David Baszucki, Roblox’s ‘Builderman’

A parent’s first glance at kids playing Roblox can be bewildering. They steer their little avatars at a frantic clip while tapping out bursts of competitive poppycock to one another via chat. The swarm escapes dinosaurs, flees exploding volcanoes, hunts sharks, etc.—there’s a seemingly limitless array of adventures. Along the way, players rack up points, and when they’re injured or stuck and need to “reset,” in Roblox lingo, there’s a signature sound: Oof!

It doesn’t matter how lost parents are. Their children, who’ve likely spent hours attempting to explain what’s transpiring on their iPads, are obsessed. Last year, as in-person socializing ground to a halt, many young people turned to the platform as a proxy. With playgrounds shuttered, moms and dads exchanged kids’ Roblox handles and arranged Roblox play dates. In between Zoom calls, parents fielded impassioned pleas for more Robux—the digital currency players use to purchase things for their avatars. Currently, $9.99 buys 800 Robux; a cool cape costs 100 Robux.