It is well known that Roblox is a global phenomenon. However, it is also a reality that no one can escape that behind this incredible “boom” there are some very questionable ethical practices.
As it is well known, Roblox bases all its success on the creations that users make. With these, players can earn money, but here is where the key point comes: a large percentage of the people who create video games in Roblox are underage and see it as a job. Faced with this problem, Stefano Corazza, studio head of Roblox, has spoken out in a recent interview with Eurogamer, where far from extinguishing the flames, he has fueled them.
“You can say: ‘OK, we are exploiting, you know, child labor’, right? Or you can also say: ‘We are offering people from anywhere in the world the opportunity to get a job and even have an income'”, begins the executive. “So I can be, for example, 15 years old, be in Indonesia, live in a marginalized neighborhood, and with my laptop create something, earn money and sustain my life”.
In response to this, a Roblox communication manager clarified to Eurogamer that the vast majority of developers who make money are over 18 years old, especially after hearing the previous statements. A band-aid on the wound.
Roblox pays developers with its virtual currency, Robux. Far from being equal, the purchase price is much worse for the developer: while the user can buy 1,000 Robux for $12.50, in case of selling 1,000 Robux, the developer only receives $3.50, that is, $9 less.
