Powering Imagination. You may think these are just two random words. In reality, you have just read the building blocks of a multi-billion dollar corporation that connects diverse people around the world and creates its own culture of gaming. Meet Roblox, a revolutionary online gaming platform that is now raging through the halls of Bergen County Academies (BCA). Roblox boasts millions of carefully hand-crafted gems of numerous genres.

The Academy Chronicle surveyed BCA students to see what their favorite aspects of Roblox are and how it plays a role in their daily lives. 

To kick things off, 67.3% of BCA students that participated in the survey have played Roblox. Among them, the most popular game genres were obby, slang for obstacle course, PvP, standing for player versus player, and simulator, where the player role-plays a certain character.

“My love for obbies began all the way back during the first lockdown. I’d heard about Roblox, but I never really played. I was pretty bored, and I came across the genre. I started with simple Escape Mr. Stinky obbies, and this blossomed into a love for Tower of Hell,”  said an AVPA ninth-grader interviewed by the Academy Chronicle regarding the beginning of their gaming adventure.

Tower of Hell is an obstacle tower game created five years ago that prides itself in its 20.6 billion player visits in total, and was BCA’s favorite choice of game. Other top picks included Arsenal, an immersive first-person shooter game, Doors, a horror adventure game, and Bloxburg, a life roleplay game.

Further, when asked about why they like Roblox, they did not hesitate. “I like it because it doesn’t require energy from my brain. It helps me calm down, and it helps when I want to relax after a long day, but it still wouldn’t be my first choice,” they shared.

From the survey, 81.1% of BCA students responded that Roblox relieves their stress. That’s 81.1%! Roblox also offers an online currency, called Robux, that, when bought with real money, helps players gain upgrades, acquire stylish cosmetics, and purchase new games. Out of those surveyed, 50% responded that they had bought Robux at one point in their life. The amount of Robux they bought was, on average, 1,625 and varied from 3 to over 20,000. To give a sense of price, five dollars will buy a player 400 Robux, while 200 dollars will buy a whopping 22,500 Robux. Clearly, Robux impacts the daily lives of student’s parents’ wallets!

The settings in which BCA students play Roblox vary, with 48.6% playing the game in school, and the rest playing at home. 

A ninth grader in AAST provided insight into the settings in which they play. “I usually play Roblox at school when I have free time, like at lunch or when my teacher’s out. We play stuff like The Mimic and Doors almost every day,” they stated.

The Mimic is a survival horror game with various chapters based upon Japanese history and urban legends, and is considered one of the spookiest experiences on Roblox.

Roblox additionally has a chatting and friending system, making it a great platform for socializing and connecting with peers outside the community. The ninth-grader in the visual academy shared their story about finding a friend on Roblox. “I met this really skilled player in ‘Survive the Killer’ during the lockdown, so I sent her a friend request. We’ve played lots of games together and I wouldn’t have even met her if not online, because she lives in Chicago.” Out of the BCA students surveyed, everyone had at least one friend, numerous students claiming to have the maximum amount, 200.

For two decades, Roblox has been bridging the gap between gamers of all ages and locations around the world, packaging millions of games into a groundbreaking mega platform. The BCA community has been no exception, with Roblox affecting the daily lives of students both inside and outside of school by serving as a stress reliever, social network, and pastime. Through its sensational sense of unity among its following, Roblox has much to offer for BCA.