to seeing the reaction of fans as the first ever VR Open takes place this summer.”

With ongoing advancements in VR technology and the potential to add a multitude of real-world courses to virtual experiences, the governing bodies in golf are taking note and getting in on the action. 

Another newsletter you might enjoy

If it is a slow work week, and this lighter edition of This Week in Playable Media leaves you wanting more, I suggest you check out Innovate & Grow by Maddy Bergen. I met Maddy at a networking event this year, her posts provide useful frameworks use when business building.

Infographic of the Week

We touched on GTA in the first edition of This Week in Playable Media. Here is an inforgraphic from the brilliant folks at the Visual Capitalist to help show how valuable the franchise really is, even when set against the production costs.

In 2008, GTA IV cost $100 million to make, which was a lot of money. But it sold 25 million copies and made almost $2 billion,. Five years later, GTA V cost over $200 million to make, twice as much as GTA IV. Since its release ten years ago, GTA V has made almost $8 billion, with lots of money coming in every year from subscriptions and in-game purchases. The next game in the series will probably use the same money-making model.

Courtesy of the Visual Capitalist